For The Chelsea Curve, music has always been about movement. Inspired by the energy, style and sense of belonging at the heart of mod culture, the Boston trio have spent the past few years carving out a sound that blends power-pop hooks, punk urgency and British Invasion influences with a distinctly American edge. Their latest release, The Rideout, captures that spirit perfectly. Drawing inspiration from everything from Quadrophenia to The Jam and The Len Price 3, the record is a fast-paced celebration of living in the moment, chasing connection, and embracing the thrill of the journey. Across seven punchy tracks, The Chelsea Curve sound more confident and ambitious than ever, expanding their sonic palette while retaining the infectious energy that has won them fans on both sides of the Atlantic. For On The Record, we caught up with Linda Pardee, Bruce Caporal and Tim Gillis to discuss the making of The Rideout, mod culture, songwriting and what’s next for the band.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with The Chelsea Curve, can you each introduce yourselves?
LP: Hi I’m Linda Pardee. I sing, play bass and am partial to prosecco!
BC: Hi, I’m Bruce Caporal and I like to hit things and shout.
TG: I’m Tim Gillis and I make loud noises on guitar
Congratulations on the recent release of your album! For those discovering you through The Rideout, how would you describe this song in three words?
LP: Jaunty Romp Drive-by!
TG: Aggressive, yet Positive!
Compared to your debut, how has your approach to songwriting changed? How does this show up in the new record?
LP: Night and day in some respects. There was much more pre-production for our new record. We thought more about the sounds and the layers above and below our usual guitar / bass/ drums trio attack, such as keys, claps, and harmonies. We lived with these songs longer, wrote and re-wrote parts, and just didn’t rush.
TG: It’s been an evolution. The first album was mostly songs that we’d been playing live for a while and they had a more stripped-down feel and were a little more raw. We added some vocals and keyboards in the studio, but they stayed pretty close to the live versions.
We put a lot of time into these new songs. We didn’t have any restrictions from live versions, and we put a lot of thought and effort and heart and booze into getting the arrangements and the vibe just right. We wanted to make the new ones bigger – they’ve got a little more of everything – more guitars, more keyboards, more effects, etc. That’s going to carry into future releases.
Which track best captures where The Chelsea Curve are right now as a band?
LP: Hands down it’s ‘Ride’! It captures the urgent live-for-the-moment spirit and sentiment of where we are, coupled with The Who like sonics in a tidy 3 minute package.”Everyone’s on the floor, in the moment now. Cuz this is what it’s all about!”
TG: It’s hard for me to pick just one. I”m happy with the way all of these tracks hang together on the EP. There’s a solid vibe that ties them all together – fast, fun, and punchy.
Your music blends British mod culture with Boston rock grit so naturally, so how did you all get involved with those scenes?
LP: I think we’re all anglophiles at heart, yet we’re rooted in Boston – so we’re taking the best of both worlds. I love the look, style and sound of the British mod scene and the chip-on-the-shoulder of the Boston punk scene – so a perfect mash-up for me.
TG: We were punk-rock kids at one time and so The Clash, The Jam, Buzzcocks, etc. were massive influences. The music was aggressive but melodic, and that’s the same way I’ve always thought about Boston rock – good gritty songwriting with a hard edge. It’s a natural connection.
Do you think mod culture is having another revival right now, or has it never really gone away?
LP: It’s never gone away in my opinion, but it is just smaller and less visible than before. Having said that, I do see a bit of a resurgence, with younger bands like Sharp Class and The Molotovs keeping the faith.
TG: It definitely never went away in the UK, and it got exported to the US in the meantime. There are a lot of ex-pats that have seeded the US scene and wherever we’ve gone, it’s been a fun and supportive group to be part of.
What artists have been most important to this album specifically?
LP: Numero uno for me is The Len Price 3. Fun fact: the working title for our song ‘Ride’ was ‘Girl Price 3’. I love their hooks, harmonies and overall fab garage-rock-ness. Of course, The Jam are never far from our thoughts, and let’s throw a dash of Boston’s Muck and the Mires plus a sprinkle of Ian Kay into the mix!
TG: We usually manage to throw in a nod or two to our influences (see above!). I won’t give away the specifics but anyone who’s a fan of those bands should recognize them, and I hope they dig ‘em!
You’ve played everywhere from Boston clubs to UK scooter rallies. Which crowds have surprised you the most?
LP: By far, the UK crowds have been superior (sorry Boston). They have just embraced us and aren’t afraid to show their love for our music and for us! They love to have fun. Boston is just a bit more reserved … but fiercely loyal.,
TG: The Boston crowd is a core of long-time veterans who created and sustained the scene. They’re very appreciative and supportive, but more low-key. A little more analytical, almost, but we feel the love.
When we first played in London, I was surprised that the crowd was all-ages and really enthusiastic – a lot more dancing than we’ve been used to. And now we’ve seen that in all the other UK venues too.
What else do you hope that listeners will take away from The Rideout?
LP: Positivity! This record is about living for the moment, jumping in head-first, and just going for it,
Following the release of this EP, what will be next on the horizon for you?
LP: Already working on a double-A single to be released this fall, where we dip a bit deeper into that lovely 2 Tone world.
TG: Yes, we’ve got a couple more tunes that weren’t quite ready for the EP (lots going on for these two!) so they’ll be singles,and we’re already having fun putting those together.
You can listen to opening track ‘Ride’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
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