One of the original forefathers in the industrial boom of the 1980s,
Chrome's amalgam of distorted guitars and vocals, samples from TV, and a raw punk aesthetic (inspired by
the Stooges) became much more popular in the early '90s than it ever was while the band was around in the '70s and '80s. Although active for only six years,
Chrome left behind a huge discography, including nine full LPs (several of which were released posthumously) and numerous EPs and singles.
Chrome was formed in San Francisco around 1977 by vocalist/drummer
Damon Edge, vocalist/guitarist
Helios Creed, guitarist
John Lambdin and bassist
Garry Spain; each played other instruments as well, including tape machines, electric violin and Moog.
Chrome's sound wasn't quite fully formed by the time of their first album,
The Visitation; it's surprisingly poppy with few hints of what was to come, though an obsession with science fiction made its debut. Second album
Alien Soundtracks was the true genesis for
Chrome, spinning around
Creed's grinding guitar attack and
Edge's tape manipulation on tracks like "All Data Lost" and "Chromosome Damage."
Lambdin and
Spain virtually disappeared by 1979's
Half Machine Lip Moves, and the industrial effects became even more experimental.
Chrome jumped to the major label Beggar's Banquet/WEA in 1980 for third full-length
Red Exposure, and the uncompromising sound was compromised slightly. The album wasn't a success, though, and the duo found themselves on the Dossier label for 1981's
Blood on the Moon.
Creed and
Edge added a rhythm section (
Hilary and
John Stench) for the album, and it proved to be their best effort. Though 1982 was the year of
Chrome's breakup, it saw the release of
3rd from the Sun along with the compilation LP
No Humans Allowed, which included the EPs
Inworlds and
Read Only Memory. Also in 1982, the
Chrome Box appeared, comprising
Alien Soundtracks,
Half Machine Lip Moves,
Blood on the Moon and
No Humans Allowed, plus the previously unavailable LPs
Chronicles I and II.
Helios Creed began a successful solo career in 1985, while
Damon Edge continued the
Chrome name sporadically over the next ten years, until he died in the mid-'90s. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide