Two legendary albums, a bunch of tours, a small but fanatical
fanbase... the twin guitar attack of CHAVEZ is at last enshrined in a
landmark, extremely enhanced collection. No stranger to the
brain-cracking power chord, CHAVEZ differs from bands both from the
mid-'90s and now in the application of extraordinary minor-key
harmonies and mindblown, fiercely joyous lyrical subjects. These sit
easily atop the silver-electric guitarage of Matt Sweeney and Clay
Tarver. Scott Marshall's huge bass moves give space and counterpoint
to the shattering ANTI-rock drumming of James Lo. Indeed, the band
claimed Carl Maria von Weber as a major influence, and it is not hard
to think of the lower-Manhattan-based quartet as the reincarnation of
19th-century romanticism via incredible chops and a musical upbringing
soaked in the Kinks, AC/DC and Pretty Things. Ferociously rocking with
a high-wire fragility, CHAVEZ's music stuns and satisfies like nothing
else.[...]

News
7/10/07--Chavez Ringtones Now Available
Matador Records is pleased to announce a new ringtones service. We currently have ringtones available from 11 artists, including Chavez, and more are coming soon. mobile.matadorrecords.com is the new home for all your Matador ringtones needs.

2/21/07 — Rolling Stone rolls with Chavez
Chavez's "the guard attacks" is a song you would play for a Martian who wanted to know what electric guitars are for. It's only three minutes long, yet Clay Tarver and Matt Sweeney splatter the walls with power chords and explosive harmonics, surging from peak to peak. Plus, the words are funny ("Your uncertain age gives me the shakes"), and the drummer is a madman.
-Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone

Truer words were never written. At least not in that magazine. Read the whole review HERE.

11/28/06 — Chavez giveth and Chavez taketh away: Silverlake date added
The cancellation of Chavez's scheduled appearance in Baltimore is old news by now, and so is the rumored Chicago show that stayed a rumor, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

Still, it isn't all gray skies as we head into the winter. The residents of sunny Los Angeles will be able to ring in the new year the Chavez way with a show at Spaceland on 12/31. No word as to whether the festivities will include a live reenactment of the "Break Up Your Band" video, but if so, Southern California is as good a place as any. Find all the details on this and any other Chavez concert HERE.

10/24/06 — Chavez walks among us

The first public appearances of Chavez since, well, those last ones, have been confirmed.

Dec 2 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
Dec. 16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw (16 +)

Endless Boogie will provide support (moral, spiritual) on both dates. Look for further info/venue links on the Tour Page.

10/18/06 — www.menofchavez.com: the official site
If you visit the official album site for 'Better Days Will Haunt You,' you can stream some tracks and watch mind-blowing music videos for "Unreal Is Here, and "Break Up Your Band" (Keep your eyes peeled for a certain label's certain art director!). Also at menofchavez.com: Browse through animated versions of the album art.

10/13/06 —Obscure online publication raves about Chavez
Some online music site that, despite it's name, is NOT devoted to chronicling the Black Metal underground is going crazy for "Better Days Will Haunt You." The votes are in ladies and gentlemen, and the men of Chavez earned a 9.4 on what I can only assume is a ten point scale.

Still, the question remains: How can you name your website after Satan's accessory of choice and not review anything by Venom? Read the whole review HERE.

09/12/06 — Remastered MP3s Up
THREE MP3s from the 'Better Days Will Haunt You' double CD-plus-DVD set are now available for your listening pleasure. The REMASTERED songs are "The Guard Attacks / Unreal Is Here" tracks 2 and 3 from Ride The Fader (1996), and "You Faded," a non-album B-side from the long out-of-print Pentagram Ring EP (1995). Listen here.

08/28/06 — A memo: A moment for the men of Chavez

08/07/06 — At last, a testament
The 'Better Days Will Haunt You' double CD-plus-DVD set is a tribute to over-completeness and deluxitude. This fully remastered set contains:

• A triple-gatefold digipak: 2 CDs plus DVD
  
• Two 28-page books
  
• The two original studio albums, Gone Glimmering (1995) and Ride The Fader (1996)
  
• The non-album B-sides from the “Repeat The Ending” single (1994) and the Pentagram Ring EP (1995) and compilation tracks from What’s Up Matador (1997) and the Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks (1996) albums
  
• A previously unreleased studio track entitled “White Jeans”
  
• The 2 mindblowingly audacious and ambitious promo videos, for “Break Up Your Band” and “Unreal Is Here”
  
• The ‘Boys Making Music... Music Making Men’ documentary of the band touring Europe with Guided By Voices in 1996, with commentary by legendary Hollywood producer/director Garry Marshall
  
• Plus other DVD Easter eggs

CHAVEZ
Better Days Will Haunt You OLE-720

DISC ONE

1. Repeat The Ending - FIRST SINGLE A-SIDE (OLE-104-7)
2. Hack The Sides Away - FIRST SINGLE B-SIDE (OLE-104-7)

GONE GLIMMERING

3. Nailed To The Blank Spot
4. Break Up Your Band
5. Laugh Track
6. The Ghost By The Sea
7. Pentagram Ring
8. Peeled Out Too Late
9. The Flaming Gong
10. Wakeman’s Air
11. Relaxed Fit

12. The Nerve - PENTAGRAM RING CD EP (OLE-146-2)
13. You Faded - PENTAGRAM RING CD EP (OLE-146-2)
14. Little 12 Toes - SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK

==============

DISC TWO

RIDE THE FADER

1. Top Pocket Man
2. The Guard Attacks
3. Unreal Is Here
4. New Room
5. Tight Around The Jaws
6. Lions
7. Our Boys Will Shine Tonight
8. Memorize This Face
9. Cold Joys
10. Flight ‘96
11. Ever Overpsyched
12. You Must Be Stopped

13. Theme >From ‘For Russ’ - WHAT'S UP MATADOR
14. White Jeans - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED STUDIO TRACK, WITH NEW VOCALS

==============

DVD
1. Break Up Your Band VIDEO
2. Unreal Is Here VIDEO
3. Boys Making Music... Music Making Men DOCUMENTARY (with Garry Marshall commentary)
easter eggs: Flight '96 live, something called 'soundcheck'

12/03/99 — You’ve been asking for Chavez updates. We’ve been curious, too. Seems the high profile rockers are occupying their time with the mundane chores of day to day life. Grocery shopping, phone answering, and shower taking top the short list. "I’ve been paying a lot of bills," says James Lo, drummer. We’ll bring you more exciting reports as they arrive.

11/15/1999 — Tonic’s Songwriter Series, this Sunday the 14th: Matt Sweeney, international minister of intrigue, is singer/guitarist of Chavez and has also played with Cat Power, Guided By Voices and Bonnie Prince Billie, among others. He built his empire on the back of drummer James Lo (Chavez), who will be joining him this evening. With Anomoanon. At Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street. [...]