This isn’t the first time we’ve mentioned Chester French at Unfriendly Black Hotties and probably won’t be our last. These two Harvard grads have made making music from scratch cool again. Their baby, which has been in the making for five years, is finally hitting stores tomorrow. So grab your mom, grandma and your neighbor with that weird lisp and carpool to your nearest record store to pick up Love the Future. If it’s anything like Jacques Jams, Vol 1: Endurance then it’s going to be hot. I had the pleasure to chat with Max and D.A. a couple weeks ago on their recent tour with Lady Gaga, their post concert antics and why they love the Jonas Brothers.
How are you guys doing today?
D.A: Great
How’s the tour going?
D.A.: It’s going well. We’re in New York right now. Several shows got canceled unfortunately because Lady Gaga is on American Idol but we’re a little disappointed that we couldn’t play for our New York, Philadelphia and D.C supporters.
Yeah, I got the dreaded phone call from Ticketmaster that the show got rescheduled to May 2nd.
Max: That was nice of them that they called you.
Yeah it was. How is this tour different from your past tours?
Max: There are more young girls and gay people.
So instead of 20 year olds there more like 14 year olds throwing their panties on stage?
Max: (Laughs) No, I don’t think they were that young.
Can Chester French fans expect a few surprises at the show such as fancy costumes or a few cover songs?
D.A.: Yes.
Max: Sometimes I take my shirt off, sometimes I wear wigs. Many of these things are liable to happen.
Are there any crazy tour stories you can share?
D.A.: Hmm...
Max: My mom made brownies when we came to Boston.
D.A.: Yeah that was awesome! And yesterday at Vogue we gave some of the people brownies which was a funny subversive way to endear them because they’re all about perfection and looks and those brownies are totally going to undermine everything they’re going for.
You guys have gotten shout outs from guys like Diddy and Kanye West. How does it feel to be embraced by hip hop heavyweights?
D.A.: It’s great. I mean we really respect those guys’ careers. To get their support is as awesome as anybody.
What music are you guys interested in lately?
Max: The last D’Angelo album that didn’t get released, our drummer gave it to me.
Is there a story behind She Loves Everybody?
D.A.: There’s not one story. It’s more of a combined take on females and it’s not to diss all women but there are certain guys and girls that like to get around and have the kind of baggage that compels them to do that. The song is about a slut. We tried to make it rock, you know?
For lack of better words?
D.A.: Best words.
What can fans expect on the new album? You guys have such a diverse sound. I’m wondering how you’re going to incorporate all of these influences into a Chester French original?
D.A.: We wanted to make an album. You know how it is when you go onto iTunes and there are two good songs on a record and there’s no reason to get the whole thing. We really wanted to make an album that you can listen to the whole way through. So it was really important to us that there weren’t any filler songs and everything we had was very unique and had its own flavor, but that together it would feel like one cohesive piece of music.
My fellow black hottie had told me that you guys are in love with the Jonas brothers?
D.A.: The JBs!
Can you tell us why them in particular?
Max: Nick, Kevin and the other one are just great guys. I mean, they show us that even in today’s world, a handsome white guy with Disney holding you back can still make it and we didn’t think that was possible.
Do you guys think you’ll be bigger than the Jonas Brothers?
D.A.: Oh yeah.
Max: I don’t know in general but defiantly in the teen or tween market.
I know you guys are named Chester French after the sculptor Daniel Chester French but what is the significance of Daniel Chester French to you guys?
D.A.: We just thought it was a cool name and we picked it freshmen year when we first started which was 5 years ago. It’s just a name we continue to like.
Max: It doesn’t have a meaning unfortunately. We just think it sounds cool.
Well that’s pretty honest
D.A.: Yeah, we wanted something that’d stick in your head and be unique and distinctive.
Yeah, I have people coming up to me and they’re asking “Have you heard of Chester French? That guy's pretty cool” and I keep telling them there’s two of them... that’s not their name.
D.A.: The biggest downside of the name is that after shows because I’m singing people assume that I must be a guy named Chester French which is such a revolting fucking name. I was getting pizza in Toronto and across the room some girl’s like “Oh my god! Are you Chester?!” and I’m like “No...”
What’s the craziest venue you guys performed at, where the crowd was insane and wanting more Chester French?
Max: Detroit, definitely. There were fucking panty droppers in Detroit, no bullshit.
D.A.: People really know how to have fun at concerts in Detroit, especially when we’re there.
What do you guys do after shows?
Max: We usually have a prayer session with the band.
D.A.: Sometimes we pump some iron.
Max: Doing a show, my pecs get tight so sometimes we alter between that and Pilates to even myself out, keep my core strong and flexible.
Yeah I would imagine it would be hard to carry around a Bowflex on the tour bus. Pilates is the way to go.
D.A.: Oh yeah.
Do you guys hang out with the fans after the show?
D.A.: Yeah we’ve always sold CDs on the street when we’re doing shows because it’s the best way to meet people and sort of hang out. And anyone like you who knows about us at this point in our career before we hit the radio, you guys are true supporters. There’s no one we’re more grateful to then the people who are riding with us now and the past few years. And outside of the shows is the best way to meet people and hang out. It's fun. Going on tour is a cool way to meet a ton of people. We’re making friends in all these cities. It’s awesome.
I like that you guys are keeping it old school by selling your CD’s out on the street.
One last question. Unfriendly Black Hotties has to know: is Chester French down with the swirl?
D.A.: Uhh..What?
Black and white... ebony and ivory?
Max: Yeah, obviously.
D.A.: Yeah. Like butter on rye.
Something like that...
Love the Future comes out tomorrow, April 21st.
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