Today we’d like to introduce you to Chancla Fight Club. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Chancla Fight Club started as music therapy for vocalist/songwriter Ashley Dawson and a school assignment for music producer Niko Zorich. After a drunken night in a mutual friend’s garage in Austin, TX, where Dawson showed Zorich her acoustic songs, Zorich asked if he could use one for one of his class assignments at TRCOA. That song was CFC single ‘Good Looking Idiot’. Zorich and Dawson had so much fun writing together, they continued doing so. “When writing these songs, I never had the intention or idea that anyone would ever hear them, and I still felt that way as I continued to let Niko take my acoustic songs, which felt more like a diary and throw them at the sink.” – Ashley Dawson
A couple of years later, after hearing her acoustic songs turned into the rock anthems that they are today, Dawson got an itch to play live. “I began my hunt for musicians to play the songs Niko and I co-wrote. After many failed attempts and responses to craigslist ads, I finally found my crew.” – AD
In 2017, Chancla Fight Club began playing shows around the Austin area. Unfortunately, around 2018, CFC broke up due to personal issues. “We’re all still really close, I was struggling with drug addiction and when I was in rehab, our bassist moved out of the country. Everything kind of fell apart after that. There was and always has been so much love between that original crew, it just wasn’t our time yet.” – AD
In 2018, while juggling early sobriety, Ashley set off for a fresh start in Houston, TX. There, she joined forces with Zorich, who joined CFC as her guitarist. Islands of Pear drummer TJ Mizzel and Marley Moon’s Matt Willhelm filled out the rest of the lineup. Chancla played shows around Houston until COVID took over.
“Working in the music industry, I couldn’t afford to live on my own. I had to move back in with my parents.” Ashley, Social Media Coordinator for Houston venue, White Oak Music Hall professes, “They live in Arizona, so that was the end of an era for Chancla Fight Club, yet again. It was all okay though, I knew that just meant that it still wasn’t our time.” – AD
While in Arizona, Dawson focused on personal growth and spending time with her family. In July 2021, Dawson moves back to the birthplace of Chancla Fight Club, Austin, Texas. “After a few years of vacancy in terms of CFC, I felt scared to get back out there. But my love and passion for live music eventually pushed me to start my hunt for the newest lineup of Chancla Fight Club.” Currently, Chancla Fight Club consists of Ashley Dawson – vocals/flute/omnichord, Karlos Rosell – bass, keys, Cole Pestana – guitar. While the hunt for a committed drummer continues, Dawson feels confident that their time is now. “I’ve grown and learned a lot. After almost four years of continuous sobriety, who I was when Chancla Fight Club began feels like a stranger to me now. For the last three years, I’ve worked on the marketing team at White Oak Music Hall, and because of that, I have learned a lot about how to market my band and shows. I feel confident that now is the time for Chancla Fight Club to really show the world who we are.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
“I struggled pretty heavily with drug abuse. With that starting the show and then the pandemic, it’s been nowhere near smooth. But now, with my sobriety and marketing experience under my belt, and my amazing new lineup, I think that it should be as smooth as being a local band in Austin, TX can get.” – Dawson
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Chancla Fight Club’s genre is hard to describe. Some songs are indie-pop, some are math rock, some are alternative. For future songwriting, CFC is leaning more towards the alternative field. “Our latest release, Monster, is alternative but still unique in the way that it has the omnichord and flute in it. We look to Monster as a reference in continuous writing.”
What sets CFC apart is the use of weird instruments like the omnichord and flute and having dainty female vocals over heavy music. Dawson’s vocals would make more sense over a pop or country sound, but the breathy vocals over loud and intricate instrumentation clash in a way that makes sense.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Being in this business is all about taking risks! If you don’t take risks, you’ll stay where you are. You take risks as small as jumping off stage and hoping people will catch you, and as big as asking to play big shows you know you have no business playing, in hopes that one day, someone will bite. You have to be willing to put yourself out there.
Contact Info:
- Email: chanclafightclub@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanclafightclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chanclafightclub
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chanclaFC
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1j5rsFRllaHB0tsRF2R4Gm?si=8JcxJ6iwQFqww0CQPtF9ug
Image Credits
George Owen, Matt Frolick, Devin Carrillo
