CHEVY was more of a heavy Rock band rather than a full metallic (even for those days) artillery. Assuming the NWOBHM typhoon was more of a movement than (only) a re-born musical style, bands with straight relevance to the 70s Rock clans were equally measured as parts of the most genuine era Metal music has offered till now. With one and only full length in their history, CHEVY are ranked among the bands that did not make it and only collectors or die-hard NWOBHM devotees now remember.

CHEVY made their name known firstly through the second album of the "Metal For Muthas" series. The same-titled song was enough to categorize the quintet's style: British Rock (URIAH HEEP, TEN YEARS AFTER) with a slight American 'southern' aura (DUST, BLACKFOOT) and some Irish Rock (THIN LIZZY, Rory Gallagher) portion. The melodies in this one and only album, though, are more than memorable. The vocals are warm and wandering, the guitars are emotional and fistful, the rhythm section is solid and rockin' (the bass lines in specific are terrific in most tracks) and the general atmosphere is that "The Taker" (originally released in 1980) is one of these good albums that did not make it, for one or another reason.

Fellow bands with a 'crossover' Rock/Metal sound back in those days - like e.g. PRAYING MANTIS or LIMELIGHT or DARK STAR - were not an exception to the rule of more energetic outfits. The NWOBHM movement had bands offering this transition sound from the rockin' 70s to the bangin' 80s and CHEVY was one of them. Sadly, apart from the "The Taker" LP and a set of singles nothing more was heard for this melodic fine band from Leamington, Warwickshire. All members tried to hold on to the dream through other bands but without any commercial success either...

The gentle up tempo melodic - and moody, at times - music of CHEVY is something that sadly cannot be evaluated by today's teenagers. Still, if your original vinyl copy is long now out of order or you never had the chance to take a bite of the rockin' side of the NWOBHM era, "The Taker" is a good proposal to sink your teeth into. If one song could make it to some immortal NWOBHM cuts compilation though, then "Skybird" this would in any case be.

P.S.: According to this link, there's a 30-year reunion concert taking place in late September 2010. Wish I could be there...