The Chelsea Curve spin into Northern soul with new double A-side 7-inch

Boston mod-pop trio pair rousing rendition of Mickey Lee Lane’s ‘60s stomper ‘Hey Sah-Lo-Ney’ with Andy Lewis’ fiery remix of ‘Jamie C’mon’ for new release Friday, May 16 on Rum Bar Records

The Chelsea Curve play Faces Brewing Co. in Malden on release night

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Photo credit: Trebmal Photography

BOSTON, MA [May 16, 2025] -- By now we’re all familiar with that famous quote, once popularized by John Lennon, that warns us that life is what happens while we’re busy making other plans. But it usually takes on a greater meaning and significance when it all hits close to home in very personal ways.

For The Chelsea Curve, who roar back with a new double A-side single this month on Rum Bar Records, the path that led to this moment has been an emotional one. Since the Boston mod-pop trio last dropped new music, almost exactly two years ago, the unexpected happened: Beloved label boss and confident Justine Covault of Red on Red Records suddenly passed away; bassist and vocalist Linda Pardee was diagnosed with breast cancer; and founding drummer Ron Belanger amicably left the group to relocate to North Carolina, leaving Pardee and guitarist Tim Gillis without a beat to guide them.

So what’s a band to do? Regroup, reload, and get back on the scene. And call Boston music veteran and stylish gentleman Bruce Caporal to hop behind the kit and fill the role as the new drummer.

The Chelsea Curve’s new beat begins Friday, May 16, when they make their Rum Bar debut and launch the double A-side single featuring a rousing rendition of Mickey Lee Lane’s 1965 Northern soul stomper “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney” and a fiery Andy Lewis remix of 2022 single “Jamie C’Mon.” The upbeat tracks hit the streams ahead of the 7-inch arriving in July on Mod Glass Clear or Sharp Suit Black vinyl.

The Chelsea Curve celebrate the night of the streaming release with a party at Faces Brewing Co. in Malden alongside Yes Nanny and Rum Bar labelmates Diablogato.

“It’s been a while, and we're raring to get back at it!,” says Gillis. Pardee agrees with her usual enthusiasm: “We’re ready to go, baby!”

For some, especially on the live circuit, The Chelsea Curve never went away, staying sharp through select live shows, including brief stateside tours with British brethren Sharp Class and Norway's The Cocktail Slippers, and a jaunt over to England to bring their ultra-stylized energy and sound to an appearance at the 45th anniversary of Mods Mayday in London.

The gritty and shout-along “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney” first debuted when The Chelsea Curve played The High Rollers scooter rally in Las Vegas back in 2023, and the response from the assembled crowd of British and American scooterists confirmed they captured the song’s true spirit. And now it gets the proper recorded treatment, providing another extension of the band bridging the gap and entrenching a cultural connection across the Atlantic. Plus, hey, it’s a total belter.

“This one’s a little different for us, more of a rock and soul groove,” says Gillis. “On this one, we wanted to keep some of the roughness and rawness of the original but put our own mark on it, and I think we did that. It’s a great showcase for Linda’s vocals – she really sings the hell out of it.”

Adds Pardee: “I came across this classic Northern soul number a while back and instantly loved it. I love that this song is from a time when rock and roll still seemed kind of dangerous and maybe even ‘forbidden’. The lyrics are raw; they’re an ecstatic proclamation, frenzied… slightly out of control. The call and response makes you want to sing along. The pounding beat makes you want to dance. It’s all so very primal.”

And it makes a perfect companion track to Lewis’ remix of “Jamie C’Mon,” fueled by the English producer, musician, and DJ’s sonic enhancements, which includes super cool bells and whistles, rhythm tracks, extra keyboards, and a good dose of fairydust. It also features The Chelsea Curve Mod Squad: Rod Spark on keyboards; Dan Levine on trombone; and Jay Webb on trumpet. It’s an instant party-starter.

“I wanted to do a Northern soul style dance remix of ‘Jamie C’Mon’, and asked our Mod Squad keyboardist, Rod Spark, who could make that happen,” Pardee offers up. “Without hesitation, he said Andy Lewis – he’s played in Paul Weller’s band and DJ’d on the Blur Parklife tour, so his creds were a perfect fit! Rod connected Andy and us, and that was that!”

Both tracks are a natural fit, delivering long-waiting Chelsea Curve fans a double-dose of Northern soul bangers in one tidy package. And that it comes via the band’s first-ever vinyl release makes it all the more sweet.

“For me it’s been a vision come true in a couple of ways,” admits Pardee. “I’ve always connected these two songs in my mind, and the chance to physically connect them on vinyl, which is so popular with our scooter and mod fans, is perfect. Plus the fact that this is our first Rum Bar Records release, who have been so supportive of us, is extra special.”

A new drummer, a clean bill of health for Pardee, a new label, a new 7-inch, a newly-minted Bandcamp page, and a healthy slate of live shows positions The Chelsea Curve back at full operational speed, with Covault’s cherished memory and constant support not far from their collective hearts. New music is fast on the way this summer, a string of singles leading to either a new EP or new album around the turn of the calendar, and the crew is headed back to England for summer shows with Sharp Class and The Len Price 3. The run also includes a gig on the Isle of Wight for the world’s largest scooter rally.

And all this action – with the band freshly outfitted by 66 Clothing and Mod Shoes – is stirred up just as a new scene seems to be forming in Boston, with exciting indie DJ nights popping up via 2-Tone Tim Presents, DJ Sherman and Britpop Social Club, and fellow bands like The Northern Line, with which The Chelsea Curve recently shared a stage, re-establishing a proper Anglophile network here in New England.

“Life put a few obstacles in our path that delayed some of our plans by almost a year, but we’ve been busy,” Gillis concludes. “We’ve got a new label, a new drummer, and especially, a healthy Linda. And we’re going to get back to being unavoidable in 2025 and beyond.”

Start making those plans, once again.

Please direct all press inquiries to Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com,
and reach The Chelsea Curve at thechelseacurve@gmail.com.

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The Chelsea Curve are:

Linda Pardee: Bass, vocals

Tim Gillis: Guitars, vocals

Bruce Caporal: Drums

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‘Hey Sah-Lo-Ney’ / ‘Jamie C’Mon’ 7-inch artwork:

Cover design by Linda Pardee

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Double A-side 7-inch production credits:

“Jamie C’Mon (Andy Lewis Remix)”

Music by The Chelsea Curve

Lyrics by Linda Pardee

Produced by Andy Lewis and The Chelsea Curve

Linda Pardee: Bass and vocals

Tim Gillis: Guitars and vocals

Ron Belanger: Drums

Andy Lewis: Supercool bells & whistles, fairydust, rhythm trax & xtra keys

The Chelsea Curve Mod Squad:

Rod Spark: Keyboards

Dan Levine: Trombone

Jay Webb: Trumpet

Recorded at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, MA

Mixed at Bluetone Studio in Somerville, MA

Recorded and mixed by Mike Quinn

Remixed by Andy Lewis

Keyboards tracked at Groove Tunnel in Edinburgh, UK

Horns tracked at Granite Hill in New York, NY

Keyboards arranged by Rod Spark

Horns arranged by Joel Shelton with Tim and Linda

Mastered by Dave Locke at JP Masters

“Hey Sah-Lo-Ney”

Music and lyrics by John Linde, Bernie Lane, and Mickey Lee Lane

Produced by The Chelsea Curve

Linda Pardee: Bass, shaker and vocals

Tim Gillis: Guitars, keyboards and vocals

Ron Belanger: Drums

Recorded at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, MA

Mixed at Bluetone Studio in Somerville, MA

Recorded and mixed by Mike Quinn

Mastered by Dave Locke at JP Masters

© & ℗ 2025 TCC Music BMI - All rights reserved

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The Chelsea Curve 2025 bio:

The Chelsea Curve want to make you move. But how you do it is up to you. Inspired by Boston and British culture, the mod-pop trio switched on in 2020 with a singular mission to create infectious, punchy, sing-along rock and roll.

Armed with an arsenal of catchy tunes appealing to both the clubs and the pubs, and properly bonded over a love of ‘70s punk and the mod style and sound, The Chelsea Curve are Linda Pardee (bass/vocals), Tim Gillis (guitar/vocals), and Bruce Caporal (drums/vocals). A series of eight monthly singles in 2021, aptly titled The Singles Scene, led to the band’s 2022 debut album All The Things (Red on Red Records), which earned global press and radio airplay, including regular spins on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage.

From there, the stages grew larger, as did the crowds: Playing Boston Calling Music Festival, skipping across the Atlantic for a UK tour, holding court at scooter rallies from Boston to Las Vegas. 2024 saw The Chelsea Curve play the 45th anniversary Mods Mayday show in London around a tour of England, as well as performing stateside with the UK's Sharp Class and Norway's The Cocktail Slippers.

The Chelsea Curve kicked off 2025 with a hit and run US West Coast tour (again with Sharp Class) and then jumped right into the studio to begin recording tracks for their new record. Freshly outfitted by 66 Clothing and Mod Shoes, the band is now looking and sounding sharper than ever! With a new record on the horizon, and partnered with Rum Bar Records, The Chelsea Curve are quickly forging their own rock and roll path connecting the past to the present. And in their world, there is no standing still.

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Media praise for The Chelsea Curve:

“[The Chelsea Curve] are creating a retro, power pop sound (and look) that harkens back to Boston's clubs and pubs of yore.” _WBUR

“It’s hard to place the record or the band in a specific era. The trio (Linda Pardee, Tim Gillis, and Ron Belanger) take the best parts of power-pop, punk, mod, rock-’n’-soul and everything in between to create something that sounds fresh yet familiar and fully conceived. Kinda like The Muffs took on Elvis Costello as an additional member. With All The Things, The Chelsea Curve are here to make rock-‘n’-roll hearts beat faster. _Add To Want List

“...the Boston-based band's album is an absolute blast, an incredibly catchy explosion of vibrant, high-spirited rock ‘n’ roll that’s a little bit bubble gum, and a little bit whiskey. It’s unrelentingly upbeat at points, but there’s still a bite.” _Worcester Magazine

“The Chelsea Curve strike at full force with a sound that is sonic perfection paired with an intoxicating melody that is pure rock and roll, you can hear it loud and clear in this song that the Chelsea Curve are having the time of their lives.” _The Whole Kameese

“How Can I (Resist You)?” is just a pure garage rock ripper. It’s just over three minutes of jangly guitar rock and power pop with enough edge to keep it punk but still being a little too catchy to be truly punk. The song just oozes with edge and Linda Pardee’s vocals just cut like a blade. There’s a lot of a ‘60s mod sound …but it never sounds like too much of a throwback track.” _If It’s Too Loud

“This racy lovey-dovey earworm is a dynamic and highly energetic swing-and-shake rocker, fueled with bonkers guitars, a hungry rhythm section and Pardee‘s snappy vocals. Listen carefully and you’ll hear Blondie on a roll like they did on their second album Plastic Letters. And, no, you can’t resist this new Chelsea Curve cracker.” _Turn Up The Volume

“‘How Can I (Resist You)?’ is a driving new anthem that’s both a great starting point for fans who might’ve just discovered the band at the Rumble as well as a solid song in The Chelsea Curve stockpile of sonic stories. You’ve got the bass and drums from Linda Pardee and Ron Belanger respectively galloping along nicely together with some fresh licks out of Tim Gillis’ guitar and Pardee’s affable voice at the center of it all inviting you in. You can’t get any better than that.” _Rock & Roll Fables

“Waving the mod flag high and proud is the Chelsea Curve … I really like how [‘Nuthin’ Goin’ On’] blends punk and ska together while being an anthem for those who are looking to make something happen.” _DigBoston’s Best of 2022

"Are the gal and guys of the Chelsea Curve really releasing a new single every month? Man, I hate overachievers, mainly because I'm jealous of, y'know, ambition. I forgive 'em quickly because each of these singles has been pretty damned swell, which is why we play them all on the radio.” _Boppin’ Like The Hip Folks Do (Carl Cafarelli)

"'Drag' is something special. When that chorus hits, it's absolute magic... If catchy mod-pop with tons of smarts, big hooks, and amazing vocals sounds appealing to you, all of these Chelsea Curve singles are essential downloads." _Faster and Louder

“Keep doubling up on all the good stuff! Thatʼs the kind of good advice we need and we get from The Chelsea Curve on new single ʻTop It Up.ʼ Pub rock, power pop, pop punk, old school punk rock (yes, yes, yes and yes)” _The Boston Herald

"The song [‘Inconceivable’] is a dazzling, mesmerizing track ... and they really have a sound that pays homage to the past, while also embracing the musical possibilities of the future." _Music Box Pete

“[The Chelsea Curve] excel both in the more classic melodic punk style ...and in their more quirky material, like the ditty they wrote explaining how to decode the weather beacon atop the old John Hancock building in Boston.” _Rock And Reel

“‘A Better Way’ is a jangly, Jam-like affair. Like the others it sounds like maybe it was a hit before and you just can't recognize it. Singer Linda Bean Pardee has another stellar vocal performance. There's a little Chrissie Hynde in it. The way the song is written allows her to wrap the words around the melody and give them a twist that your ear just loves.” _Boston Groupie News

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