Fred Chalenor

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Fred Chalenor

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1955|12|29}}

| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|6|23|1955|12|29}}

| genre = Rock in Opposition, avant-prog, art rock

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Bass, electric guitar, banjo, keyboards, vocals

| label = C/Z, Tim/Kerr

| years_active = 1978–2018

| associated_acts = Caveman Shoestore, Wayne Horvitz, LAND, Tone Dogs, The Walkabouts, Face Ditch

}}

Fred Chalenor (December 29, 1955 – June 23, 2018) was an American bassist, most recognized for his work in the bands Caveman Shoestore, Tone Dogs, and Face Ditch. He also collaborated on numerous occasions with composer and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, recording with him in Pigpen and Zony Mash, and with composer and percussionist Robert Mike Mahaffay of Tres Gone.

Biography

Fred Chalenor was born December 29, 1955, in Seattle, Washington.{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=mn0000146206|pure_url=yes}}|title=Fred Chalenor |publisher=Allmusic |date= |accessdate=December 12, 2014}} His first band was Zanzibar, a group led by guitarist Rick Adams based in Portland, Oregon. In 1978, Fred left the band overseas to perform in a folk duo. After that project disintegrated, he moved back to the United States and performed alongside musicians such as Henry Kaiser and Owen Maercks in the Bay Area.{{cite web |first=Henry J. |last=Franzoni |url=http://www.henryfranzoni.com/faceditch.htm |title=Face Ditch: The Northwest Alternative Music Pioneers Re-Emerge |publisher=henryfranzoni.com |date=2012 |accessdate=December 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101048/http://www.henryfranzoni.com/faceditch.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }} Chalenor's first studio performance credit was on Owen Maercks' eponymous debut released in 1978.{{cite web |first= |last= |url=http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Products/Maercks-Owen-Teenage-Sex-Therapist-vinyl-lp-with-download-card-%28due-to-size-and-weight-this-price-for-the-USA-only-Outside-of-the-USA-the-price-will-be-adjusted-as-needed%29__05-FTR-spc-153LP.aspx |title=Maercks, Owen - Teenage Sex Therapist |publisher=Wayside Music |date=2014 |accessdate=December 12, 2014}}

Chalenor had met fellow musicians Neil Minturn and Henry Franzoni when he was still performing in Zanzibar. Together, they formed Face Ditch in February 1979 who based themselves in the Portland area, moving to Seattle in 1981 and then Franzoni and Chalenor moving to NYC in 1983. The group broke up numerous times over their existence and issued two self-released cassettes (In the Interim and All Fall Down). Chalenor and Franzoni remained the only consistent members until the band finally parted ways in early 1985 after a show in New York City. In 2000, the original line-up reunited and digitally released their first official album in 2004.{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000496863|pure_url=yes}}|title=Face Ditch |publisher=Allmusic |date= |accessdate=December 12, 2014}}

Chalenor died on June 23, 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.expose.org/index.php/articles/display/fred-chalenor-rip-2.html|title=News | Fred Chalenor RIP }}{{cite web |title=RIP Fred Chalenor |url=https://avantmusicnews.com/2018/06/26/rip-fred-chalenor/ |website=Avant Music News |accessdate=4 July 2018 |date=26 June 2018}}

Discography

class="wikitable"
Year ! Artist ! Album ! Label
align="center"\| 1978 \|align="center"\| Owen Maercks \| Owen Maercks \| self-released
align="center"\| 1990 \| rowspan="2" align="center"\| Tone Dogs \| Ankety Low Day \| C/Z
align="center"\| 1991 \| The Early Middle Years \| Soleilmoon
align="center"\| 1992 \|align="center"\| Caveman Shoestore \| Master Cylinder \| rowspan="2"\| Tim/Kerr
align="center"\| 1993 \| rowspan="2" align="center"\| Pigpen \| Halfrack
rowspan="2" align="center"\| 1994 \| V as in Victim \| Avant
align="center"\| Caveman Shoestore \| Flux \| Tim/Kerr
align="center"\| 1995 \|align="center"\| w/ Elliott Sharp and Henry Franzoni \| Boodlers \| Cavity Search
rowspan="5" align="center"\| 1997 \|align="center"\| Boodlers \| Counter Fit \| Tim/Kerr
align="center"\| Sue Ann Harkey \| Fulcrum \| CNLF
align="center"\| Zony Mash \| Cold Spell \| Knitting Factory
align="center"\| Hughscore \| Highspotparadox \| rowspan="2"\| Tim/Kerr
align="center"\| Pigpen \| Daylight
align="center"\| 1998 \|align="center"\| Zony Mash \| Brand Spankin' New \| Knitting Factory
rowspan="3" align="center"\| 1999 \|align="center"\| Jeff Greinke \| Ride \| First World
align="center"\| Hughscore \| Delta Flora \| Cuneiform
align="center"\| The Walkabouts \| Trail of Stars \| Glitterhouse
align="center"\| 2001 \|align="center"\| LAND \| Road Movies \| First World
align="center"\| 2002 \| rowspan="2" align="center"\| Curlew \| Meet the Curlews! \| rowspan="2"\| Cuneiform
align="center"\| 2003 \| Mercury
align="center"\| 2004 \|align="center"\| Face Ditch \| Face Ditch \| Build-A-Buzz
align="center"\| 2005 \|align="center"\| Caveman Shoestore \| Super Sale \| Build-A-Buzz
align="center"\| 2007 \|align="center"\| Caveman Shoestore \| Frankensongs \| Build-A-Buzz

class="wikitable"

Year

! Artist

! Album

! Label

align="center"| 1978

|align="center"| Owen Maercks

| Owen Maercks

| self-released

align="center"| 1990

| rowspan="2" align="center"| Tone Dogs

| Ankety Low Day