Take a Chance on Me

James Chance and the Contortions: Design to Kill and Contort Yourself
From: Buy [ZE, 1979]

Since Christmas is over, I thought I would post these two cuts from James Chance and the Contortions to help you bring in the new year with a funk blast from the past. James Chance and the Contortions first struck an emotional chord with both punks and jazz-heads after its album Buy hit record stores in 1979.

Chance was one of the founding members of the No-Wave movement in NYC, along with cutting-edge artists such as Mars, DNA and Lydia Lunch. You would be close to nailing down the sound of James Chance and the Contortions if you mixed the discordant free-jazz improvisations of Albert Ayler with the stinging guitar tones of Gang of Four and topped that off with a funky ass rhythm section that could hold its own against the Meters or the JB's.

I was first exposed to James Chance's music after reading about the No-Wave scene in The Secret History of Rock. After purchasing Buy at a local record store in Portland, I was hooked after the first listen. The unprecedented mixture of cacophonous horns, punk rock vocals and groove-based rhythms on Buy defies categorization. Designed to Kill opens up the album with an angular sax solo over chicken scratch guitar that interplays with a lunging funky bass rhythm that wouldn't be out of place on the Funk Box. After the first half of the song, Chance assaults the listener with an intense, sneering vocal that recalls the great D. Boon of the Minutemen. The track ends with jagged atonal guitars mixed with Chance's blood curding scream of "You're Designed to Kill". After listening to this tune, your mind will be exhausted from the dizzying array of creative ideas explored within it's two-and-a-half minute length.


Contort Yourself starts off with an upbeat, tight and funky rhythm that has a guitar hook reminiscent of a sped-up "Get on the Good Foot" by the late great James Brown. The eclectic mixture of free-jazz squealing, atonal guitars, primal vocals and and hyper speed basslines creates an absolutely mind-melting experience. Towards the end of the song, Chance screams a series of "Contort Yourself " refrains in a call and response fashion with the band. After he says "Contort yourself five times", he lets loose with one of the most blood curdling screams I've heard since the bone-chilling screams of Hasil Adkins. It might take you a couple listens to get into James Chance and the Contortions, but you won't be able to stop listening to it once your palette acquires the taste. Turn it up loud and shake your ass like your life depended on it.