Chin Chin were an all-female group, formed 1982 in Biel, Switzerland. Although the band started as a trio, it was always the aim to recruit a lead singer and a second guitarist, but the search was to prove very difficult. Although there was a vibrant alternative scene in Switzerland, female musicians were virtually non-existent. There were plenty of girls wanting to sing, but few who actually could. The band would hold more auditions than the singers could notes. And although Chin Chin saw themselves as a punk-rock band, catchy pop vocals and harmonies played a big part in their songs, setting them apart from the other contenders in the process. Eventually, Carol joined the band as lead singer and Chin Chin's first and only EP "We Don't Wanne Be Prisoners" (containing 3 self-penned songs) was released in the summer of 1984 on the band's label Farmer Records. In 1985 they released their first album and it's a brilliant mix of punk-informed crunch and buoyant pop melody that shows Chin Chin as true pioneers of D.I.Y. noisy pop. As it happens this combination of DIY punk ethic, fuzz guitars and bubblegum pop was also gaining traction in the UK with the nascent C86 scene. The album become one of the most sought-after 80s indie-pop records and for good reason.
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