caption current_members associated_acts years_active label article_title background genre image origin name
chavez alexandra palace , london , may 2012 playing at i 'll be your mirror , matt sweeney james lo clay tarver scott marshall zwan bonnie `` prince '' billy early man 1993 -- present matador chavez -lrb- band -rrb-
 group_or_band math rock chavez - alexandra palace 260512.jpg new york , new york , usa chavez
chavez -lrb- band -rrb-

chavez is an american alternative rock band from new york , formed in 1993 .
after a period of inactivity , the band reformed in 2006 .
they released two independent non-charting albums in the mid-1990s .
guitarist matt sweeney has confirmed that the band is working on its first new recordings since 1996 .
chavez was formed from the ashes of wider , and was inspired by the sonic approach of math rock pioneers slint and the post-punk outfit mission of burma .
chavez utilizes angular , asymmetrical riffs and dramatic dynamic shifts .
the band is fronted by guitarist matt sweeney , who was previously a member of skunk and wider , and played with guided by voices .
drummer james lo also came from wider ; the band is rounded out by guitarist clay tarver -lrb- bullet lavolta -rrb- and bassist scott marshall .
the band quickly gained a following in the new york underground scene following the release of their first single `` repeat the ending '' .
their debut album `` gone glimmering '' was released in 1995 and was followed by the ep `` pentagram ring '' .
the music video for the song `` break up your band '' aired in an episode of mtv 's `` beavis and butt-head '' , and the band toured with guided by voices and bardo pond .
chavez 's second full-length album `` ride the fader '' was released in 1996 , and was praised by `` entertainment weekly '' as `` a fine specimen of spare , brainy post-metal hard rock '' .
chavez never officially broke up , but they released no new material and played few shows between 1999 and 2006 .
in 2006 , matador records released `` better days will haunt you '' , a compilation of virtually all of chavez 's studio material up to that point , with the addition of new vocals for the song `` white jeans '' .
the band played a few shows in support of the compilation , and later played with other bands such as pavement and sonic youth .
in 2001 , during chavez 's period of inactivity , guitarist matt sweeney went on to join smashing pumpkins frontman/guitarist billy corgan and slint guitarist david pajo to form zwan .
most recently , sweeney teamed up with will oldham -lrb- under the moniker bonnie ` prince ' billy -rrb- for the 2005 album `` superwolf '' , as well producing and playing on early man 's debut record for matador , `` closing in '' .
clay tarver has kept himself busy directing various television commercials as well as writing the script for the movie `` joy ride '' .
matt sweeney played guitar on johnny cash 's '' '' released posthumously in 2010 .
the band was chosen to perform at the atp i 'll be your mirror festival organized by atp & portishead in september 2011 in asbury park , new jersey .
