Chester French
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | David-Andrew "D.A." Wallach, Maxwell Drummey |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Music albums, mixtapes, singles |
Chester French was an American indie pop ensemble consisting of lead singer and songwriter David-Andrew 'D.A.' Wallach alongside multi-instrumentalist Maxwell Drummey. The duo connected while attending Harvard University and chose their band’s name in honor of sculptor Daniel Chester French, renowned for creating the Lincoln Memorial statue and several prominent works in Massachusetts.
Originating from Milwaukee, Wallach joined forces with Boston-born Drummey to establish the group alongside three fellow students, initially drawing inspiration from British Northern Soul. Wallach primarily took on vocal duties whereas Drummey concentrated on writing and playing instruments, occasionally collaborating with guest musicians.
2003–2004: Formation and early years
The inception of Chester French dates back to 2003 when it started as a five-member band during their freshman year at Harvard.[1] The original roster featured Grammy-winning pianist and percussionist Justin Hurwitz, bassist Michael William Judge, and drummer Damien Sayre Chazelle, who later gained recognition as a film director.[2] Although Wallach initially tried out as the drummer, his rapping talents led him to become the lead vocalist.[3] Their debut extended play (EP), First Love, was launched in 2004, with the group describing their sound as "Gentlemen Rock," combining jazz and classical influences.[2]
The band independently sold numerous copies of their CD directly on Cambridge streets. Wallach shared with The Improper Bostonian that after completing their EP following freshman year, they performed live outdoors to promote sales, offering CDs for five dollars to those who enjoyed their music.[4]
2005–2008: Signing and development
After condensing the lineup, the current members honed their recording and production skills at Harvard's Quad Studios, a facility where R&B producer and fellow Harvard graduate Ryan Leslie also started.
Their sound evolved through working on various projects for different clients at the campus studio.
"The studio operated independently from the music department. Max and I managed it as commercial engineers, recording multiple artists to generate income. This hands-on experience taught us how to capture diverse musical styles and instruments, which proved invaluable for our own work."
Over several years, they developed a demo showcasing a wide range of production techniques and layered instrumentation within tracks.
This demo attracted attention from industry heavyweights such as Kanye West and Jermaine Dupri. Engineer Andrew Coleman forwarded it to Pharrell Williams, whose label Star Trak ultimately secured the band through a competitive bidding process.
Pharrell commented on the signing competition:
"Star Trak has been extremely enthusiastic about them. There was genuinely a bidding war, which was remarkable—especially given that they’re Harvard graduates. Expect an outstanding performance."
Following their contract with Star Trak near graduation time, the band moved to Los Angeles to begin work on their first album, Love The Future. This relocation inspired the track "Bebe Buell", reflecting on Los Angeles culture.
Shortly after finishing school, their unmastered song "She Loves Everybody" appeared in the premiere episode of Entourage season 4, significantly increasing their visibility.
2009-2011: Love the Future
In April 2009, Chester French teamed up with mixtape DJ Clinton Sparks to release the online mixtape Jacques Jams, Vol 1: Endurance, which featured 24 tracks and included guest contributions from artists such as Solange Knowles, Kardinal Offishall, Cassie, Pusha-T, Bun B, Talib Kweli, Janelle Monáe, Diddy, Jadakiss, Wale, alongside producers Pharrell Williams and Jermaine Dupri.
This mixtape combined fresh songs with selections from their debut album Love The Future, including tracks like "The Jimmy Choos," "She Loves Everybody," and "C'Mon." It also featured unreleased material and remixes, such as a Lady Gaga remix and a Pharrell-produced collaboration with Common.
Their lead single, "She Loves Everybody," initially came out in a limited edition condom package created by designer Zach Larner. To enhance their live shows, Chester French expanded their ensemble by bringing on touring musicians Omar and Manny Dominick, as well as keyboardist Tyler Wood, who was later succeeded by Matt Oestreicher.
The band’s live debut occurred at the 2008 South By Southwest festival, followed by sporadic touring that included supporting roles for acts like N.E.R.D. (including a joint tour with Common), Matisyahu, and Lady Gaga's The Fame Ball Tour. In October, "She Loves Everybody" was made available on iTunes and Amazon, succeeded by an EP featuring the single "Jimmy Choos" alongside remixes by The Neptunes, DJ Steve Aoki, and hip-hop producer El-P. Their collaborations extended to Bronx rapper Mickey Factz, who worked with them on his first project.
Chester French also partnered with Talib Kweli and vocalist Res on the politically charged track "Fall Back," released during the Democratic primaries targeting Hillary Clinton and featured on the political site "The Daily Kos." Their debut album Love the Future was launched on April 21, 2009, through Star Trak/Interscope Records; the duo took charge of production and engineering themselves while still in their Harvard dormitory.
D.A. Wallach collaborated with Maybach Music Group rapper Rick Ross on the song "Play Your Part" from Ross's December 2010 mixtape Ashes To Ashes, which also included appearances by Meek Mill and Wale.
2011–2013: Music 4 Tngrs
In March and April 2011, Max performed as a drummer for Travie McCoy during his tour.
D.A. Wallach revealed that Chester French would unveil a new single on April 17, 2012. The track "Black Girls," along with its music video, was released on April 18, 2012, garnering mostly favorable critiques despite stirring debate due to its provocative lyrics. Another single titled "Interesting Time" followed on May 21, 2012, through Purevolume. Their sophomore album, Music 4 Tngrs, was officially released on June 19, 2012.
Press
Chester French attracted considerable media spotlight early in their career. In March 2008, Rolling Stone Magazine recognized them as an "Artist To Watch," describing their song "She Loves Everybody" as an "ode to safe sex" infused with a European film soundtrack ambiance.
They appeared in several notable publications such as L'uomo Vogue, Fashion Rocks, Vibe, Vanity Fair, Details, Interview, GQ, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and graced the cover of The Improper Bostonian.
Interviews frequently emphasized Wallach and Drummey's wit, often drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan’s idiosyncratic style. For instance, Wallach recounted that the band's name originated from an initial concept of calling themselves Marilyn Manson before settling on Chester French.
When queried about why hip-hop artists appreciate their music, Wallach jokingly remarked: "They find it interesting that we're the first artists to wear whiteface all the time, publicly."
During their Harvard years coinciding with Mark Zuckerberg’s launch of Facebook, Chester French were early adopters of the platform for promotion and fan interaction.
They toured alongside prominent bands such as Blink 182 in summer 2009 and also performed with acts like Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, and Weezer, wrapping up their tour on September 13.
On April 21, 2009, they performed "C'mon" live on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".
Musical style
Chester French's music merges pop and rock genres, incorporating a production style shaped by a hip hop ethos. Their compositions were notably influenced by The Zombies' 1968 release, Odessey and Oracle.
Albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Love the Future
|
| 2012 | Music 4 Tngrs
|
Mixtapes
- Jacques Jams, Vol. 1: Endurance (2009)
- Jacques Jams, Vol. 2: Stamina (release date pending)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart rankings | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot Singles Sales | Hot Dance Singles Sales | UK | |||
| 2008 | "She Loves Everybody" | — | 2 | 1 | — | Love the Future |
| 2012 | "Black Girls" (featuring Travis Barker) | — | — | — | — | Music 4 Tngrs |
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart | ||||||
Guest appearances
| Year | Track | Album/Release |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Fall Back" (Idle Warship featuring Chester French) | Non-album single |
| "What a World" (Common featuring Chester French) | Universal Mind Control | |
| 2009 | "As I Em" (Asher Roth featuring Chester French) | Asleep in the Bread Aisle |
| "Dancing Like A White Girl" (Masta Ace & Edo G featuring Chester French) | Arts & Entertainment | |
| 2010 | "Get Loose" (Reflection Eternal featuring Chester French) | Revolutions per Minute |
| 2010 | "Gotta Get Up" (Asher Roth & Nottz featuring DA of Chester French) | The Rawth EP |
| 2010 | "Play Your Part" (Rick Ross featuring Meek Mill, Wale, & D.A. of Chester French) | Ashes To Ashes |
| 2011 | "Big Hype" (Patrick Stump featuring DA & Driis) | Truant Wave |
| "Clouds" (Tim William featuring DA) | To be announced | |
| "Got It Made" (The M Machine featuring DA) | To be announced |
Music videos
| Year | Song title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "She Loves Everybody" | Paul Hunter |
Remixes
Lady Gaga - LoveGame (3:18) - 2009