Biography
Bad Breaks is the solo project of drummer/graphic designer Chuck Kerr, a fixture on the San Antonio music scene. Kerr took up the drums at the age of 3, following in his dad Charlie’s footsteps. A music lover from an early age, Kerr grew up studying jazz and also listening to his favorite pop, rock, and indie records — all of which have a direct influence on Bad Breaks’ eclectic sound. Now 28, Kerr contributes to some of SA’s top local bands: We Leave at Midnight, the Tiago Splitters, Nicolette Good, and more. He has also collaborated with Gordon Raphael (producer for The Strokes, Regina Spektor), Dante Schwebel (Hacienda), Tess Brunet (Au Ras Au Ras from New Orleans) and Ricky Berger (Sacramento).
Kerr is endorsed by C&C Custom Drums, joining a roster of drummers from bands such as Arcade Fire, Spoon, Grizzly Bear, The National, Beach House, Beck, Modest Mouse, and others.
As an in-demand drummer, Kerr has racked up an impressive number of credits and collaborators in his time on the scene, but Bad Breaks is the first project that is entirely Kerr’s “baby.” Kerr writes and arranges all Bad Breaks material on piano, creating complete demos that he then brings to the band. Kerr’s collaborators in Bad Breaks are also among San Antonio’s top talent, often pulling double duty in some of the city’s best bands: Alex Wash on keys (Black Magic and the Full Exposé), Ryan Teter on bass and trombone (Mission Complete!), and Marcus Rubio on guitar (Cartographers).
On August 4, 2012, Kerr and his band released a self-titled, full-length debut at 502 Bar in San Antonio, Texas.
"Bad Breaks" features 11 genre-straddling originals written by Kerr, ranging from spiky new wave (“Seppuku,” “Chapter and Verse”), rhythmic meditations (“Won’t Come Home,” “Only Distance”), soulful rock ‘n’ roll (“Get it Right,” “Victoria”), and even a dip into a jazzy piano bar (“Something True”). “The Way Things Are” even recalls moody ’70s yacht rock, complete with piercing tenor sax solos. But all of it is linked by Kerr’s uncanny rhythmic feel and an ear for pop hooks. Kerr played drums on all tracks, and keys on “Something True,” “The Way Things Are,” “Good For Me,” and “Only Distance.”
"Bad Breaks" is produced by Jaime Rader (Morris Orchids) and Kerr, with Rader recording, mixing and mastering all 11 tracks at his home studio. Rader is the go-to producer for a tight-knit circle of San Antonio bands, and used his engineering skills to capture Bad Breaks’ unique, unpredictable live sound. The result is an album that pulses with intensity, even during quieter moments.
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