Nerd rock is back. Actually, I don’t know if it was ever gone, or if it ever existed in the first place, but suffice to say it’s here now in the form of Chester French. Formed by two Harvard freshmen in 2003 and named for the American sculptor who built the Lincoln Memorial, the nerdyness extends not only to their roots, but also to the duo’s stage presence.  Take their recent show at Hollywood’s El Rey Theater, opening for Lady Sovereign, for instance. Front man D.A. Wallach bounds on stage in ill-fitting red trousers (you know, the kind of pants your grandma would suggest you wear on your first day school), a somewhat dingy white t-shirt and a mop of unruly strawberry blonde hair. Guitarist Maxwell Drummey is a skinny white kid with a backwards haircut, sunglasses that engulf his face and a skirt.

The music, on the other hand, is not so nerdy. Wallach proceeds to whale out some telling lyrics with such in-your-face energy that I find myself dancing and singing along to the catchy chorus despite myself. “But you feel so clean/ Well she craves affection/ So I use protection/ And I know she loves me/ She loves everybody,” he belts out, over riffs that meld glam rock with surfer melodies, funky baselines and even some hip-hop beats. The juxtaposition of preppy and party escalates from there— Drummey strips off his cross-dressing attire at one point to reveal his, um, heroin-chic chest, and the climax of the evening just might be when Wallach jumps off stage into the audience, flinging sweat upon the screaming masses and jumping up and down with mosh-pit style enthusiasm.

I’ve just discovered an important truth: nerd rock is hot.

Words by Christine Spehar, photos by Parts Department

At a time when the collapse of the music business has become a cliche and the major labels objects of derision, Chester French, a duo of Harvard grads whose names are neither Chester nor French, may well be the exception that proves the rule.

The two guys, Max and D.A., are one of those six-years-in-the-making overnight successes who turned their dorm-room obsession with mixtapes and pop music into a career the old-fashioned way: one fan at a time. In true Cinderella fashion, a few of those fans were famous, as in Kanye West, Jimmy Iovine and Pharrell, whose label, Star Trak, released their first album, Love the Future, on April 21.

Above photo by Kirsty Umback

The label support is crucial because “we couldn’t afford to be on tour or put together the nature of our act, which is an expensive proposition, without the support of a record company.”But, they admit, “being on a major label isn’t what it used to be. We still have to get the word out and build up grass roots support.”

Which is exactly what they’ve been doing, playing parties and afterparties, where  “Jacques Jammies” (athletic clothing, acually) are required, for pretty much whoever wants them to. Oh, and using tools like myspace, blogs and twitter for all they’re worth.

“The industry has changed, but even if it hadn’t ,we’ve always had a great relationship with fans. We see them as pioneers for our movement, and have been on the bandwagon way before people like MTV. The least we can do is stay in touch with them.”

At least, Max jokes, “until we reach a certain point. At that point, I plan on disowning friends and family and sinking deeper and deeper into myself.”

Then, as if impatient for that point to arrive, they suggest I sign up at their website (www.chesterfrench.com) and buy the album directly from them. It makes me laugh and, more importantly, makes me think the future is in good hands after all.

Words by Neil Feineman

Chester French – She Loves Everybody