Chimera

Chimera originated in Belfast, Ireland, during 1990. On the imprint that later evolved into Wind-up Records, the group ranked as the top act until Creed achieved massive commercial breakthrough. While operating as Grass Records, the Northern Irish outfit generated modest attention stateside, only to vanish from view after the label collapsed amid tangled contractual disputes. Guitarist Ted Laverty, bassist Steven Emerson, drummer Willie Vincent, and vocalist Eileen Henry formed the roster. Recognition arrived quickly when the U.K.’s NME named one of their singles Single of the Week, prompting a studio session helmed by Chris Nagle, whose prior credits include the Wedding Present, Echo & the Bunnymen, Stone Roses, Joy Division, New Order, the Smiths, and the Charlatans. The band’s American introduction arrived via the 1995 Day Star EP, which contained rawer renditions of material later featured on the full-length debut alongside the otherwise unreleased tracks “Closer” and “Untitled.” Those two cuts stayed untouched, whereas “2 Sunny” and “Let Me Be Around” received new mixes and mastering for the 1996 album Earth Loop. A 1993 U.K. release titled Lughnasa, referencing the Celtic God of Harvest, was withdrawn after legal pressures forced the band to repurchase every copy. Nine months of American roadwork followed, shared with Sneaker Pimps, Blur, the Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Throwing Muses, and Plexi; during one five-week period the group surpassed R.E.M. on local charts in Athens, GA. Frequently likened to the Cranberries, the Sundays, and the Cocteau Twins, Chimera never issued another U.S. album after Earth Loop. Reports indicate work on a prospective third record slated for 1998, yet confirmation of its completion remains absent.