Hip-Hop Label Pay Up Records Expands Into Rock

Pay Up Records is giving music fans something different to listen to with the digital release of Novel of Lies, a new EP from the rock collective The Chase.   The quartet — which consists of lead singer/rhythm guitarists Cory Kelly, lead guitarist Ryan Stancil, bass player Kyle Nicholson and drummer Matt Douglas — is […]

Pay Up Records is giving music fans something different to listen to with the digital release of Novel of Lies, a new EP from the rock collective The Chase.

 

The quartet — which consists of lead singer/rhythm guitarists Cory Kelly, lead guitarist Ryan Stancil, bass player Kyle Nicholson and drummer Matt Douglas — is currently enjoying a healthy buzz for the offering among fans while sharing the stage with established artists such as Ryan Cabrera, Hawthorne Heights and others.

 

With Hip-Hop among the musical influences for Novel of Lies, guitarist Kelly is sure old and new fans will find something to savor on the new project.

 

“I don’t think we’re gonna have a problem pushing the music to all audiences,” the vocalist told AllHipHop.com as he labeled his group’s sound as “organic.”

 

“Almost every genre of music is bridging the gap between each other nowadays. And I think people are looking for something fresh. I believe the openness between Hip-Hop and rock and even country pop. Anything like that is starting to be a little more acceptable nowadays as far as rap artists, Hip-Hop artists wanting to remix rock and roll songs.”

 

Pay Up owner Mickey Bentson, who also manages Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members Grandmaster Mele Mel & The Furious 5, echoed Kelly’s point while taking note of the shift towards what he views as “real music.”

 

“If the music sounds good, you can actually get on it and it doesn’t make a difference if it’s someone with an 808 or someone beating a drum for real with guitars in their hand,” Bentson explained. “That’s what music is turning back to. It’s turning back to real music and not just those sampling machines.”

 

Formerly known as Roadside Theory, The Chase cites Pearl Jam and the Black Crowes as influences in addition to Hootie and the Blowfish.

 

The Seneca, SC-based unit opted to change their name after their original bass player left the group.

 

According to Kelly, the new moniker also reflected the mature direction of The Chase’s music.

 

With its alliance with Pay Up, the group is looking to expand its presence among listeners by becoming more accessible through digital exposure.

 

Although Novel of Lies met with favorable feedback among fans and critics, upon its original November 2008, Kelly sees more opportunity to bringing The Chase’s music to the masses with the reintroduction of the album.

 

“The first time around it didn’t get into people’s hands like we wanted it to. The people we knew and that came initially to a lot of the shows got a hold of the album and we’ve gotten really good reviews about it,” he said. “I feel like a lot of people didn’t even get around to knowing that we released it the first time. So I think this re-release is refreshing to us, I think, because the fans that did get the album realize that we’re trying to push the album even more and they’ll be happy to know that we’re in the studio again right now.”

 

And while they look to attain the same level of stardom as their musical influences and release a full-length album, Kelly is proud of the fact that The Chase maintains quality over quantity.

 

The Chase’s Novel of Lies EP is available now at various digital outlets, including iTunes, Rhapsody and AOL.

 

The group’s follow-up release is scheduled to come out in the fall. To learn more about the group, visit www.chaseband.net.