After 20 years together, the Chromatics have called it a day. Formed in Portland, Oregon in 2001 as Adam Miller’s solo project, the line-up of Miller, Ruth Radelet, Johnny Jewel, and Nat Walker congregated in 2005. Chromatics released three albums: 2007’s Night Drive, 2012’s Kill For Love, and Closer To Grey, as well as numerous dreamy singles and remixes. They even made memorable appearances in the mystical Roadhouse in Twin Peaks: The Return.
The psychedelic synth-pop band announced the split today on Instagram. Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker, and Adam Miller shared a statement in full below, notably omitting bandmate Johnny Jewel.
After a long period of reflection, the three of us have made the difficult decision to end Chromatics.
We would like to thank all of our fans and the friends we have made along the way – we are eternally grateful for your love and support. This has been a truly unforgettable chapter in our lives, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
We are very excited for the future, and look forward to sharing our new projects with you soon.
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Producer and multi-instrumentalist Jewel, cofounder of record label Italians Do It Better, joined the band in 2007 and worked on each of their subsequent albums. Four of Chromatics’ six albums were released on Italians Do It Better.
The band has had some difficulties in the past. After the highly anticipated Dear Tommy project neared completion, Johnny Jewel reportedly destroyed tens of thousands of copies of the finished album, following a near-death experience. In April the band posted a tracklist for their highly anticipated Dear Tommy project, first announced in 2014, although with these changes, it remains to be seen if the album will ever see the light of day. Chromatics released singles from the project, but the album was never given a solid release date. The band released Closer To Grey in 2019. Teacher (2020) featured Jewel in the credits, which suggests he may have left the band between the song’s release and the band’s split.
In a statement of his own, a rep for Johnny Jewel said, “Johnny is extremely proud of his work with the project over the years and he’ll continue making music and supporting great art and artists through his label Italians Do It Better.”
We wish them all well in the next phase of their careers. Until it’s revealed, enjoy a few offerings of what they’ve given the world for the last twenty years.
