Slow and Steady Stars: The Chinese Stars

 U Street-Cardozo 

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS is a bumpy one for most indie bands, and sometimes even the best are left penniless along the way. But for singer Eric Paul and his bandmates in the Chinese Stars, going for broke has become a lifelong pursuit.

The Providence, R.I.-based spazz-punk outfit originally featured ex-members of Arab on Radar and Six Finger Satellite — bands whose uphill trajectories won them significant art-rock status but fleeting fame.

When Radar disbanded, it never occurred to Paul not to pick up and start all over again. "I don't know what else to do with my life but write songs and make records," Paul says.

The Chinese Stars grouped, then regrouped, losing bassist Richard Ivan Pelletier but gaining keyboardist V. Von Ricci, who augments the group's spirited rock sound with electronic low-end and sweeping synthesizers.

The re-org may be to blame for why the Stars haven't set sail in a while. The group is only now touring in support of "Listen to Your Left Brain," released way back in March 2007.

But overall, Chinese Stars are content with their place — literally. "[Providence] is a very supportive community," Paul says. "But it doesn't have a lot of music industry, so touring is the only way to make things to fall into place. Still, it has ruined me financially. ... And a few phone companies may still be after me."

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Photo courtesy Skin Graft Records