September 20th, 2026 - A Czech-uered Past

 

Can you think of anything better on a sunny Sunday than a delicious, ice-cold craft brew and a kick-ass, classic rock album?  Hallo!  Your buddy the Meista here today pairing "ill-fated" supergroup, Chequered Past and their underrated, debut, self-titled (and only) album with a crisp and delicious Czech Pilsner from the good folks at Helper Beer!  Oh, yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Chequered Past
• Title: "Chequered Past"
• Recorded: 1984 at Clover Recorders in Hollywood, California, Lion Share Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, Ocean Way Recorders in Hollywood, California, Record One in Los Angeles, California, and The Sound Factory in Hollywood, California 
  Release date: 1984 (1st and only album released by Chequered Past)
• Record company: EMI Records / Capitol Records 
• Production: Michael James Jackson 
• Album cover art:  Moshe Brakha (photography)
• Personnel: Clem Burke (drums), Michael Des Barres (lead vocals), Nigel Harrison (bass), Steve Jones (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals), and Tony Fox Sales (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals)
• Additional musician: Lawrence Juber (acoustic guitar) 
• Musical style: Rock, hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock
• Sound: Straight-forward, heavy-duty rock and roll with elements of heavy metal and punk rock, the sound on "Chequered Past" is fun, fist-pumping hard rock with killer guitar hooks, solos, vocals, and rhythms!  Nothing fancy... just great stuff!
• Major themes: Rebellion, rock and roll, survival, heartbreak, life, love, sex, etc.
• Note: Sadly, this band didn't last long.  Des Barres was hired by Power Station shortly after the release and the band basically fell apart.  Sales went on to play with David Bowie a few years later in Tin Machine.
• Tracks: 

1. "A World Gone Wild" 
2. "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way"
3. "Let Me Rock"
4. "Never In A Million Years"
5. "How Much Is Too Much"
   
6. "Only The Strong (Will Survive)"
7. "Underworld"
8. "No Knife"
9. "Tonight And Every Night"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Helper Beer (Helper, Utah)
• Website: https://www.helperbeer.com/
• Brew: Czech Pilsner
• Style: Czech-style Pilsner
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Czech Pilsner malt and Czech Saaz hops
• Pour: The Czech Pilsner pours a crystal clear, golden-yellow hue with a billowy, 2+ finger, bright white head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a blend of very mellow grainy, slightly musty, and grassy aromas.  There are notes of pale grains, very light cereal grains, crackery biscuit, a hint of summer grass, and a touch of flowers. 
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Czech Pilsner is grainy, slightly grassy, and crackery.  There are notes of pale malts, toasted white bread, grassy hops, Saltine crackers, and a hint of lemongrass.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body with lots of bubbly carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and smooth with a very clean, very dry finish.

Overall pairing: The wonderfully honest and masterful rock and roll stylings of  Chequered Past deserve nothing short of a perfectly balanced and very drinkable brew... which is exactly what you get in a tall glass of the delicious Czech Pilsner from the great folks at Helper Beer!  Those crisp malt flavors and crackery grain notes along with the smoothness are perfect for the straight-ahead rock and roll punch of Chequered Past!

Cheers and rock on!!!