Masterminded by 19-year-old Gene Chumakov, Ten Cent Club is a one-man band based in the Outer Bay Area, combining the freewheeling spirit and craftsmanship of old-school singer-songwriters with an unfettered approach to pop songwriting. His songs flow between piano balladeering, left-field experimentation, classic alternative pop, and guitar-driven rock without settling into one genre.
Ten Cent Club records almost entirely in an untreated bedroom studio. Chumakov’s been writing songs since the age of 10, but only began releasing his solo work in 2025. Every song is written, performed, recorded, and largely mixed by Chumakov himself. Chumakov’s live performances draw from his 12 years of performing as a dancer, ranging from extensive solo piano improvisation to a full backing band bringing his lush arrangements to life.
His latest release is Sleeping In A Moonbeam, a 3-minute pop tune combining Supertramp-inspired keyboards, psychedelic atmosphere, lyrics inspired by the works of Allen Ginsberg and Andy Partridge, sophisticated pop arrangements, and theatrical delivery.
