San Francisco boogie band Chateau only released one 7-inch single in 1984, but to this day it is one of the most sought-after West Coast slices of funk. Many the band's members were in multiple groups with ties to bigger acts. Drummer and group leader Frank Lemon, who was born in New Orleans, came up with Chateau's name. Lemon's previous group, Grand Theft, toured Canada and released a single on Oakland’s Honey Records back in 1975. Lemon and high school friend Alan Ross, who was lead singer in New Genesis, decided to form a new group in 1982, resulting in Chateau.

Chateau included Alan Ross on lead vocals and percussion, singer Damara "Candy" Stepney, whose voice stands out on "Strike A Spark," and Kevin Dailey who sang and played saxophone, bass, and guitar. Melvin Jones was on horn and keys, Dennis Knepper played keyboard, Frank Lemon played drums, Lemon's cousin Michael Clark played rhythm guitar, Doug Hearne played guitar and Bill Ortiz (from Santana) contributed trumpet parts.

Ross wrote "Feelings" with his friend bassist Kirk Crumpler. Crumpler also wrote "Strike a Spark." The pair recorded their original songs as 8-track demos. Crumpler grew up in San Fransisco, playing drums in his high school band. One day, Larry White heard Crumpler messing around with an upright bass and encouraged him to learn the instrument for a school play. White arranged for Crumpler to play bass for a band in Sacramento in 1982, and next thing he knew, he was a member of Collage on Solar Records.

Ross rehearsed Chateau on the songs he and Crumpler wrote. In 1983, the group won the KRE Radio Hot Fun In The Sun Battle of the Bands in Mosswood Park, Oakland. As a prize, they received $5000 (approximately 8 hours) of studio time and a pressing run of 200 45s. Crumpler returned to town from being on tour with Con Funk Shun to produce the group's first and only session.

Most copies of the group's single were given away to friends. The band continued to play live gigs at venues like Bimbo's 365 in San Francisco. They backed Robert Winters on a Bay Area tour in 1984. Despite continuing to receive offers to open for other acts, the group's members decided to disband and pursue other projects they hoped to be more lucrative.

Lemon and Ross formed the group Ddslam. Lemon has been in a half dozen bands since. Crumpler went on to write songs and record as a studio musician for acts like Con Funk Shun, Bobby Brown, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Michael Clark and Alan Ross passed away, but many of the group's original members continue to play music.