New Jersey-based band Ed Tang & The Chops is out with a full-length album, “Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner.” A gravelly vocal set mixed with a sticky sweet feminine balance throughout, this borderline folk/indie/alternative/slightly country has a song for everyone. If you’re a fan of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, give “Two Old Friends” a listen. Actually, give all of their songs a listen. Their intro instrumentals are super reminiscent of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s. And here I was having a hard time comparing them to another band…
Read on for our Q&A with the group:
Q: Describe your sound in three words that begin with a T.
A: Truthful, Tangible, Timebomb.
Q: You’ve got a pretty chill/indie sound (that I love). How do you keep your shows upbeat and kickin’?
A: Our shows are actually pretty wild. The Chops take no prisoners. It’s a real party atmosphere with a lot of dancing and singing along. We keep everything very up-tempo.
Q: Your press release says your new album “Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner” is about “hope, longing, and the waning twilight of youth.” Can you tell me more about that? What message are you trying to get across to listeners?
A: I wrote this album in my late 20′s on the verge of turning 30. I finally had some perspective into how fast life was going by and it scared me. I realized that I was not doing what I felt I was here to do, and I realized this was probably the case for most other people as well. There are so many other pressures and obligations in life that force the surrender and ultimate denial of our true selves… And most people don’t realize it until they feel it is too late. But the thing is, it’s never too late. I want listeners to understand that.
Q: Has the success you’ve seen with your new album been what you expected it to be?
A: I had zero expectations for this album. Sure, after all the hard work that goes into writing and recording, you want people to give it a chance, and hopefully they will enjoy it, but if they don’t, then that’s cool too. That said, we’ve been extremely fortunate to have received a truly overwhelming response to the songs on this album. I’ve been told the lyrics and feelings we try to convey in the music really resonate with people. And that’s more success then we could ever ask for.
Q: What has been your favorite show/venue to play and why?
A: Thus far, and I think the whole band will agree, the best show has been the one we played July 4th weekend at Paul’s in Belmar, NJ. We shared the stage with the amazingly talented Lindsay Perry and one of the best folk bands in the business today, Thomas Wesley Stern. The house was packed wall to wall and there wasn’t a soul in the place that wasn’t dancing and shaking to the music. It was a rowdy, alcohol fueled jammer, and a night I don’t think anyone will soon forget… Unless they can’t remember it.
Q: Have any outrageously awesome fan stories?
A: That same night there was a bit of a ruckus in front of the stage… While everyone was dancing and enjoying the tunes a guy started doing the windmill and throwing floor punches like we were in the middle of a hardcore breakdown. I think everyone would have been cool, but then he reached up to the stage and started drinking the bands beers… And that’s where the crowd drew the line… Pretty sure he was thrown outta there head first like in some slapstick comedy. Never steal the bands beers!
Q: What is one thing you’d like listeners to keep in mind while listening to your music?
A: Life’s short but it’s never too late to follow your heart.
