Ching Chong Song
Encyclopedia
Ching Chong Song are Dan Gower and Julie LaMendola, a vocal duo rooted in New York City's Anti-folk
scene. Gower typically plays piano, while LaMendola plays singing saw. Their music is often experimental and off-kilter in nature, shifting from humorous to dark, serious, or thoughtful in tone, sometimes within the same song. Time Out New York wrote "Ching Chong Song is a genuine New York oddity, drawing equally from junior-high musicals and graphic performance art. LaMendola commands the stage with her nerves unhinged, one part rising diva, the other local loon."
LaMendola's approach to saw playing is to use it primarily as a melodic instrument, rather than a simple atmospheric effect, which is demonstrated in such songs as "Lynette" and "Jonquil". The prevalence of saw in their music was noted by the Village Voice when they wrote "Cabaret weirdos Ching Chong Song have a surprisingly large amount of singing saw in their tunes"
The group have released two full-length studio albums, Little Naked Gay Adventure and Everything is for the Babies, both produced by Kevin Blechdom
. The latter album also features Susan Hwang, of The Debutante Hour
, as a third member, playing accordion, janggu
(a traditional Korean drum) and providing a third vocal harmony. While Hwang also appears with them in promo photos, and performs with them as schedules permit, they do still perform as a duo. Their extended musical family also includes Dany Naierman, Johnny Dydo, Jeff Larson, Sam Grossman, Simon Beins, and Stefko.
They have toured in both the US and Europe, and performed at such diverse events as Art Basel
, in Basel, Switzerland, Primavera a la Ciutat, in Barcelona, Spain, Ladyfest
Rotterdam, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the Nachtbar Porn Festival in Berlin, Germany. They have also appeared on the NYC public access
program Checkerboard Kids and were chosen to close the 22nd annual Antifolk Festival, hosted by Sidewalk Cafe owner and Anti-folk luminary, Lach
.
They were one of the groups listed as "Best Live Band In Town" in the New York Press
2009 Music Poll.
Time Out New York also described them as "An unconventional duo that plays regularly at Sidewalk Café, Ching Chong Song stars Julie LaMendola (who sings and plays the saw) and Dan Gower (who plays the piano and wears a piano tie). Their songs are spare, but the pair compensate with enough chutzpah to fill Carnegie Hall."
" is generally considered to be a racial slur. As such, the group has been the object of a student group protest on a few occasions (such as New York University
) and had one other show cancelled by Bryn Mawr College
where they were scheduled to play.
In a letter to the editor of Bryn Mawr's The Bi-College News Online regarding these incidents, LaMendola wrote of her disapproval of the cancellation of her group's show due to the band's name. This letter led to a spate of responses in the same Bryn Mawr publication.
These events occurred in 2007, and the group has performed without incident since that time. Though briefly going by the name Church of Lurch, they have since continued to perform as Ching Chong Song.
in 2010, Ching Chong Song topped a Village Voice readers poll for "Worst Band Name in New York", beating out groups Phil and the Osophers, Wakey!Wakey!, Freelance Whales
, and Food Stamps for this dubious honor.
The poll results were later lampooned by another NYC group, going by the moniker of Chink Floyd, citing their lack of inclusion in the poll.
Anti-folk
Anti-folk is a music genre that takes the earnestness of politically charged 1960s folk music and subverts it. The defining characteristics of this anti-folk are difficult to identify, as they vary from one artist to the next...
scene. Gower typically plays piano, while LaMendola plays singing saw. Their music is often experimental and off-kilter in nature, shifting from humorous to dark, serious, or thoughtful in tone, sometimes within the same song. Time Out New York wrote "Ching Chong Song is a genuine New York oddity, drawing equally from junior-high musicals and graphic performance art. LaMendola commands the stage with her nerves unhinged, one part rising diva, the other local loon."
LaMendola's approach to saw playing is to use it primarily as a melodic instrument, rather than a simple atmospheric effect, which is demonstrated in such songs as "Lynette" and "Jonquil". The prevalence of saw in their music was noted by the Village Voice when they wrote "Cabaret weirdos Ching Chong Song have a surprisingly large amount of singing saw in their tunes"
The group have released two full-length studio albums, Little Naked Gay Adventure and Everything is for the Babies, both produced by Kevin Blechdom
Kevin Blechdom
Kevin Blechdom, born Kristin Erickson, is an American experimental electronic musician/performance artist from San Francisco, California.-Life and career:...
. The latter album also features Susan Hwang, of The Debutante Hour
The Debutante Hour
The Debutante Hour are a trio, based in New York City, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Susan Hwang, Mia Pixley, and Maria Sonevytsky. Typically, Sonevytsky and Hwang trade off accordion and primary vocal duties, and Pixley plays cello, as well as providing additional vocals...
, as a third member, playing accordion, janggu
Janggu
The janggu or sometimes called seyogo is the most widely used drum used in the traditional music of Korea. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin...
(a traditional Korean drum) and providing a third vocal harmony. While Hwang also appears with them in promo photos, and performs with them as schedules permit, they do still perform as a duo. Their extended musical family also includes Dany Naierman, Johnny Dydo, Jeff Larson, Sam Grossman, Simon Beins, and Stefko.
They have toured in both the US and Europe, and performed at such diverse events as Art Basel
Art Basel
Art Basel is an international contemporary art fair held each June in Basel, Switzerland. Similar to the Venice Biennale, it has been called "the Olympics of the art world". Art Basel features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa...
, in Basel, Switzerland, Primavera a la Ciutat, in Barcelona, Spain, Ladyfest
Ladyfest
Ladyfest is a community-based, not-for-profit global music and arts festival for female artists that features bands, musical groups, performance artists, authors, spoken word and visual artists, films, lectures, art exhibitions and workshops; it is organized by volunteers. The first ever Ladyfest...
Rotterdam, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the Nachtbar Porn Festival in Berlin, Germany. They have also appeared on the NYC public access
Public Access
Public Access is a 1993 American drama film directed by Bryan Singer in his feature film debut. Singer also wrote the screenplay with Christopher McQuarrie and Michael Feit Dougan. The film was shot in 18 days for US$250,000. It was screened at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, where it was...
program Checkerboard Kids and were chosen to close the 22nd annual Antifolk Festival, hosted by Sidewalk Cafe owner and Anti-folk luminary, Lach
Lach
Lach is a musician associated with the anti-folk movement. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was trained as a classical pianist from an early age only to abandon it once he heard The Sex Pistols, The Jam and The Clash for the first time. Realizing he was a songwriter, Lach backtracked and explored...
.
They were one of the groups listed as "Best Live Band In Town" in the New York Press
New York Press
New York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...
2009 Music Poll.
Time Out New York also described them as "An unconventional duo that plays regularly at Sidewalk Café, Ching Chong Song stars Julie LaMendola (who sings and plays the saw) and Dan Gower (who plays the piano and wears a piano tie). Their songs are spare, but the pair compensate with enough chutzpah to fill Carnegie Hall."
Controversy
The group have been criticised for their name, which some feel is derogatory and insensitive to Asians, as "ching chongChing Chong
Ching chong is a pejorative term sometimes employed by speakers of the English language to mock people of Chinese ancestry, or other Asians who may look Chinese....
" is generally considered to be a racial slur. As such, the group has been the object of a student group protest on a few occasions (such as New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
) and had one other show cancelled by Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
where they were scheduled to play.
In a letter to the editor of Bryn Mawr's The Bi-College News Online regarding these incidents, LaMendola wrote of her disapproval of the cancellation of her group's show due to the band's name. This letter led to a spate of responses in the same Bryn Mawr publication.
These events occurred in 2007, and the group has performed without incident since that time. Though briefly going by the name Church of Lurch, they have since continued to perform as Ching Chong Song.
in 2010, Ching Chong Song topped a Village Voice readers poll for "Worst Band Name in New York", beating out groups Phil and the Osophers, Wakey!Wakey!, Freelance Whales
Freelance Whales
Freelance Whales is an American indie rock band from Queens, New York, formed in 2008. Consisting of frontman Judah Dadone , and bandmates Doris Cellar , Chuck Criss , Jacob Hyman...
, and Food Stamps for this dubious honor.
The poll results were later lampooned by another NYC group, going by the moniker of Chink Floyd, citing their lack of inclusion in the poll.