CHING CHONG SONG

A Brooklyn based saw/piano duo who have been together for three years, Ching Chong Song writes songs that are lyrically and musically at once dark, serious, brooding and funny. In non-apologetic cabaret fashion they candidly address the audience both with assertive, melodic singing and non-conventional instrumentation. Coming up from the underground to play at prestigious clubs on tour in the US and Europe, they are happy to the core to be called, "a genuine New York oddity..."

Ching Chong Song plays in bohemian buttonholes as well as large venues in New York City where they've made their home. They've also played in prestigious clubs on tour in the US with The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and Creaky Boards. They've been on five European tours playing in large venues in Berlin, Paris, Brussels and Rotterdam as well as tiny towns where they find small, subversive collectives and build strong bonds with the people they meet.

Some international shows include SO36 legendary club in Berlin with Antifolk favorites Huggabroomstik. At Art Basel, the largest art fair in the world, Ching Chong Song was showcased as part of the Porticus project along with Kevin Blechdom and Wolf Eyes. They played at the Porn Film Festival showcase in Berlin last October, and Ladyfest Rotterdam with Kevin Blechdom.

Their fans packed Sound Fix venue for the release of Little Naked Gay Adventure (mixed by Safety Scissors and produced by Kevin Blechdom Blechdom from Blechdom/Chicks on Speed Records) You can read one revue in Urban Folk #15 They've been working with director Krisjan Thor who wrote seven obstructions, one including kissing through an entire song, fans provided a stream of kisses. Some peeps know the words to their songs and during one refrain, "Don't believe in the sun, make your own light, stand in the light..." you could hear a hundred voices rise over the hippest heads in Williamsburg. Making friends and influencing people wherever they go. Julie speaks German, Dan speaks man. Together, the language of love, music, truth and rebellion.

Some notable artists they've played shows with are Jeffery Lewis, Only Son, Baby Gramps, and The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Creaky Boards, Dufus, Prewar Yardsale, Kevin Blechdom, John Ludington, Phoebe Kreutz... They're currently working on a fall tour with Dufus and Jeffrey Lewis are looking forward to a show with Jad Fair and Lumberob, recording their second studio cd, and collaboration Martha Cobourn.

JULIE LAMENDOLA

I was born in Wilmar Minnesotta. I moved and moved like a rolling suitcase. New York is the longest I have ever stayed in one place. I started to sing when I was nine. I remember making up songs on my way to school in Littleton. I didn't like it there, we'd moved from Greenville North Carolina where the air was thick and I had a best friend. I made up songs about my family and myself to the rythm of my breath and feet. I am loved by mesquitoes. I got my first tape in Littleton, RunDMC and also got my first tape recorder. I recorded my own versions of Annie songs. I had hamsters. I was raised with ideas from the Unitarian Church, Adult Children of Alchoholics 12 step program, and my mom's artist friends. When my parents got divorced my mom, me and my sister moved to Cedar Falls Iowa, where I had my first beer, lost my virginity and started a vigourous writing life. I filled notebook after notebook with poems and songs. I was a pretty happy young woman. Most of my friends were boys, and I had as many sexual encounters with my girl friends as my boy friends. I was so unpopular in school the first few years in Iowa. I felt alone and displaced. My dad was working in Denver with someone who could get me into Outward Bound. I learned how to take care of myself and value myself and pushed my mind and body until I didn't care what anyone else thought about me. I came home to Iowa and tried out for The Wizard of Oz. My first real role in a play was Dorthy in 10th grade. I started to take voice lessons with Les Hale. I understood that to find my own voice I had to learn proper technique...then forget what I learned. When I graduated high school I went to college for a semester, I learned Vonnegut from Lora Rackstraw. I learned photography and my mom gave me her camera. I started to travel. I was a nanny in Portugal where i learned from a swiss neigbor, an old dr. turned opera teacher to sing from the bones. I traveled for about a year by myself. Moved back to Iowa and then landed another nanny job in Nurnberg, Germany. The job ended early and led to homelessness, living in a stable, and finally my dependence (and later mariage to) an old German punk. I moved back to Iowa to go to Massage school at Carlson College of Massage Therapy. After I graduated I opened a buisiness and burned out fast. I was an empath but couldn't protect myself from the sadness most people carry. I got divorced. I packed my car and moved to Chapel Hill. Music again! I met my first band mate and serious boyfriend Shane Paulsen. He was such a huge influence on me. We went to Mexico and on our drive back we got into a car accident that payed for our move to Thailand. I loved it there, but got very sick. I had to go back to Iowa again to complete a surgery that began in Lampang.

Me and Shane moved to Memphis where we started a band called Girl Friday (later changed to Beyondo). We opened for Adult Rodeo whose members include my dear friends Lumberob and Mephany Stankins at the Map Room. Adult Rodeo hired us to play at a wedding. I met Kevin Blechdom Lumberob's sister. They had started a record label called four state fair records. They had also signed the amazing Basturd, who I knew from Iowa City. We went on tour, then the record label folded. Me and Shane kept playing music together until we broke up in 2004. Then I met Dan. He was playing keyboards in a band Bravo Silva who I had played with and known for several years.

I've played music on cds: Shelby Bryant- Luscious (Smells Like Records) Jeffrey Lewis- 12 Crass Songs (Rough Trade) Phoebe Kreutz-Big Lousy Moon Whisper Doll-

and other ones too.

DAN GOWER

Dan Gower grew up playing piano in Spokane, Washington. To accompany after dinner family discussions, he would slip away from the dining room table and compose little ditties or improvise for hours. He also studied classical music until the pull of rock and roll became too much. Dan found himself in Santa Fe, New Mexico in a progressive BFA music program at The College of Santa Fe. There, he learned the importance of breaking away from the compositional impositions of previous centuries while performing in multiple ensembles and bands playing original music. When he moved to New York City four years ago, he played synths with indie-heart-throb band Bravo Silva. Through "B.S." Dan met and formed a strong music and magic connection with Julie LaMendola and has been writing, recording, and performing music with her ever since. Dan is thrilled about the recent addition of Susan Hwang on accordion and looks forward to more collaboration with her. He and the love of his life, Dany Naierman compose music on the Venezuelan folk instrument, el cuatro, for their band Pico Picacho.

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