TOP nachos
Photo by Ethan Hoffman-Sadka, curtesy of TOP nachos.
Avid readers of this little blog will know we like to have a good time, and that we’re big fans of any musical folks who are along for the ride. Well, TOP nachos is just that. We wanted to get to know our favorite “goof punks” a bit more, and learn what goes into the makings of such delicious rock ‘n’ roll. Read on to find out about the power of friendship, their use of satire, and the importance of cheese.
Check out TOP nacho’s Bandcamp and read our review of their latest album, Dank Side of the Moon.
How long have you been making music?
Three years in March! To celebrate our band-iversary we (Kenny, he/him and Eli, they/them) are planning a wild show at snugs in New Paltz!
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Bands like the Ramones, Jay Reatard, Bikini Kill, Mannequin Pussy, the Kinks, Thee Oh Sees, MC5, Sheer Mag, the Modern Lovers, the list goes on cuz we love music so dang much!!! Our performances and content also draw a lot from comedy. From comedians like Jack Black/Tenacious D, Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Jim Carrey, Dave Chappelle, Kristen Wigg, all the dumb movies you saw when you were 12. TOP nachos blends these inspirations into the band so our music and live shows can be more fun, energetic, and entertaining in a way you haven’t seen before. All in all we're basically a meme.
What keeps you motivated to keep on creating?
We love coming up with different ways to entertain people. Getting people to laugh and have fun at a show is our main goal. We spend basically all of our car rides just coming up with ridiculous things to do during our sets, like silly drum solos or Lady Gaga dance moves...maybe we should focus more on songwriting??? What really keeps us going is meeting new people at shows and knowing that we gave them a solid 30 minutes of silliness. We’re really honing in on what we want TOP nachos to sound and be like. The combination of our silly song writing, energetic live shows, and the power of friendship makes TOP nachos extremely rewarding.
What was the intention with your latest album ?
We wanted Dank Side of the Moon to show people the cheesy side of music. Catchy tunes mixed in with a bit of silliness and a lick of social/political satire. Hopefully people can sing along and chuckle at what they’re singing about.
Where do you see you and your music going in the next few years?
TOP nachos wants to keep touring, writing and recording more! We want to expand our following around the world by playing all over the place. There are already some plans for that in the near future. *winky face*
If you could have any superpower, what would it be (doesn’t need to be music related)?
Being able to read music would be tight...also basketball and digging like in the movie “Holes.”
What kind of messages do you try to get across with your sound?
A lot of our songs are satirical takes on social media, diy, and pop culture. Often the message of the songs are not literal and are making fun of the protagonist, who is not meant to be glorified. Sometimes we’ll mix in completely nonsensical lyrics for added hilarity...I just want another margarita.
What was the last concert you went to that really inspired you?
We've seen and played with tons of bands that have made a lasting impact on us. To name a few; Thee Oh Sees, Fleet Foxes, Soul Glo, Palm, and we’ve played with Guerrilla Toss, Speedy Ortiz, Rozwell Kid, Kal Marks and Bethlehem Steel who have all been infinitely inspiring. Not to mention Lola Tried who we’ll be touring with in February!
Who is your favorite member of The Family Reviews?
We love dad!
Any final comments?
TOP nachos has a lot more stuff in the works. We’re planning tours in other parts of the world, recording more music and making MORE MERCH. And in the immediate future we're going on our longest tour yet with Lola Tried in February. When we get back we'll be celebrating being a band for 3 years! We’re so proud of the work we’ve done so far and are so appreciative of everyone that’s supported us, booked us, laughed at us, smiled at us, threw stuff at us, you name it. Shoutout to our cheesy label King Pizza Records, we love you Greg. We’re so happy and privileged to be able to do this and can’t wait for what’s to come. CHECK US OUT ON SPOTIFY!