Margaret Cho is known for holding absolutely nothing back in her outrageous stand-up routines. So it may come as a surprise that this superstar actress/comedian and ASCAP member has never shown off the extent of her legit musical abilities — until now.
After “My Puss,” a raunchy rap parody Cho recorded impromptu-style with friends, became a surprise YouTube hit, Cho began to integrate more comedy music into her live stand-up shows. With her debut comedy album Cho Dependent, set for an August 24th release date, Cho got a chance to hone her craft with some of the top names in the business.
To help write and produce Cho Dependent’s 13 tales of sex, drugs, rock & roll and head lice, Cho collaborated with some of the finest writers and producers in the business. Folks like Jon Brion, Tegan and Sara, Meghan Toohey, Brendan Benson, Rachael Yamagata, Carl Newman (of The New Pornographers), Patty Griffin and Ben Lee all pitched in.
“Over the years of being an intense music geek I got to meet a lot of my heroes and I tricked them all into writing songs with me,” enthuses Cho. “Most comics want to be rock stars, and most rock stars want to be comics, so it was an easy exchange…There are so many amazing people I got to work with on this album – I still have to pinch myself!”
Ultimately Cho hopes to raise the bar for the genre as a whole – and get a little recognition for her contribution to the cause. Her motivations for this latter goal however are naturally as subversive as her humor. “I want to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and on Elvis Costello's Spectacle so I can talk all serious about my songwriting ‘process’ — which is basically trying to figure out what rhymes with ‘dick.’”
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Cho will be heading out on a nationwide tour in support of Cho Dependent, beginning on August 26th. The shows will include a special evening of brand new stand-up comedy, mixed with a few live performances of Cho’s comedy songs. Check www.margaretcho.com for further info and for special VIP ticket packages.
