A spotlight interview with Cecil Q. Yang of NYC's Cat Crash, ahead of their appearance at LOUD WOMEN Fest NYC on May 16.
How did you choose your band name?
I was on Reddit and saw a comment where someone misspelled “car crash” – I thought it’d be a good band name!
Who’s in the band, and what do you all play/do?
Cecil (they/them) – bass + vocals, Arun (he/she/they) – guitar + backing vocals, Noelle (she/her) – drums
Where do you call home (geographically and musically)?
I am from Connecticut, but I just moved to New York City! Noelle is from Massachusetts and Arun is from New Jersey as well as India. We call New York City our home though!
Describe your sound in three words.
Bubble tea grunge – a genre I came up with that plays off of “bubblegrunge,” Asian-fronted femme-focused bubblegum pop punk x grunge riot grrrl.
Tell us about your music
On May 1st we are releasing a new song titled ‘You Lie To Yr Therapist’ as a collaboration with our producer and former drummer briar patch! It’s about coming to terms with being transgender and how it affects your relationships with other people. It’s a new addition to the power pop sound we’ve been drifting towards and we’re super proud of it!
The last song we released, ‘Saints for Girls’, is about when I was in my freshman year of college. I was really alone, all my friends had abandoned me, and I didn’t know how to deal. I thought I’d be miserable forever. It led me to try to end my life, but every time I perform this song I remind the audience I’m still here five years later. I perform the song to send the message “you have not found all of the people who are going to love you yet.”
What’s the proudest moment you’ve had so far as a band/artist?
By far the show I’ve been proudest of was our Riot Grrrl’s Not Dead Fest in Bridgeport CT on August 30th. We had an amazing turnout and raised over $1K for transgender rights.
What’s the strangest gig you’ve ever played?
We played in a rock climbing gym! It was awesome though.
What’s a dream gig or collaboration you must make happen before you die?
Opening for My Chemical Romance
Dream lineup: you + three other acts (alive, dead, or imaginary). Who’s on the bill?
Cat Crash + Pinkshift + Team Dresch + My Chemical Romance
Catch Cat Crash at LOUD WOMEN Fest NYC on May 16