Chip & The Charge Ups is the new hard rock/power pop band electrifying the East Coast and beyond!

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Chip & The Charge Ups? How long has the band been around?

CHIP DIMONICK: For 11 years, I had fronted a band that went by my name (Chip DiMonick) the way that Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper named their bands. All the other members are still slightly active in the bands they were in that preceded Chip & The Charge Ups' formation in April 2018. Maleena Dominick (bass) is in Shadows of the Feared, Jeff DiPerna (drums) is in Neutral Loss, and Chris Bowers (guitar) is in Kleptosonic.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

CHIP DIMONICK:  When I was forming the band, I wanted to give the band a name that had a link of familiarity with my previous, somewhat well-known work while also communicating that this was something new and fresh.  So, I was hoping to come up with a name like "Chip & The something."  I came up with a list of 26 names that fit this description and had close friends vote on which ones they liked the best.  Two names were very close.  So, I had logos designed for them both.  The logo for the other name ended up ridiculously terrible and the logo for Chip & The Charge Ups looked cool, so that was the deciding factor!  And, no, we've never changed the name of the band since we formed.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

CHIP DIMONICK:  Up to this point, I have written all of our songs.  It's hard to find a common thread among the topics of our songs.  With each song, I try to take the listener somewhere different.  I have no desire to repeat myself.  That being said, I do like to lean towards positive, inspiring messages.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

CHIP DIMONICK:  There are some current artists that are doing some amazing things with their melodies today.  Opening my mind to their inspiration is helping me expand my songwriting range for our new material.  Those artists include Twenty One Pilots, Yungblud and Imagine Dragons.  That being said, I don't think I could ever shake the everlasting influence of my roots, artists like the Ramones, the Pistols, etc.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

CHIP DIMONICK:  I have an older brother.  He was deep into classic rock before I even really liked music.  When I was around 13 - about that time when people blossom into music lovers - he insisted that I watch a Led Zeppelin video.  I was blown away by the guitar riffs.  I still am today.  From that moment on, I just wanted to discover and make as much good rock music as I could.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

CHIP DIMONICK:  I have a vocal exercises album on my phone.  So, about 20 minutes before we take the stage, I try to find a quiet place.  Sometimes, that's in the bowels of the venue.  Sometimes, it's in my car.  And, I go through these exercises.  Some of them would be embarrassing to do in front of others, like blowing bubbles and pretending I'm a siren.  But, I find that warmups are the key to sounding better on stage.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

CHIP DIMONICK:  Our album release party weekend was pretty epic.  We got radio play, were pictured on the front page of the local newspaper, and had a sold out release party.  When we played our song "Shine Again," the sold out crowd was waving their phone flashlights to the music.  That experience touched my heart like no other so far!

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

CHIP DIMONICK: I have been a big Halestorm fan since prior to their debut album coming out. I got to watch them go from virtual nobodies to one of the top bands in their genre. So, that would be pretty amazing. I'd also like to open for an emerging act like Yungblud. It would be incredible to be a part of his rapid ascent and watch it all happen day after day. I think it would be a welcome challenge to try to match his energy and win over his crowds, because they come to get wild!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

CHIP DIMONICK:  One thing I love about what we do is our membership program on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/thechargeups).  We release our music to our members there way before we release it to the public in hard copy or digital form (e.g., Apple Music, Spotify, etc.).  So, that inspires us to plan ahead and give our members the best music we can.  So, even though our first album just came out, our second one has been done for months and we are writing for our third one.  Our music is ever-evolving.  So, we hope that your readers follow along with us because I can guarantee that we have so much fun and electrifying stuff to bring to their lives in the immediate and distant future!