Despite recent news that they are calling it quits, New Jersey four-eyed favourites the Ergs continue to attract new fans based on their catchy and comedic everyman pop punk. In a case of perfect timing, theyve just released a 33-track singles collection containing every seven-inch, compilation and self-released track the band have ever recorded. Serving more as a way to round out the collection for long-time fans than to rope in new ones, Hindsight Is 20/20, My Friend still does a great job of summing up the eight-year career of what could easily be our decades most quintessential pop punk band. Choice tracks for those familiar or foreign include "Introducing Morrissey, a love song addressed to the former Smith's front-man, and "Books About Miles Davis, a dorky tale of failed love that shows a more mature side of the band.
There are bound to be fans who discover your band posthumously. Is this the release youd suggest they start with?
Drummer/vocalist Mikey Ergs: No. Its a collection of every weird track and every seven-inch that we had so theres a lot of stuff you could probably skip, but just to make it complete we put all the stuff on it. I would say either of our albums are probably the best thing to start with. It would be more cohesive.
What came first: the title of the album or the decision to disband?
Mikey: The album was in production long before the decision to break up. We think its sort of an ironic thing now. Weve been planning on releasing a singles collection for a couple years.
Guitarist Jeff Schroeck. I think the title of it was more a comment on some of the quality of what we had on the collection, and only looking back did we realize it.
The songs on the album span your entire career. How would you describe the evolution in your sound over that time period?
Jeff: To me, I feel like earlier on we had pop punk-type songs and then songs that we sort of on purpose said, "lets play these weird funk songs, or a jazz song. Later on I think both those sides came together.
(Dirtnap)There are bound to be fans who discover your band posthumously. Is this the release youd suggest they start with?
Drummer/vocalist Mikey Ergs: No. Its a collection of every weird track and every seven-inch that we had so theres a lot of stuff you could probably skip, but just to make it complete we put all the stuff on it. I would say either of our albums are probably the best thing to start with. It would be more cohesive.
What came first: the title of the album or the decision to disband?
Mikey: The album was in production long before the decision to break up. We think its sort of an ironic thing now. Weve been planning on releasing a singles collection for a couple years.
Guitarist Jeff Schroeck. I think the title of it was more a comment on some of the quality of what we had on the collection, and only looking back did we realize it.
The songs on the album span your entire career. How would you describe the evolution in your sound over that time period?
Jeff: To me, I feel like earlier on we had pop punk-type songs and then songs that we sort of on purpose said, "lets play these weird funk songs, or a jazz song. Later on I think both those sides came together.