I’ll always remember the first time that I learned about TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb. I was on a balcony in NYC at my friend’s housewarming party, and was talking to the guitarist (at the time) of the band Xylos. I had just started working with The Deli, and he was asking me about Philly acts that were good and were worth reaching out to for trading shows. Then he inquired if I had ever heard of a “great band” called TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, which caught me by surprise because I hadn’t. I had also been doing some booking in Philly for the last few years and paying close attention to venue bills, but didn’t remember coming across that name. TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb was the first band that was suggested to me since beginning to write for The Deli. I came home after a fun, drunken night, and was surprised that I was able to remember their name. I checked out their MySpace, and he was right. They were great, and I eventually wrote my first of many pieces about TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb. Well, today is the release date for their long-awaited follow-up to Idiots entitled Manufacturing Joy. It’s another fantastic LP from Kong and his crew that you should definitely take a listen to and purchase. They’ll also be celebrating its release this Thursday at Johnny Brenda’s. First, check out our interview with TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb’s talented, hard-livin’ frontman Dan Bruskewicz HERE.
