Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Horse Chops
Based in Newfoundland’s wild west coast, Horse Chops sound like a smoke and a Pepsi for lunch. Their garage-fuzz riffs are noisy enough to earn them detention; their jangly, melodic hooks are sweet enough to talk the teacher out of it. Inspired by 60’s garage-psych, 70’s proto-punk, 80’s post-punk, and 90’s slacker-rock, Horse Chops make the old world new one hook at a time.
Horse Chops is made up of Newfoundland and Labrador music scene veterans Adam Beardsworth – guitar/vocals (The Kremlin), Neil Targett – bass/vocals (Sherman Downey & the Ambiguous Case) & Craig Caines (The Proper Things). On the heels of their 2023 self titled EP, which received regular college radio airplay and made 2023 year-end best-of lists, and their equally infectious “Bureaucratic Tone EP” (2024), they’re back in 2025 with the brand new “Hinterland” EP.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Probably driving around with my Dad while he was blaring Hall & Oates from his 1984 Honda Prelude.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My grandmother had a beat up old guitar that I used to love to play around on when I’d visit. I eventually co-opted the instrument and started stringing together a few notes. I loved trying to pick out songs by ear, it was like a game as a little kid.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Horse Chops is three guys living out their midlife crises by playing jangly, fuzzy, and fun rock and roll. We’re in it for the money and the glory, still waiting for both.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
First of all, if they’ve never heard us, what have they been doing with their lives? But if I had to describe our sound, I’d say it’s like a beach party on a stormy night.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I just try to take it easy, not grip the old guitar too hard and let the songs come as they will.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I use my Gretsch guitar, a beat-up drum kit, and a one-channel interface to record demos for all of our songs. This gives me lots of time and space to experiment, and to get ideas down quickly that I can then share with the band.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Tough question. We’re a group with eclectic tastes and I can only speak for myself, but I’m always digging psych rock artists, including groups like Flavour Crystals and Holy Wave.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I’m also a poet and academic. I love to think about the difference between writing pop music and writing poetry. Music has always felt like a looser form of writing that lets me play with ideas that I can’t make work in other areas of my career. It’s a place to have some fun with word, image, and sound.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
We are not a deep band. We want people to come away tapping their feet, maybe playing a bit of air guitar, and having a laugh at lyrics about goth kids or self-righteous Sting fans.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
That I’ll never be a virtuoso, but it’s okay to dream.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
We’ll take any festival that wants us.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Jonathan Richman or Lou Reed–kinda like and upper and a downer. I love their music, love their lyrics, and love their self-possessed attitudes.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
We just want to keep making catchy indie-garage tunes that make people excited about listening to music and going to live shows. Fame, glory, and tons of money would also be nice but we’re not holding out that much hope.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
We mostly just hope that listeners will discover our music, period.
