I really don't see the point in learnin tab first. Chords are what holds the guitar parts together, n it's where the solo's come from. I suggest doing a bit of both, coz chords are important. They get you used to using your fingers and helps you unlock the fret board and you'll see the theory in the tab better as well, as opposed to it just lookin like some numbers on lines. So you'll understand the whole thing better if you learn some chords. Just the major/minor ones to start with.
Remember, the chickens that fly will always beat the rubber plants that bounce!