|
 |
|
Interview with Mustang Cobra
April 2008 by Metal Mark |
| |
Mustang Cobra hail from Rhode Island and have
been around for about a year now. I heard some good things about
them so I got to check in with them and find out more about this
band and what they are up to.
Please introduce yourselves and tell what instrument you play.
My name is Christian White and I front Mustang Cobra.
My name is Aaron Leidecker and I am one of the guitarists.
My name is Natalie & I play the drums.
Dino - I tickle the six string fretboard.
Zeus Sousa....rider thunder.
Tell us a little about the history of your
band.
N: The band came together in April '07. The boys did a great job
spreading the gospel of Cobra WAY before I joined - they already had
t-shirts made & had created buzz that resonated all over Providence
and beyond. By the time they asked me to be their drummer, people
were salivating at the mere mention of this band. They were dying
for it. I think the band has done very well, despite only playing
live since last August. Since the recent arrival of Christian on
vocals, Mustang Cobra has become a freight train. Totally
unstoppable. I'm proud to be in this band.
Z: History is a spoil of those that are victors....this story is
this flesh and metal come together as one....hot blood and cold
steel...
Do you see this as just a temporary project or
is it long term?
C: I see everything as long term until it becomes temporary. I am a
fickle motherfucker but, with or without me, Cobra is forever!
A: I am willing to go as far as this is going to go.
N: In the beginning, I figured we'd go full-blast & see where it
took us. Now, not even a year later, we have a great local fan base
& people are demanding a CD. We're ready to break out of New England
& get this show on the road.
D: I love Mustang Cobra 4-evaZ: I'm projecting this project is as
long as the term of its existence.
Who are your musical influences?
C: Glenn Danzig, Iggy, Miss Natalie, Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Josh
Homme...Yes, I said JETHRO TULL. Metal indeed.
A: Just music in general. Whether it's "What's the Buzz?" from Jesus
Christ Superstar or "The Anti-Christ" from slayer. When I hear good
music, it influences me to make good music.
N: As a drummer, I have influences all across the board. I love the
metal masters - Iron Maiden, Slayer, etc. I also have a big place in
my heart for the greats like Sinatra & Louie Prima. I'm heavily
influenced by my band mates; they're all stellar musicians & make me
want to become a better drummer.
D: Richard Marx, Rick Astley, and Gerardo to name a few.
Z: I'm a sucker for a falsetto....sing me to sleep with the hooks of
your horns. |
|
|
How
would you describe your sound?
C: We are metal heavy soft at the core gimme summmore gimme summmore...headbangin'
orgy metal.
A: Traditional heavy metal. The way it was, the way it should be.
N: Classic Power Metal
D: Theatrics-KISS. Flash-Whitesnake. Sound-Diamond Head...kinda like
"Kiss my WhiteHead"!
Z: White hot love fist fuck fight heat.
What are some of your songs about and where do
you get the ideas for your song topics?
C: Well...obviously there's swords and sorcery. Pagan dancing and
hot blood. We are old testament metal. Angry and vengeful. Locusts
and shit.
A: The lyrics I write are a lot about fantasy worlds. I don't really
dive too deep into political/religious topics. But Christian is the
main lyric man, so he probably has a totally different answer.
N: That's one for the guys to answer. I just hit things.
D: They're about 4-5 minutes long and as far as topics, we try to
stay away from bad ideas.
Z: "Good composers borrow....great composers steal."-Paul
McCartney...or so I was told. I don't bother to look up much of what
I've heard. Yeah, sure???
Some of you have been in bands that play
different style of music and I |
 |
believe that you have been on bills with bands
from different genres. Is that difficult when you plays shows like
that or is everyone still into what you are doing?
C: Well, that can be a mixed bag. Depends on the band. For instance,
we'll play with a band like The Cold War, who we sound nothing like,
yet for some strange reason it works. Other times...not so much. The
bottom line is when Cobra plays, no other bands matter. We are
METAL. We are not musicians. We are destroyers.
A: I like when all the bands on a bill bring something different to
the table. Shows where everyone is playing almost the same thing
bore me.
N: Playing in bands of different styles makes you a well-rounded
musician! I think the array of musical backgrounds we all have in
Mustang Cobra has resulted in one bad-ass combination. We have
definitely been on bills with bands that are nothing like us. In my
opinion, that's a great thing. I personally am not a fan of going to
shows with 3-4 bands that sound identical. Mix it up, make it
interesting, and expose the crowd to different bands they may not
have seen otherwise.
D: Not difficult at all. If we make 1 fan or 100, that show was
worth playing. To be honest, if they ever invent a 500 dollar bill I
would really like to be on that.
Z: Check out The Cold War. We like to hang out with them. Those
Suffering Bastard/I, Destroyer kids are super awesome. Other people
are usually alright. It's a fuckin' crapassshoot asswell....roll
your 13 sided die to raise your charisma...."what is my, what is
my?".What’s the music scene like in your
area?
C: Myopic.
A: It's got a lot of potential. Some of the most talented musicians
I have ever heard live not ten minutes from me. I love it.
N: Live music is in trouble. And not just in Providence -
everywhere. Clubs are closing down one by one, being resurrected
into lame Top-40 Meat Markets. It's unfortunate, but we're doing
everything we can to keep the music scene thriving. Every time we
play a show & there's a mass of sweaty people in front of the stage,
pumping their fists and singing along, I smile. Live music in
Providence will not die on our watch.
D: It needs fixing. There are many really great people in a ton of
good bands that are busting their ass to get their music heard.
CHECK THEM OUT!
Z: "...two words combined that don't make sense."
How many original songs do you have so far?
Any plans to record a CD in the near future?
C: We are recording right now. You can hear a track on our myspace
page...
www.myspace.com/mustangcobraband
N: Eight and counting. We're in the process of recording our first
full-length (or EP), and it will be diabolical.
Do you play any cover songs live? If so then
what?
A: What? And spoil the surprise? I will tell you that they are songs
you love and will pump your fist and sing along to, but you'll have
to come to a show to hear "the goods".
What are the some of the best shows that you
have played so far?
C: The first show Mustang Cobra ever played (without me) at Jerky's
was a high water mark for ANY RI band. Ever. With me, I'd say our
'Ides of March' show, also at Jerky's. I thought we owned.
N: The first show was RIDICULOUS. Fog, lights, and tons of metal
horns up in the air. It was glorious. Since that debut gig, our
first show with Christian (@ Ralphs Diner) was fantastic. He had one
band practice with us, got up onstage, and owned it.
D: They have all been great in their own unique way, but personally
the next one will always be my favorite.
Z: Any show that supplies enough sauce.... |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Obviously you like 80’s metal a lot. What do
you think was so good about the music from that decade?
C: Here was a solid mix of thrashy true metal, mixed with social
commentary that lacked the demon of pretentiousness. It's a fine
line between saying something and rawking out. You need to listen to
the old masters to understand exactly how to do this without assing
up the place.
A: Excess. That, and everything was about fun. Having a good time
all the time....this is our motto, as well as Viv Savage's.
N: Decadence. All the great 80s bands pulled no punches when it came
to their stage shows.
D: It's what I grew up on. If you don't like it now you never liked
it then.
Z: I prefer the Metal from the 70's.
What should someone who comes to one of your
shows expect?
C: A harangue of black noise and both a stiff neck and cock. Don't
come unless you are prepared to kneel.
N: To be completely aroused & go home with temporary Tinitus.
Pick the band from the following that you
prefer and tell why.
KISS or Motley Crue
C: Tull.
A: Motley Crue. They are my favorite band of all time. KISS is up
there though.
N: Crue! KISS is all cheese.
D: Well, KISS's "Destroyer" album was the first metal record I
owned. I was probably 6 or 7 and my life hasn't been the same.
Z: I'd rather "meet, meetchyu in the ladies room" than go "smokin'
in the boys room". Gene's tongue legends Tommy's dong.
Megadeth or Metallica
C: Tull.
A: Megadeth. Hands down. Dave Mustaine is a better song writer,
better guitar player and he has ALWAYS kept it real. Well...kind of.
More than Metallica, that's for sure.
N: Metallica. "Master of Puppets" will forever be in my Top 5.
D: I look at this like a boxing match. Metallica kicked their ass
for the first few rounds. In the middle of the fight Megadeth
started landing some heavy shots and the tide started to turn. Later
in the fight they just danced around the ring without even throwing
a punch. That's when I threw away my entire 9th grade wardrobe. But
I am curious what Rick Rubin producing the new Metallica album will
be like. Maybe they'll land that haymaker and knockout Megadeth in a
Balboa like fashion.
Z: Why not have both...."Kill'em All"!!!
Iron Maiden or Judas Priest
C: Mustang Cobra.
A: You cant make me do that, man.
N: Maiden all the way. Although "Painkiller" is just so ridiculously
good.
D: How? Why?...impossible.
Z: The electric eye burrows deeply in the furrows of a piece of
mind. This is a gangland of orgiastic harmonies, you'd better learn
your lesson and get hell bent! We are the neighbors of the
beast....and it's two minutes to midnight!
Is there anything else that you would like to
say about your band or your music?
C: Music is a cunt. This is still a fistfight.
A: If you haven't heard us, listen. If you haven't seen us, come to
a show. We have a blast onstage, the crowd has a blast offstage.
It's a party and it always will be.
N: If I wasn't in Mustang Cobra, this would be my favorite band to
go see. Get your ass to a show.
D: CD out soon, hitting the road, spreading the word!
Z: We like Jagermeister. Don't be shy, buy us a round....
www.myspace.com/mustangcobraband |
|
