Chicago, the third most populated City in the USA, nicknamed The Windy City and home to arguably the most notorious ganster of the 1920's, Al Capone. Let us not forget, a haven for incredible music. Today we're focusing our attention on the curiously monikered band, Cokegoat, whom we featured at SludgelordHQ a few week back and who, funnily enough, hail from Chicago.
A sextet, incorporating many elements of slow heavy music, with perhaps a strong focus on doom, their bio blurb emphasises that when you think of Cokegoat, think Electric Wizard meets Mastodon and Black Sabbath
circa '73 - ‘76. Doesn't sound much like doom does it? The fuck it doesn't. Indeed that is the interesting thing about this band, they are difficult to pigeonhole. Their debut record, Vessel is incredible and I was intrigued to find out more about this unique and ultimately very cool band. So enjoy the interview!!
Welcome to
the Sludgelord, pleased to talk to you guys and welcome.
(SL) Who are
you, state your name (s) and purpose?
Jeff
Wojtysiak, one of three guitarists and one of three voices in Cokegoat.
(SL)
Summarise your musical journey (s) this point?
Cokegoat’s
musical journey is a new adventure. We have been together as a musical unit for
the past 2 1/2 years. ‘Vessel’ is our debut record. I had a bunch of demos that
I recorded but after we got together, we shuffled, reworked and added, and
began writing as a unit. The members of this band were good pals of mine and
like minded humans who’ve been playing music in and around Chicago
(SL) What
can fans look forward to from you in 2014? How is your schedule shaping up?
We’re
doing a shit ton of writing and having stoned conversations about concepts for
our upcoming video. We’re planning to record some shit and get it together for
our next album to be released. Then we tour. Midwest, the coasts, Europe . Hopefully all within the next year and a half.
And babies, this band will have more babies.
SL) What
springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new/current record?
We
were prepared. We knew what we wanted the record to sound like. Jordan, our
drummer is also a sound/electrical engineer, we talked a lot about how we
wanted to approach the sessions so they wouldn't get away from us, which kept
us focused and on track. The record is very true to who we are as a group. It
sounds like us in our rehearsal room and on stage. When we were tracking it I
was thinking, if this is just the beginning, it makes me very excited about the
future of this band.
(SL) Who
handles song writing duties?
We
all do. All six of us. Someone usually comes to the table with a few ideas. We
all chime in and give our opinion. Change shit. Move stuff. Hit delete.
Sometimes multiple opinions can stall things but that's why we work on several
things at once. We can shift gears as often as we need. As for words, I write
most of them, because I’m saying most of them. I come from a background of
playing mostly instrumental music, so writing lyrics was foreign at first. On
the record you can hear me getting stronger and more confident when it comes to
writing and phrasing. It’s fun to push it and get others involved with ideas
for vocal presentation.
(SL) How
long was the gestation of your new/current opus from conception to delivery?
About
a year and a half. This is our first effort as a group. We spent about 8 months
writing, 4 of which Rebekah tried to figure out what her noises would be...
Ukulele with a pickup stuck on with gum and a distortion pedal was a serious
contender. We then spent every weekend for about 2 months at Bricktop Recording
with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos) recording 9 songs, 8 of them made the record.
Carl Saff then mastered it, we shipped it off then we started on the artwork.
(SL)
Reflecting on your new/current record, was your artwork designed with a
particular physical format in mind? Who designed it? What are your thoughts the
finished physical product? What format is/will be available?
I
love the work of friend/artist/tattooer Max Brown. At the time he was doing all
these black ink drawings on this thick creamy paper, super dark and
psychedelic. He did the album art with very little direction and the end
product successfully describes the record. It’s dark. It’s heavy. It’s ethereal.
It’s weird. It’s high, drunk and laughs a lot. We then had Josh Davis of Dead
Meat Design hand screen all the jackets and inserts, which we then had to fold,
glue and stuff ourselves. This was a very lengthy process which kept us
involved every step of the way. I’m glad we did it this way. I doubt we will do
our next one in this fashion, but I’m glad we put in the sweat and time to get
our hands dirty with the creation of the final product. We decided to just do a
digital download and 180 gram vinyl for this release. I would like to stay in
those 2 formats for future releases. The only time I see CD’s anymore is when
people are doing drugs off of them.
(SL) The
best and worst things about being in a band?
I
really enjoy being creative with like minded people who can laugh and have a
good time. Sometimes practice ends and Club Cokegoat begins, which is us just
listening to music, drinking and talking shit for hours. I really don’t see
anything negative about being in a band, especially this one. Why do it if any
of it sucked? Your shitty 95 job sucks, bitch about that.
Use
creativity and friends to wash all that crap down the drain. It was said that
“Cokegoat pulled off the neat trick of being a positive metal band” in the
Chicago Tribune recently. Is that a best or worst thing? You decide.
(SL)
Influences and heroes, what are turn offs and turn on’s?
I
grew up on all the 80’s metal. Most of it, if I listened now, I don’t think I
could stomach. You can’t fault the bands. People were young, everything was
new. Out of the bunch I still do listen to Slayer.
SL) Any
record from the past or present that springs to mind?
...And
Justice For All. I remember being blown away by that record. I got the tab book
and tried to learn every song, which I’m sure I did, horribly.
(SL) The
last album that kicked your arse?
The
latest Stomach Earth and Primitive Man. But I’m never surprised when we revisit
Jethro Tull or Prince albums at Club
Cokegoat.
(SL) What
was your first instrument or musical experience and what do you use today?
My
parents rented me a Series 10 guitar from a local shop where I started taking
lessons when I was 13. I remember all the teachers at the time had a hard on
for Eddie Van Halen. He’s good and he definitely changed the game, but I’m not
the biggest fan of the songs. I wasn’t then and still not, except Drop Dead
Legs from 1984. Tight shit. As for gear, I love gear. I have an addiction. I’m
always buying. selling, trading shit. The other’s in the band get stuff here
and there, but I’m always on the lookout. I’m very happy where I am now. I have
a ‘73 Orange OR120 and a late ‘90s Matamp one off that is bitchin’. I run one
or the other though an Emperor 2x12 1x15 cab. Eminence Swamp
(SL) One
item, gear or otherwise that characterises your band and one item from your set
up
you cannot
live without?
I
think the way we approach vocals, 3 of us, one being a female, adds a signature
element. And Rebekah’s noise making/synth playing is a great part of our sound.
It comes from left field but adds a much needed layer that just works.
(SL)
Protools versus old school?
Everything
is Pro Tools. It would be great to say “yeah we love recording on tape and it
sounds great and it’s so blah blah blah.” The truth is tape is expensive, tape
machines are old and if not matinenced, maintained and cleaned properly are
worthless. When we did this record we kept it as organic as possible. We walked
in with the tones we wanted. A great room, good mics, good preamps and a very
knowledgeable engineer. Andy Nelson was a dream to work with. Dude killed it .
Being in the studio isn’t always a great time, but I can’t wait to get back in
there and work with Andy again.
SL) Blogs
and social media vs. getting on the road and touring?
All
of the above. Everything and anything is helpful when it comes to getting your
name out there and selling records. Ideally, we’d always want to play in front
of people and have them experience us live. Unfortunately, we’re not time
travelling wizards. So read about us, stream some free tracks, buy it if you
dig it. We’ll do our fair share of touring, but in the meantime, thank Al Gore
for the internet.
(SL) What
are your survival tips for the road, any rider requests?
Unfortunately
there’s a lot of downtime when touring. Learn to drink, drink to learn. Never
complain, never explain.
(SL) What
have been your band highlight (s) thus far
We
have had the opportunity to play with some great bands in the short time we
have been around. Church of Misery, Jucifer, The Skull (ex Trouble), Early
Graves, Mouth of the Architect, Electric Hawk to name a few. Chicago has an
awesome heavy music scene.
(SL) Vinyl
Junkie or Ipod flunky? Discuss
I
love my records but I also love my Spotify. Best of both worlds. I love the
Spotify to check out new bands, new records, and if it’s a home-run, buy that
shit. Support that shit. Making quality records isn't cheap. We have a turntable at the rehearsal spot and I love when someone brings in a record to
share with the group.
(SL)
Indiegogo or creative no no?
I
had to google Indiegogo, I wasn’t sure what that was. Personally I would never crowd fund for a project of mine. I think it’s embarrassing. You should use a
tool like that if you are trying to make a cancer killing robot, not a fucking
rock record. As I said earlier, it isn’t cheap to make a quality record, but
it’s doable. Plan that shit out. Save some money. Don’t beg for it. If you
can’t do it because you can’t fund it yourself or with the help of a label,
then maybe this isn't the time for you. Be smart with your costs. Shit we are
folding our own jackets and stuffing our own records to save money. Several
months ago I saw a band that I knew back in the day had crowd sourced over
$200,000 to record and press a new record. $200,000! I think that is nuts. In
this day and age how do you even make a record for that amount of money? Buy
beats from Pharrell? How do you spend all of it, and if you don’t then what do
you do with it? What type of fucking paperwork do you even have to fill out?
Fuck that. I don’t want to have an accountant on the payroll. Keep it simple.
Do it yourself or find a label that is like minded and can help.
(SL)
Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow
upon us
We
are looking forward to writing and recording. And Club Cokegoat. Also we hope
that in the near future Cokegoat will be live in a city near you to spread our
drunken, heavy fun times upon each and every one of your faces.
Words and
Interview by : Aaron Pickford
