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COG
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*Cog interview
*Cog Discography (all available on Whammo)
*Cog Australian Tour dates


COG - THE WHAMMO INTERVIEW - MARCH 25, 2004

You can tell when the Cog boys are touring by quickly checking Aria's Heavy Rock & Metal chart. If the Bondi 3-piece are on the road, it’s certain that their Just Visiting EPs (Parts 1 & 2) will be in the Top 20. Cog are the most obvious local extension of the sound that emerged in the late 80s/early 90s as bands explored the notion of playing with heavy distortion without wearing spandex or studded wrist bands. It’s socially conscious music that is open to invention and experimentation; traversing the full gamut between the finest subtleties and the most intense dramatics. Lifted by a devoted army of local fans, the trio have pushed the edge of the local market and with demand increasing for an album, Cog are looking to far away shores to open their horizons and take their music to the world. A commitment to insightful social commentary is also rising to the surface as the band make their most obvious stance yet; the screening of John Pilger’s 40 minute documentary, Breaking The Silence at forthcoming shows. I caught up with Lucius Borich (drums) today to get a preview of Cog’s first album…oh, and to wish him a happy birthday:

Whammo: I thought it would be good to chat now because you're touring and that may be a bit more rare this year as you look to make an impact overseas.
Lucius: Yeah, well the plan is to cover all possible spectrums if we can. First and foremost, we're here in Australia so if it ends up being an Australian release that we end up doing...well, that's probably what we'll end up happening anyway. But we'll just go for a broader outlook from the get-go; the dream scenario, so to speak.
Whammo: So, we're talking about an album?
Lucius: Yeah, we've demo'd our whole album and we've got the songs that we feel comfortable with and like. We've just got to find the certain parties that will step up to the plate and basically do what has to happen.
Whammo: I guess you've done as well as an independent band can in Australia.
Lucius: Yeah, I think it's very important for us to make that next step and get more backing to get it out to more people. It's hard, doing it on your own when you're trying to write songs and travel around, doing shows. If you've got backing behind you, it can take the pressure off. Saying that, you've still got to keep your eyes and ears open to what's going on.
Whammo: Then again, I guess you can look at The John Butler Trio who just got to #1. They're an independent act.
Lucius: That's probably one of the reasons why bands like us have kept doing it independently, because we are inspired by that wave. If no one comes to the party you've just got to do it on your own anyway. But I think John (Butler) is more commercially viable than Cog is, so we have to go a little broader in getting it out there and exposing it.
Whammo: Do you have any specific plans to get the music overseas? There are a lot of Australian bands over there at the moment.
Lucius: We're just sending it over to producers and management companies to hunt for record labels. It's very hard to do it from here. You've only got the Internet. You send your package and hope that people get it. We've had some good feedback but it's still hard. I think that making the connection is the most important thing and if you can gain a couple of fans that are into your music - even if something doesn't come of it and they just like the music - you never know what can come of that. I think, initially, it's a good step.
Whammo: I think that any act that can make it to the top of any market, obviously has a more universal appeal.
Lucius: For the survival of a band like Cog, we have to venture abroad. Our demographic can only reach a certain peak here in Australia. Obviously there's a shit-load more people overseas. That's why we are concentrating on that.
Whammo: Well, it'd be nice to buy yourself a decent surfboard every now and again.
Lucius: (laughs) That'd be good. I keep borrowing my friend's board. I'm just hoping I don't snap it.
Whammo: Initially it was just two of you recording.
Lucius: Yeah, it was just Flynn and I at the start. We recorded all the songs without a bass player and I actually played the bass on all the tracks. Flynn's brother Luke left his band around the time that we were looking for somebody, so it worked perfectly. Within the writing process we've been doing now, Luke's been an intricate part of that and also helping change and morph Cog into a new kind of thing. So it's been a great collaboration between all three of us and we're just starting to find what Cog is about. It's a new entity.
Whammo: It's good for a band to evolve.
Lucius: It's fantastic. 90% of the time, what he plays and shows me and Flynn, we like, so it's really encouraging for us.
Whammo: Obviously you've clicked really well because as live performers you must be considered one of the best acts in the country.
Lucius: Well thanks for the compliment. We work as hard as we can. It's hard at the moment because we've all got day jobs and we would like to spend our time doing music and working it up so that it was fantastic. We're trying our best with what we've got; always trying to improve the show, so people get something different when they come along. We're playing a movie at the next gig we're doing, which is something quite different. We're screening a documentary by John Pilger, the Australian journalist, about the war on terror, so that's an interesting angle. We're always trying something different to make the show better.
Whammo: How did that come about?
Lucius: We saw John Pilger speak at the ANU and it was awesome. Afterwards we thought 'wouldn't it be great if we could get the film played at the show'. So instead of having 3 support bands, just have the movie, a support band and us. So we e-mailed the correct people and they were pretty vibed. Then a mutual friend, on our behalf, spoke to John Pilger about what we'd like to do and he gave us the 'A-okay', so we're getting a disc sent from the European office as we speak.
Whammo: I've asked quite a few people if they think it's the responsibility of artists to spread the word about what's going on at the moment. Most have said that it's not a responsibility but definitely a bonus if acts are willing to do it.
Lucius: At the end of the day, music is an expression and you can say whatever you bloody like. A lot of people express their points of view and the way they feel about their lives. You can't escape the fact that we're in a society and it's run by certain people that effect all of us. There are certain things that happen that affect your own life and I think you've got to keep a tab on it. You have to understand what's going on because you're not living on an island on your own; you're actually in a big - so called - society that's supposed to be run a certain way. You can be blinded and hoodwinked by people if you don't keep an eye on what's going on. In Cog's music, we like to express our views and the way we feel and what we're learning and trying to understand in our own lives. Sometimes you can be really pissed off with what's going on in the world and if you can make people a bit more aware, I think it's a positive step. People who say that it shouldn't be in music or art; I think they don't have an interest in it; they probably wouldn't know where to start.
Whammo: It's important because you'd have to say that the Australian electorate - and quite obviously the American electorate - are pretty forgetful.
Lucius: That's what they try to do; they try to make you forget. This country is being so corrupted by foreign affairs and it's only going to get worse if we don't keep our own backyard, so to speak. If everyone can be a pebble, we can stop the river flowing. You've got to keep the communication going.
Whammo: If Cog's sound is evolving, can you give us a hint about the sound of the album?
Lucius: What we're trying to do is just be very open-minded to whatever comes into our consciousness and basically, whatever turns us on is what we'll keep and show everybody else within the band. We'll definitely be keeping the same dynamics as a band, having that more experimental side and more rock side. If anything, we'll be trying to make the transitions a lot smoother. There's so much in music and so much to get out of it, why stifle yourself? So there's a fine line between disappearing up your own ass or keeping a continuity going. If anything, we just hope the sound and the production is greater than what we've had. With the songs, there's really something in there for everybody.
Whammo: I talked to the Butterfly Effect last year. They talked you up. With yourself, The Butterfly Effect and the other heavier acts coming up, is there a bit of camaraderie happening now?
Lucius: Yeah and it's really great to be involved in that. As much as there's a camaraderie there, we're also fuelling each other's energies and trying to push each other. It's because we have to. It's really hard doing an original act and if you can bond with other bands with similar goals and aspirations, it's a nice thing to do. I never would have met these people if I hadn't been in Cog and now I've got these great friends. It's amazing what music can do.
Whammo: When do you think Cog fans might be able to hear an album?
Lucius: I'm asking myself the same question. We're in a transitional state because we're trying to get the finances to record an album and do it properly. To get it out internationally, you have to have a product that's pretty good. We're trying to get it done in a certain way so it can accomplish quite a few different things, so it could take a while. I think the people who like Cog will definitely understand where we're at and they'll stick with us. It'll definitely come out before the end of the year- there's no doubt about that.
Whammo: You have a very loyal fanbase.
Lucius: They're amazing. They travel from all types of places to see us play and they'll come and see us three times in one week if their funds allow. Again, it's bringing people together and having a connection with other human beings. We're really lucky.
Whammo: Because of the damage that file-sharing has caused, the music industry is starting to re-evaluate the importance of live performance. It may be the only way bands can survive in the future.
Lucius: It's amazing how the worm turns. That's why you've got contracts saying that they (labels) want to own some of your merchandise and some of your live performances. They know where it's going. It's amazing how bands can produce their own music, then put it out on the net. That's a plus. If everyone could understand how hard it is to fund a band and make it work, there may not be so much file-sharing, but by the same token there's a load of people that might only like one song but hey, they'll come to a show and enjoy themselves. Obviously, the companies are losing out because they're losing money but they've been ripping off artists for f**king years, so cop that!
Whammo: (laughs) I think that's the perfect ending to this interview. Have a happy birthday and make sure you go hard tonight.
Lucius: (laughs) I will mate.

OPEN UP
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I’m always dubious about cover versions, especially when the band are capable of making good original music, but Cog’s blistering version of Leftfield’s Open Up is a clear exception. Based on their well-worn live version, the trio have recorded an ultra-dynamic, well-arranged, riffed-up interpretation of the classic, which on release –with John Lydon’s trademark vocals – was an instant hit with beat-lovin’ devotees. Cog have their own devotees now, courtesy of relentless touring and an emerging sound that puts them at the top of the ‘most likely to succeed’ list. In all, there’s 27 minutes of rockin’ joy on this release with two new tracks, Moshiach and Paris,Texas plus DJ Silk’s Open Says ‘A’ Me Remix. I’d be grabbing anything by these guys.
JUST VISITING PT 2
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JUST VISITING PART 1
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COG: TOUR DATES

April
8......ANU, Canberra
10....Annandale Hotel, Sydney
29....Bar On the Hill, Newcastle Uni
30....Sodens Hotel, Albury
May
1......Corner Hotel, Melbourne

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