Ryland Blackinton – Cobra Starship Interview
I had a chat with Cobra Starship guitarist Ryland Blackinton at the start of the band’s UK tour about band life, song titles and how to make a good girl go bad.
Hello Ryland! How are you?
Not bad. A little jet-lagged but life is nice otherwise.
Are you looking forward to touring the UK?
Yeah, love it over there.
What do you love the most about the UK?
Steve Coogan, Blackadder, Alex Metric’s Radio 1 show, Fawlty Towers reruns, Camden Lock, the Bathhouse and a proper breakfast.
Do you think there is a noticeable difference between UK and US fans?
Yeah, big-time. The UK fans can drink earlier and that makes a big difference when they get to the shows. I also think that because we come here less frequently it’s a little more special.
Your latest album is called Hot Mess, why did you decide to name it that?
Not sure, it just seemed to encapsulate everything on the album. Naming stuff is always so hard for me.
How do the songs end up with such long titles?
Ha, that’s Gabe. We usually give them really ordinary names and then Gabe comes in at the end of the process and does some re-naming.
You have collaborated with some amazing people, who has been your favourite?
Well, we’ve worked with a lot of people on tracks that never made it on the record, but as far as tracks that made it, I liked Kara Diaguardi. She’s a babe.
Who would you love to work with in the future?
Diplo.
Who is the most fun to tour with?
The Academy Is.
How was the Warped Tour last year?
Very very hot and long, but really fun once the sun went down. We made friends with some good dudes too. But I mostly remember the heat and the sweat.
You guys have a bit of a reputation of being super cool, is it tough to live up to?
If you spent five minutes with us you’d realise that we’re not very cool at all. We take our vitamins everyday and make our beds every morning. During the day we watch science fiction movies and play Warcraft. At night we get wasted though, so I dunno… There are so many cooler people out there. Like Justin Bieber.
What is the geekiest thing about you?
Where to begin? Well I actually quit playing Warcraft ‘cause it’s a real timesink and I needed to get more air. But I’ve seen Star Wars almost 100 times and some people might think that’s geeky I guess. I also watch SpongeBob religiously.
Who has been your favourite band of the noughties?
Ratatat.
Which bands are going to be big this decade?
Breakbot, Die Antwoord and Chiddy Bang.
You’re touring for the next couple of months. What’s the best thing about life on the road?
Life is dynamic. You get a lot of variety too. Especially in Europe.
And the worst?
Well, it’s hard to find a place to shower sometimes so that can get a little gnarly. I miss New York a lot too but I really can’t complain.
What are your plans for the rest of this year?
More touring in south-east Asia and a tour with 3OH!3 in the spring. Busy year!
I am a good girl – how would you make me go bad?
I’d probably leave you unrefrigerated over night.
Describe the band in 3 words.
Biff Bang Pow.
Thank you very much.
No, thank YOU.