Dave sits down with Kobra Paige from Kobra and the Lotus during the UK Headline tour to talk about their recently recorded double album, how her dad inspire it and how she recharges away from music.
Dave: Hi, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us!
Kobra: Thank you!
Dave: You’ve now done 5 shows on this UK tour, how’s it been going?
It’s been amazing. The people have been warm, welcoming, strong, and mighty!!
Dave: For those who haven’t see you live yet, what can they expect from your live show?
A very musically dynamic performance with strong guitar riffage and diverse vocal expression. This is a high energy show that I believe many people will enjoy even if they’re not into heavier genres of music.
Dave: What is your favourite song/songs to play live?
That’s a tough one! I’m really enjoying playing all of our new stuff off of ‘Prevail I’. Let’s go with ‘Vicim’, I love moving to it’s rhythm.
Dave: You brought out ‘Prevail I’ in May this year, how’s the response been?
We are blessed to be experiencing a very positive response. Many more people are also connecting to and finding the music more than ever before. It’s bringing us back into the scene!
Dave: You have also recorded bringing out Prevail II, what made you want to do 2 albums?
Actually my father had this idea! He was listening to a podcast with Bruce Dickinson where he was specifically talking about how the younger generations doesn’t often do double albums anymore. This concept soon became a reality. We took on the challenge and came out the other side with more writing tools and very happy. This double album has also allowed us to do a very kind introduction, to our past listeners, to the new sonic elements we’re introducing. We worked very hard to not leave out the pieces that people had enjoyed about our sound in the past.
Dave: What was the recording process like?
We relocated to Denmark for almost 3 months. The first month was spent writing songs almost 24/7 . It took a couple weeks with Jacob Hansen and Songwriter Martin Paagard Wolff to really nail down the evolution we were going for. We were all in the studio writing, bouncing ideas off one another, picking things to pieces and sewing them to other pieces, listening to inspiring things…..it was crazy and non-stop. The drums and bass were being recorded at record speed as songs were being finished, the pressure was really on. When our engineer, Jonas, was busy, Jasio would be engineering himself and Jake in the other room or at home with the guitars. I spent the longest time there, returning twice more, after touring with Kamelot, to finish the vocals.
Dave: You brought in Jacob Hansen to produce, what made you decide to do that? What was it like to work with him?
His mixes and also the fact that he was working with bands that had a freshness or uniqueness in their music. Volbeat and Amaranth both have made their own sound. The mixes that Jacob had done on the Volbeat records was really what made my decision easy and it couldn’t have been a better choice. Jacob makes one of the clearest, cleanest, most vibrant mixes I’ve heard in metal and you can hear every layer in it’s right space.
Dave: What was the writing process like?
It was a very mixed bag. A handful of songs were almost done when we came in. All of the songs are collaborations. In the previous summer, Jasio and I took a demo of ‘Light me Up’ into Johnny K’s studio where we rewrote almost everything around the chorus. He did an exceptional job of producing and co-writing with us. In the final months of 2015, myself, Jasio, and Jake, spent a week in my basement where they jammed riffs the whole time and I came up with lyrical content and sonic goals.
I also spent one week in Florida writing with Jake and that was where the birth of some of the songs on ‘Prevail II’ happened. We then went into the studio in 2016 and collaborated straight off the floor for the remaining 75% of both albums. It was amazing and that is where the real growth took place. Jacob also brought in his “stealth weapon” as I like to call him. A Danish songwriter named Martin Paagard Wolf. Together him and Jacob helped us navigate through the writing as we tried to nail down the fresh element we were going for while preserving our past flare.
Dave: Prevail I is a story of ‘visceral truth’, as you once said, is Prevail 2 continuing that theme?
Prevail II’ will certainly be a continuation of that theme but with a bit more focus on the loss of humanity.
Dave: You tend to have a lot of diverse influences in your music from a variety of sub genres. What bands/albums have influenced you personally?
‘As far as influential albums go, this is a diverse and long list that ranges from folk music to pop. There are amazing things to take away and learn from within all genres. A micro example would be: some Devin Townsend, Type O’ Negative, Queen, Laleh, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Shinedown, Beyonce, Megadeth, Jeff Loomis solo projects…..it gets crazy. Classic Rock was probably the first thing I truly resonated with though. ‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac and ‘Led Zeppelin’ are still some of my all time favorite albums.
Dave: How do relax away from performing?
I spend a lot of time working on all of the next steps for the band while I’m off tour so it’s usually continually busy. I prefer to recharge in solitude after a tour. If I have time I will go out to the Rocky Mountains. I enjoy anything involving physical fitness (hiking, biking, rock climbing, you name it), traveling to see new cultures (India 9 times), and hanging out or cooking with my family, boyfriend, and friends.
Dave: What’s next for Kobra and the Lotus?
After this UK tour wraps up we will be going to Germany for a couple weeks to support Beyond The Black! I’m really looking forward to it. Because ‘Prevail II’ comes out next year, we will be hitting the road hard again. Tour dates are in the works right now and many announcements are on the horizon. Stay posted!!
Dave: Thanks for spending some time with us, good luck with the tour!
Thanks Dave!!
Check Kobra And The Lotus on their remaining UK dates:
30/11/17 Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
1/12/17 Cobblestone, Bridgewater
2/12/17 Corporation, Sheffield
3/12/17 Underworld, London