The Band Cope: “Georgia” Out April 7th, 2023
The Band Cope is (another) San Diego Indie Band. Formed in 2020, COPE consists of members Bill (bass), Marc (Drums), and Ellie (Guitar, Keys, Vox). Let's see what The Band Cope says about their newest single, "Georgia," coming out on April 7th!
TO PRESAVE "GEORGIA," CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW.
Photo taken by @strangeexposures on IG
WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE BEGINNING OF THE BAND COPE? HOW DID THE BAND FORM?
Bill: "Ellie, Marc, and myself (Bill) spent different amounts of time at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. We would have all been attending around the fall semester of 2014- but didn't start a project together for another six years. During those six years, Marc and I would end up on the road, working on a rock project. Ellie had ended up in Brooklyn, continued school, and started developing a music project that would eventually turn into Cope. That period of all of our lives would coincidentally conclude in San Diego. We had a lot of time on our hands because all three of us were starting over in our own ways. It started as a casual project, but then we started making the record (Advanced Coping Mechanism)."
Marc: "Bill and Ellie immediately reconnected and started writing and performing regularly. A few months later, I attended one of their shows and was asked to fill in when the original drummer didn't show up. The trio has been gigging and making music together ever since."
Ellie: "I guess I started COPE as a reaction to being tired of beat-making and only working in the box (computer music). After studying jazz piano for most of my life, I taught myself guitar and found freedom in not knowing what I was doing and playing disgustingly awesome rock shows. The project started when I was finishing college in NYC in terms of writing and playing shows, but COPE, as it exists now, is much more of a group mentality. We write together, plan tours and recordings together where everyone has an equal say on direction, and what started as a mostly solo endeavor is now equally owned by the 3 of us. It's such a dream to have that dynamic after years of an unclear vision and rotating musicians. Bill and Marc are the perfect people to play with, too - not only are they fricking amazing at their instruments, but we've also been close for years, since before COPE even started. Those two legitimately put a smile on my face every damn day."
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING RELEASE, "GEORGIA." WHAT WAS THE RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? WHAT IS THE SONG ABOUT?
Marc: "The release of 'Georgia' features the band exploring a more refined sound and process, mixing their typical bedroom/lofi sounds with more punchy/polished studio performances. Much of this stuff is still being figured out, but every song we record/release brings us closer to finding our sound/process."
Bill: "Ellie could probably tell you more about the writing process- recording was pretty simple. Mixing took some patience, but ultimately it was a very typical recording experience. We would stick with our usual recording model that involved some tracking at a high-end studio (Amplified Studios) and some tracking at Marc's apartment."
Ellie:" 'Georgia's' recording process was the smoothest recording has ever been because I am an actual certifiable maniac when it comes to recording. I generally find recording my music to be embarrassing, infuriating, and stressful. 'Georgia' flowed naturally, though - we hit a turning point when Bill picked up the upright bass, and on the same day, we started experimenting with delay and ambient textures to beef up the ending. It all felt fun after that. The lyrics are about a long-distance relationship where the two lovers were across the country and couldn't decipher what was passion and what was toxicity. It's about longing and fantasy and slowing life down to create space to find love. It's about trusting and not trusting the love you feel for someone. The ending repeated lyric, 'I send myself to my room, but I'm still looking for you,' is meant to be a positive spin on the loneliness I can feel in my room. I struggle with love, as many 20-somethings do, and the lyrics are structured as a question and an answer - 'Where is love?' And then, 'go to bed.' I co-wrote the lyrics with Smiles Meyer, who has shot most of COPE's photos over the last year and is an incredible poet."
Photo taken by @strangeexposures on IG
WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ACROSS WITH THIS SINGLE?
Bill: "I would want people to consider this song an accurate representation of how it feels to be emotionally indecisive, specifically, when something as priceless as love hangs in the balance."
Ellie: "I totally agree with Bill; also, Bill, you're so suave with the words. It's a moment of the band questioning our identity as an alt-rock, punk-ish band. Maybe we are actually a sad-boy ballad band.... time will tell."
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING IN A BAND?
Marc: "My favorite part about being in a band is being able to play, travel and write with some of your favorite people 24/7. Cope is like family to us, and none of it would be possible if we weren't friends beforehand."
Bill: "Traveling is easily my favorite part of being in a band. You get to see new and old places, make new friends, reconnect with people from the past, eat new food, and so many other things."
Ellie: "Yeah, I agree, touring is the spice of life. I also find such fulfillment and love in my friendship with y'all, like we see each other at our best and worst and somehow still wanna keep doing band sh*t. I love that, and you both motivate me to try and push for more touring, visibility, and writing."
Photo taken by @strangeexposures on IG
WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET INSPIRED? IS THERE A CERTAIN PROCESS YOU HAVE? OR DOES IT COME MORE SO OUT OF THE BLUE?
Marc: "Inspiration comes from living life for me. When I'm uninspired, I usually put the guitar down and do something else (walk around, see friends, sleep). Then, once something comes to mind (which almost always happens), I'll return and try again."
Bill: "The morning is usually a pretty safe bet regarding being inspired. Shortly after waking up, I tend to be more emotional. I like to add some caffeine to the equation and see what happens. As the day goes, I generally become a little less inspired."
Ellie: "Inspiration feels super linked to my body recently. Like spring hit, and my inspiration was like, 'time to write five songs and stretch every day and start drawing again.' Mornings and nights are when the songs write themselves, something about 10 am-5 pm that feels try-hard. I don't know; I always think Inspiration is a head/heart thing. Lately, I feel like it's a body thing."
WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOU GUYS IN THE FUTURE? ARE ANY NEW RELEASES COMING UP? ANY BIG SHOWS OR TOURS?
Marc: "We plan to release new singles in April and May of 2023, and we have our first show/tour ever outside of the US for the Pouzza festival in Canada on May 19th."
Bill: "Georgia is the first single from our EP, release date TBA. We'll have our Canadian debut in the middle of May (we're all very stressed and excited about that) and most likely some CA touring at the end of summer."
Ellie: "Yeah, my head is really in the writing right now. We get back to basics after a run through Pacific Northwest and Canada this June, and I want to try writing a full-length album with Bill and Marc but with the mindset of a set at one of our favorite venues - what does the opener feel like? How is the middle of the set still building momentum? I also don't really believe in manifesting, but I am manifesting the hell out of a tour with our favorite band, Rain on Fridays, at the end of August..."
Photo taken by @strangeexposures on IG
