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The Simplicity of Rock n Roll
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The Simplicity of Rock and Roll
By Gerardo Posada
Cogito is a group that strips away the layer...The Simplicity of Rock and Roll
By Gerardo Posada
Cogito is a group that strips away the layers of their art to reveal the purity of rock and roll. They are big in their intention while understanding that less is more, and that simplicity can tower over having excessive layers.
After having original ideas the group once tried to piece together songs like puzzle pieces but decided “That was not the way to write music, even though it worked well for what we had going,” says Bryce, the guitarist.
Although Cogito spends a lot of time during this process, the main concentration is the live setting and performance. Evan clarifies “Before recording it the songs are going to change so much. . .[cause] we are a live band, thats our biggest focus.”
Because there are five members in the band, their influences span across a wide spectrum of artists including Jack White and The Black Keys.
Their affinity for rock and roll and classic rock plays a vital role in their sound, but they also have an eclectic taste in music which helps to not be limited to one particular sound or genre.
Limitations play a role in their group as well; having limited time to rehearse, drums being little too loud during sessions, not practicing at a rehearsal studio. “That’s a good thing. Its about overcoming that.” says Bryce.
The members met in high school, except for the drummer, which they met through a friend of a friend.
Their first session together proved that the group would be promising as well as creative, and that it would be easy for each member to get along with the others. “Anyone that is creative. . .you’re automatically intrigued by what that person is doing.” explains even.
Since then, the group is set on having deadlines and meeting those deadlines as opposed to groups that have all the time they want, which usually end up doing a small amount of work in a large amount of time.
Cogito is anything but mediocre and to let this band pass you by would be a tragedy. Their metaphoric lyrics and simple honest rock will definitely strike a chord with people that are into any type of music, from classic rock to indie.
They are currently working on new material and they will be performing at Pomona and Friends 2011, a must see for local music enthusiasts.
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Cogito is on fire. Do. Not. Get. The. Extinguisher.
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Cogito is on fire. Do. Not. Get. The. Extinguisher.
Cogito, a brand new band from Claremont, Cali...Cogito is on fire. Do. Not. Get. The. Extinguisher.
Cogito, a brand new band from Claremont, California bringing the heat only being together for about 4 months and already breaking standards for rock music. The band began after Brandon Villalovos (guitar/stylophone) and Evan Snyder (vocals/tambourine/floor tom) called it quits with former band, Abeline. Bryce Darrow (guitar/vocals) became interested in the project and joined during the recording process, soon after Destin Rogers (drums) and Matt Kijak (bass) joined in. The name “Cogito” comes from the latin phrase “I think, therefore I am.” Cogtio itself means “I think.” Creating music that is well unified because its written as a whole.
This band has it all from soft and smooth to hard and fast. They’re infulenced by The Growlers, The Dead Weather, The Black Keys, Radiohead, The Beatles, Wolfmother, Cream, The Shins, The Doors, and Freddie Kind. This band is one of the best I have personally heard in a long time, they bring every good aspect from rock, blue, funk, indie, and classical rock into one beautifuly designed band and do it extremely well. Currently in the process of writing their next album and aims for a completely different direction than the first album. Seriously Go. Check. Them. Out.
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The Musical World of Cogito
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In a town were bands strive only to sound like the current musical trend, Cogito achieve honestly an...In a town were bands strive only to sound like the current musical trend, Cogito achieve honestly and integrity, turning their imaginative rock music into an art form. Based out of the Claremont area in Southern California, Cogito is beginning to gain a good deal of recognition within the City Of Angels and beyond. With dynamic musicianship and wondrous melodic reveries, Cogito has played almost all of the popular Los Angeles haunts, and has an impressive Self-Titled EP that is making rounds on Itunes and at indie stores.
Here is a recent interview we conducted with one of the members, so tune in now as we discover the musical world of Cogito…
Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Cogito, and how long the band has been together.
My name is Brandon and I play guitar in Cogito. This band started as a 3 man project a year ago, and became an official band around the new year of 2011.
What do you think of the local Los Angeles/SoCal music scene and how does Cogito fit into the scheme of things? Is there any type of music scene in the Claremont area?
The local Los Angeles scene is becoming a lot more vibrant that what it was a few years ago. We have personally witnessed the decline of really heavy music, at least around here, and the rise of rock and indie music. I guess that is a good thing, but there are just so many bands which makes certain genres of the scene very diluted. We definitely started this band with a goal to set ourselves apart from most bands around here, even if it is the slightest bit. So I would say that we have a place in Los Angeles, but we don’t mold into this trendy indie phenomena. As far as Claremont goes, there isn’t a big music scene at all. Most people are artistic and musical. Some really renowned musicians have come from here, such as Ben Harper and Frank Zappa. But as far as bands go, there’s not much of anything serious floating around.
How easy or difficult was it to record and release your self titled EP pretty much on your own?
It is very easy in the sense that we had all the time in the world to work on it at our luxury, but it was definitely a learning process. We have been recording and producing our own music in past projects for a few years now so that wasn’t anything different, but we took a completely different writing approach. We wrote songs as we were recording them so it took a long time and was an interesting way to do it, which we decided we are not going to do again. We did it due to the circumstance of not having a full lineup at the time, so as members started gathering, we kept writing and recording. When it came to packaging, designing, and releasing the EP, we picked up different advice and methods from fellow musician friends who had some experience in it so we were definitely learning everything as we went.
Select two songs from the EP and what inspired the lyrics.
Loco Motives is one of our highest energy songs on the EP. It wasn’t inspired by anything in particular, but the music was written before the lyrical content so the energy and rawness of the music is what influenced the lyrics. It is basically about the assasination of a royal figure and the aftermath of hiding the identity of the perpetrator. Thats at least what the lyrics spell out for you, but its definitely open to interpretation. We don’t write lyrics as blatant text, even though it may seem like it. Another song is called Wasted Time. The lyrics suggest the time we put into very significant things and when they dont work out, we feel like time cheated on us, like it was never on our side to begin with.
What could one expect from a live Cogito show?
You can expect insanely loud guitars, aggressive stage antics, and an honest, well-rehearsed live performance.
Prior to Cogito, your vocalist Evan played drums in Abeline. How easy or difficult was it to step out from behind the drum kit and become the frontman?
When the idea of Cogito forming into a band became a tangible thing, Evan was initially the drummer. It was never an option, suggestion, or idea of him as a singer to begin with. So when we had all of these songs written, which aren’t the songs we have released, we had everything covered but having a lead vocalist. After a few weeks of frustration trying to even conceive of finding a singer/band mate that we could tolerate and that is talented, Evan just out of nowhere proposed the idea. We knew he had natural singing talent, but we only heard the harmonies and background kind of singing. So when it came down to business and he got in the booth and laid down some pre-production tracks, we knew it was the right choice and he is always consistent.
Do you still keep in touch with any of the ex- Abeline members who aren’t in Cogito now?
Yes, we are all still good friends. We just had musical and personal differences that became the detriment of that last band, but has led to the formation of Cogito and has allowed us to flourish.
Who or what exactly is Cogito and what made you decide to the band name?
Cogito is a piece of the latin philosophical phrase, Cogito Ergo Sum. It means, “I think, therefore, I am.” When we came about the inevitable brainstorming of band names, we wanted something that means something. Our past projects have lacked pre-conceived ideas. This band is different and we wanted to make sure that everything we do and create is meaningful. Cogito means I think, where we are all individuals in this together, where our thoughts manifest into our creations of music and beyond. It’s a really honest approach to what we are all about and parallels the simplistic mindset we are rolling with. Less is more, I guess you could say.
How close is Cogito to recording a full length?
Cogito is very close to recording a full length, definitely in the first couple months of 2012. We are following up our first 7-song release with a new 3 song EP that is to be birthed to the world in November. It will also be available on vinyl.
What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most after hearing Cogito for the first time?
We would love for a listener to embrace the energy and the blood sweat and tears we put into our songwriting. We put everything out on the table to write our songs, and we really feel that our intrinsic selves come to life through the speakers. We want them to remember that we are giving them a gift of our own take of rock n roll.
Any final words of wisdom?
Creating art is something sacred and should be shared wisely. Our lives revolve entirely around this band and we believe in so strongly in what we are doing. We can’t wait to keep progressing.
Cogito is Evan Snyder, Brandon VIllalovos, Matt Kijak, Bryce Darrow, Destin Alexander-Rogers
(Interview by Kenneth Morton)
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COGITO Interview @ The Indie Band Channel
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01 - Artist Name & Location = COGITO from Claremont, CA
02 - How did the project come into existenc...01 - Artist Name & Location = COGITO from Claremont, CA
02 - How did the project come into existence? = COGITO started off as a side project, not a band, in September 2010. Our singer, Evan Snyder, and guitarist, Brandon Villalovos, were playing in a band prior together. Evan was a drummer at the time, and ultimately the 2 year run with that band came to an end.
We immediately started working on new songs with long time friend and original bass player Joe Reza. They had no goals in mind other than being apart of creating music with no negativity. It wasn't a matter of starting a new band or anything; we just wanted to play music and write songs from a completely organic state of mind and no anterior motives. After a couple months of being discouraged without being able to successfully find a singer, Evan stepped up to the plate and gave up drums.
By winter of that year, they recruited Bryce Darrow on guitar and officially started COGITO as a band and began tracking their debut record. When it came down to starting to play shows in May of 2011, we linked up with the cousin of a mutual friend, which turned out to be our drummer Destin Rogers.
We managed to stay afloat after our mutual departure with Joe, and have been lucky enough to obtain Matt Kijak to fill that role permanently. Since then, COGITO has been nothing more than a tidal wave of musicality and hard work.
03 - Who are the members of the band if any and please tell us about it? = Evan Snyder is the singer , but is originally a drummer. He actually tracked drums for our debut record when we didn't have Destin full time and even dabbled on bass and guitar on a couple tracks. He is surprisingly amazing at imitating any voice you can think of.
Brandon Villalovos is one of the guitarists, and a founding member along with Evan. He has a very interesting playing style where fast paced riffs and melodies are combined divinely with intricate and soft hitting retro styles. He worships the Doors and positive vibes.
Bryce Darrow is the other half of the radical guitar work. His formal musical knowledge helps benefit the band greatly in every way possible. He is the official artist for COGITO, where his work is found on the backdrop for live shows, drum heads, our website and album artwork.
Matt Kijak is the solid guitarist turned bass payer for all intents and purposes of being a member of COGITO. He comes from the local music scene and is the frontman for his other project. He has brought nothing but steeze and parts that makes the music even more diverse than before.
Destin Rogers plays drums and practices his instrument more than anyone we know. He is definitely the lifeline of the band when it comes to live shows. He is obsessed with vinyl records.
04 - How would you describe your sound/genre? = We definitely consider ourself a rock band. People who have never heard of us ask us what we sound like and we just reply, " Rock n roll." Sure, definitely have a feel of psychedelia and indie coming out of our sound, but the foundation is rock. We don't feel the need to try and accommodate or describe a bunch of sub genres. Once you listen to us, you will know we are a rock band, but we push the envelope with our own sound.
05 - What formal training or previous experience do any of the members have? = Every member of the band was involved in at least once serious band prior. Brandon and Evan were in a band called Abeline for almost three years. Evan has been in bands since he was a young teen. Bryce was involved in a project for a good length of time, as well as Destin. Matt has been in the same band for some years now.
06 - Are you working w/ a producer on your upcoming album? = Yes! We are working with JP Hesser at Castaway 7 Studios in Ventura, CA. He was our engineer and producer for our latest release, "MAN O WAR," which came out in November of 2011. We are looking to hibernate in the studio in the next month or so.
07 - Who would you say has been the biggest influence on the bands sound or that you have used as inspiration for your music? = We don't single out once specific individual or force that is our biggest influence, but there is absolutely a communal fish tank of greatness that we attribute our influence(s) to.
We don't listen to any current music. We only listen to tunes and artists of the past. Sure, we dabble in some new artists but we don't find any of them as influences. You can hear a little bit of Doors, Yardbirds, White Stripes, Strokes, etc, as far as bands go.
But in a more existential state of mind, we thrive on creative energy which then progresses and births positivity. We pride our band as a musical force and group of brothers that love each other. We are some of the most positive and fun guys you will ever meet and it shows through our music.
08 - What advice would you give to others starting out? = Just play as much as you can. You won't put a dent in anything or any of your work if you don't play as many shows as possible. And by shows we don't mean those expensive pre-sale shows (even though they are necessary sometimes). House parties and other untraditional performances are always tons of fun, usually free, and as rock n roll as they get. Also, just try to network with everyone and play with other awesome bands that are relevant to yours. Long story short, its an endless hustle but its totally worth it.
09 - Where can people go to learn more about you and hear your music? = We are always updating the latest news and show info on our Facebook and website, as well as twitter. you can also sign up on our mailing list for the ultimate COGITO news source.
www.cogitomusic.com
www.facebook.com/cogitomusic
10 - If you could play anywhere in the world or with anyone you wanted where and who would it be with? = We would play anywhere in the world with any great bands for an audience that wants nothing more than to see some kick ass rock n roll. But if we had a choice, London would be pretty awesome...especially with the Artctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, or the Dead Weather.
11 - What has been your greatest experience so far either individually or as a whole? = As a whole, we have had nothing but great times. Each day, each practice, each recording session, and each performance just always one-ups the last. We feel so lucky to always feel progression and see it as a tangible phenomena. Every now and then we get those compliments that really solidify why we are doing what we are doing. This young woman who caught our set in downtown LA recently told us , "Your guys' music just touched my soul." You don't forget comments like that. It definitely fuels your fire.
12 - Do you have any upcoming events or news you would like to tell our readers about? = We have tons of shows in the LA area for the next couple months. We are debuting at the R.A.W Artists Showcase in Pomona. Its exciting because its a festival that is a conglomerate of music, art, photography, fashion, and so much more. All of the local artists come together and showcase this awesome work. Also, expect some singles and a new release coming by spring.
13 - Where do you see yourselves or hope to be in about 5 years? = In five years we see ourselves touring 8 months out of the year with about three or more records released. We also see ourselves never stopping
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Cogito
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Cogito formed at the tail end of 2010 in the wake of previous bands breaking up. Evan and Brandon we...Cogito formed at the tail end of 2010 in the wake of previous bands breaking up. Evan and Brandon were in a band for three years together which came to an end in the summer. They immediately began writing songs as a duo, hoping to eventually turn them into full songs with a couple more members and become a live act once again. They spent a couple months hibernated in their home studio writing and recording every idea and piecing them together as they went. With a whole roster of songs completed and recorded they recruited Bryce on guitar and began re-writing everything once again. They officially hit the studio in January 2011 to record their debut self-titled record with all of the members recording every instrument and Evan on vocals and drums in addition to guitar and bass. The record was released in April 2011 and they recruited Destin on drums and began playing shows non stop ever since. Their follow up EP "Man O War" was released in November 2011 and they are now currently working on a new record as they inch their way into their first year anniversary as a band. Cogito will be releasing 3 singles in the next couple of months.
Some lined up shows:
Playing for the movie premier for The Hunger Games on Thursday March 22nd.
Record release show for Blac Jesus and the Experimentalists on Saturday March 24th at the Handbag Factory in Downtown L.A.
The Kohoutek music festival at the Claremont Colleges on Friday April 27th.
Lastly, they are going on tour from July 25th to August 8th.
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Band of the Week
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MEMBERS:
Evan Snyder (vocals); Brandon Villalovos (guitar); Bryce Darrow (guitar); Destin Rogers...MEMBERS:
Evan Snyder (vocals); Brandon Villalovos (guitar); Bryce Darrow (guitar); Destin Rogers (drums).
CITIES OF ORIGIN:
Claremont.
RECENT RELEASE:
Man O War (2011).
KINDRED SPIRITS:
The Doors, The Growlers, Radiohead, Claremont and all of our creative friends.
WEBSITES:
www.facebook.com/cogitomusic.
It’s pretty admirable to find a group that didn’t discover its perfect band name by getting wasted and speaking nonsense (although those tend to be pretty entertaining ones, sometimes). However Cogito has given some thought to the name it will forever be known as, and it comes from one of the oldest spoken languages: Latin.
More specifically, Brandon Villalovos took the band name in a more thoughtful direction with René Descartes’ saying, “Cogito Ergo Sum.” “In English it means ‘I Think, Therefore, I am.’ Cogito means ‘I think’ and it’s the perfect representation of our band. We are thinking and doing. The only things that happen are because we conjured them up in our brains and made them a tangible thing,” explains Villalovos.
What you might think is dominated by mellow, consecutive tunes of indie and blues influence, this musical mix turns out to make for quite the show according to Evan Snyder. “A typical Cogito show is just plain raw. We play loud and don’t have any limits in terms of showmanship. I’m always climbing on rafters and bumping into the guys on stage. It’s just fun. We never want a dull moment or people to get bored and not have our music speak to them in one way or another,” says Snyder.
Even if you can’t quite place Cogito’s genre it just makes the band that much more memorable. Cogito grasps at the opportunity to creating something different, especially when playing locally.
“Well, [NY Delight] should be pretty fun. Its super local to our personal homes and the show’s theme revolves around covering a band. We have never performed cover songs live so it should be fun,” says Destin Rogers.
Born ’n‘ bred in good ol‘ Claremont, Cogito emits a lot of influence from the surrounding artistic community. “You can cruise down to the village and always meet very artistic people whether it’s seeing a hobo playing guitar on the street or seeing seasoned folk artists perform at the Folk Center,” says Bryce Darrow. In the artistically inclined city of Claremont, music comes naturally to Cogito and as it leaves its imprint on various IE venues, both the fans and the band members become very aware that this music definitely exists and is here to stay.
Cogito at NY Delight, 310 S. Thomas St., Pomona, (909) 868-6518; www.nydelight.com. Fri, April 6. 8pm. Free.
supersonic
