American heavy metallers Cortez have an interesting career. Their darkness shines through and their fourth album, ‘Thieves and Charlatans’, is out now on Ripple Music. Here is guitarist Scott to speak to us about the band and new things that are happening.

What is something good that’s happened in your life recently?
I’m good. I’m enjoying an 80 degree October day, which is not very common in Boston. Something good that’s happened recently was getting a dog. He’s a two year old Australian Shepherd, and he has a huge, amazing personality. It’s really hard to not be in a good mood with him around.

How do you feel about the new album, ‘Thieves and Charlatans’?
I’m very happy with how it came out. We wrote it during the pandemic, and didn’t have any distractions as far as playing shows, or having to rehearse older material. We were able to put all of our energy into writing songs for the album. I think there is a real cohesion to it, yet also quite a lot of variation between songs. Everyone really nailed their parts in the studio, and Benny Grotto did an amazing job with the recording as always.

The black and white imagery of the last two album cover is unique and cool looking- was this a conscious change in imagery? How does it fit in with Cortez’s sound and lyrics?
It actually wasn’t a conscious decision. Both of the artists (Sergei Titukh for ‘Thieves And Charlatans’ and Timur Khabirov for ‘Sell The Future’) were given a basic thought or outline for what we were thinking, and then we sent them the songs. The artwork that we received back from each of them, happened to be black and white. In this current time where there is so much use of AI and whatnot, hand drawn, black and white artwork really stands out. We’re very happy with the art that both of these talented artists came up with for us.

Do you feel ‘Sell the Future’ got the attention is deserved? It couldn’t have been easy releasing
a new album in the middle of that crazy pandemic era.
I think so. While it was released during a pandemic and weren’t able to play live, people had more time on their hands to really dig in and listen to music. People seemed to enjoy it, and when we were finally able to play those songs live, they went over really well.

The lyrics on this album seem darker than usual-are they a reflection of our society and what’s going on in the world today?
The dark themes in the lyrics are definitely a reflection of the world we are living in. Whether it’s corporate greed, the global rise in fascism, or class warfare, there’s all sorts of “evil” in the
world. The lyrics are peeling back the curtain a bit. Satan, demons, and monsters are all fantastic time tested subjects for metal, but reality is way more terrifying.

What made you pick up the guitar and learn how to play? At what point did you know you were
hooked on playing and writing for life?
I’m not sure exactly what made me pick up a guitar, but a love of music in general, and hearing classic rock stuff like Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and later AC/DC, ignited the spark. I was hooked immediately, once I plugged into an amplifier and heard that wall of sound, that was it. I was inspired further after getting into punk and hardcore in the 80s. That really instilled the DIY ethic, and the desire to play despite any limitations in skill that I may have had. So much of life is not doing something you want to because we are programmed to care what people may think of us. Punk showed me that it didn’t matter what people may think, and to just do things. As for writing, I never had a desire to play covers as a main gig, so that requires having your own songs. Writing is just one of the things you have to do if you are in an original band.

What other bands are you currently involved in? Do you get to play live often?
Cortez is my main band, although I have been involved in a Stooges cover band for over twenty years. We only play around Christmas time and are called The Scrooges. It’s purely for fun. I was also asked to play guitar in a Black Sabbath cover band called Black Salad that has only
played a handful of shows over the last 30 years or so. It’s Tim Catz’s (Roadsaw / White Dynomite) project.

What type of music scene is there in Boston these days? Some of the best rock and hardcore through the last few decades has come from New England-since you’re in the rock genre, why are there so many good bands from Boston?
There is a very diverse music scene. Obviously the city has always had a thriving punk and hardcore scene, along with a heavy music scene in general. There’s been lots of indie rock as well. It’s always been known as a music city, at least to the people here, whether or not that
perception exists in other places. There are so many talented musicians and bands, that it really forces you to give your all when you step on stage. Let’s face it, no one wants to look foolish in front of a crowd of people.

Your singer, Matt, is phenomenal- how important is it to have a singer with his talent, individual style, and clarity?
It really helps to have a singer who is really able to sing. It opens up many more possibilities
with songs. Not only is Matt a hell of a singer, but he’s a great lyricist, and he’s excellent at writing vocal melodies. The other plus, is that he really has a uniqueness that helps us stand out from other bands.

What is a personal philosophy that you feel is important to the person you are today? What drives you to be productive and successful?
As I’ve gotten older, I really try to treat people as I would like to be treated. It sounds like a simple thing to do, but it’s not always that easy. I also try not to let things bother me too much. It’s easy to lose focus on the good things in life when you are always angry or upset. As for what
drives me, I really love music, and the people that I make it with. Simple as that.

Final comments?
Thank you for inviting me to participate and for your thoughtful questions. Our new album, “Thieves And Charlatans” is out now on Ripple Music. You can get a copy at their Bandcamp.

Cortez – In questo mondo di ladri

Il 08/11/2024, di Carlo Monforte.

clear

912 / 5,000

Translation results

Translation result

Boston heavy rockers Cortez are back on the scene four years after the epic ‘Sell The Future’ and they do it with an album, ‘Thieves And Charlatans’ that picks up the thread where it left off four years ago, with a contagious groove, an epic and powerful sound, with its sharp vocals and an energy that pervades every track of this work, in a perfect balance between the love for Black Sabbath and everything that is classically heavy, and a look to the future. To find out more we contacted the whole band, namely singer Matt Harrington, guitarists Scott O’Dowd and Alasdair Swan, bassist Jay Furlo and the new entry on drums Kyle Rasmussen.

Guys, today you present your new work ‘Thieves And Charlatans’. How do you think the songwriting process has evolved from your last album ‘Sell The Future’ to this one?
“(Alasdair) I think as a band we’ve always focused on the power of the song and over time we’ve gotten quicker at the editing process of taking riffs and forming them into a complete song. This is my third album with Cortez and after writing together for so many years the main evolution I’ve noticed is a collaboration and easier communication to take initial ideas and turn them into a complete song.”
“(Jay) I don’t think the writing process in the band has ever changed. Usually Scott or Al will come in with an idea or a group of ideas. Then as a band we work together to turn those ideas into songs. Sometimes it takes a few rehearsals. Sometimes it takes a year. Matt writes all the melodies and lyrics.”

You’ve been around for over fifteen years now. How do you stay motivated and inspired to create new music after all this time?
“(Alasdair) We all like to play music, it’s what we choose to do to take a break from life. It’s a great outlet to get rid of the stress of the day and lose yourself in the power of music.” “(Matt) I’m very lucky to be in a band with a group of people who encourage me, push me to be creative and build and foster an environment where we can all do that together.”
“(Scott) There are always more riffs to write and lyrics to sing. If you can’t stay motivated, even after eighteen years of being a band, you should hang up your instruments. We don’t plan on doing that any time soon.”

Now for the new work. What is behind a title like ‘Thieves and Charlatans’?
“(Matt) It’s a line from the song ‘Liminal Spaces’ on the album. The song is about fear, uncertainty, frustration and anger in the face of a negatively changing and unforgiving world. Much of what we see and read on the news and social media is propaganda of one kind or another, be it government, corporate, upper class or otherwise. We are surrounded by thieves and charlatans who pretend to be part of the solution, say all the right things with all the right hashtags and pretend nothing else is being done when they inevitably and intentionally fail to act. If you pay attention to their actions versus their words, it seems they never miss an opportunity to lie, cheat and steal on behalf of their interests and the masters they truly serve. Traditional and streaming corporate media, dishonest content factories masquerading as social networks, and media personalities of every stripe are morally culpable for this carefully curated, insidious, and fabricated ploy.”

What are the main themes explored in your new album ‘Thieves and Charlatans’?
“(Matt) Capitalism, imperialism, the resurgence of fascism and right-wing populism, how these have been and are being enabled by centrists/moderates, and how this affects us as people in terms of our mental health, our interactions with each other, and how we see and experience the world around us.”

Special guests on this album include Craig Riggs (Kind, Roadsaw, Sasquatch) and Jim Healey (We’re All Gonna Die, Black Thai, Blood Lightning). Can you tell us about these collaborations?
“(Scott) We always like to have a few guests when it comes to backing vocals. Matt asked if it would be possible to have Jim and Craig on backing vocals because he thought their voices would complement his and provide a bit of contrast. Jim had actually recorded some backing vocals during the recording of our last album ‘Sell The Future’, but the songs didn’t end up on the album. He and Craig are both friends of ours (and former bandmates) and amazing singers, so it seemed like a natural fit. They’re both professionals and did amazing vocals.”

What role does collaboration play in your music-making process?
“(Alasdair) It’s a vital part. It’s rare that someone brings a completed song to the band, usually just one or two riffs are presented. We then play those ideas as a group, through collaboration new ideas emerge and the song takes shape. Everyone writes their own parts and everyone has ideas about the structure of the song that guide the writing process. The lack of ego makes it a very fluid process.”
“(Scott) Collaboration is everything to us. There’s nothing more exciting than having an initial idea and seeing it become something more than you ever imagined once everyone has contributed. That’s why I love listening to our album for the first time after it’s finished. Thinking about how the songs came to be and what they’ve become.”
“(Matt) It’s the soul of our process. The songs almost never come into the room fully formed by one person. Most of it is the result of us working together to try to make a song the best it can be. We try to write for the song first and operate with the mindset that every idea is worth trying once.”
“(Jay) I think collaboration is really important. I always think songs are better when there’s more people contributing creatively than just one. If it’s just one person that’s great, but this is a solo effort, not a band.”

Your approach to music inevitably looks to the past and the bands that were classics in the genre, but once you play you can hear fresher, more modern influences. How do you balance these two aspects of your sound without one of them taking over?
“(Alasdair) The classics are the ones that influenced us when we first started out as musicians, so bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden are fundamental to our musical DNA. But when you listen to more diverse music and new bands come along, you can’t help but evolve your musical point of view. We’ve never had a conscious approach of “this is what a Cortez song should sound like”, we just find the riffs we like and turn them into songs we like. And while we love classic rock, it’s not the only genre we listen to, and I think that’s where the more modern influences come in. In terms of the sounds the band uses, we don’t approach the recording or the performance from a pure vintage point of view. The guitar amps are mostly Orange and Matamp, which is a pretty classic sound, but there are a lot of pedals to add color to the parts.”
“(Scott) It’s honestly not something we think about a lot. We try to write songs that we enjoy playing and just let things happen naturally. We tend to spend a lot of time arranging and perfecting the songs, because we’re our own worst critics. We try to draw from all our collective influences and create something that ultimately feels purely “us.” As far as production and tone, we’re not a retro band even though we have a lot of influences that could be considered that, so we prefer to use more modern sounds.”

How do you approach the heavy riffing and powerful vocals that define your sound?
“(Scott) I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are all huge fans of guitar heavy music, whether it’s Black Sabbath, Bad Brains, My Bloody Valentine or Entombed. In terms of approach, Alasdair or I usually have an idea that we bring to the rest of the band. After a certain amount of time, we come up with a finished arrangement. Matt starts with vocal ideas early in the process. We’ve always preferred to have melodic vocals in our music, and that creates a good mix. Dark and light, hard and soft, loud and quiet.”
“(Matt) As a band we try to find ways for everyone to shine, but also focus on the fact that every single part and structure has to serve the song. We spend a lot of time on the arrangements, and it’s a very collaborative process where we work on every idea that comes to mind and the end result never feels like a compromise.”
“(Alasdair) Riffs are the starting point for most of our songs. Scott or I bring riff ideas to the band and through jamming and adding/removing/changing parts that’s how the songs take shape. Matt adds vocal melodies during the writing process, but they’re a reaction to the riffs that start the process.”

How was it working with producer Benny Grotto again at Mad Oak Studio?
“(Matt) We’ve worked with Benny on three full lengths, our side of the split 7′ with our friends Borracho and our contribution to Ripple Music’s ‘Burn on the Bayou’ CCR tribute, ‘Gloomy’. At this point, Mad Oak feels like a second home to us and we’re really lucky to be working with someone who knows exactly what we’re trying to do, understands the creative vision of the band and whatever we’re working on and provides us with a lot of helpful and creative input along the way. Benny is a true master of his craft and always manages to get the best sound out of us as individuals and as a collective. He’s also a ton of fucking fun, a really solid guy and makes every session a blast.”
“(Alasdair) This is the third album we’ve done with Benny and the relationship has gotten to a point where we know he’s going to get the best performances and sounds out of us. The trust and communication are effortless and he makes the recording process fun, with the end result always capturing what we’re aiming for as a band.”

Can you describe the creative vision behind the track ‘Gimme Danger (On My Stereo)’?
“(Alasdair) Musically it’s high energy rock and roll but with a bit of metal grit added to it. I think it’s one of those songs where the arrangement was more complex than it first appears because we’re switching between parts a lot but there’s a nice natural flow between the parts.”
“(Matt) This was one of the first songs we wrote once the COVID lockdown in the US had eased. If I remember correctly, Alasdair brought a killer riff and it didn’t take long to nail the rest of the song and the arrangement. It felt like it was the lead track from the start and had a, and I mean this in the best way possible, ‘big idiot rock’ vibe and I wanted it to have a similar energy vocally. The lyrics have gone through several rewrites and reworkings, but I think it was always meant to be something along the lines of ‘dancing naked and stoned with the Stooges in the face of the end of time.’”

Another highlight is ‘Levels’. How does this track reflect the band’s musical growth?
“(Scott) ‘Levels’ is a song I worked on at home during lockdown at the start of the pandemic. It was my first experiment with writing a fully formed demo version. We usually get together in a rehearsal room with some ideas and work them out together. Because of the pandemic, we couldn’t do that. As far as musical growth, I think it’s just a natural progression of a certain part of our sound. From the beginning we’ve always had longer, more psychedelic, almost epic songs. This was just a natural evolution of those.”
“(Alasdair) With ‘Levels’ the word ‘anticipation’ comes to mind. The music starts off quite sparse and builds for over three minutes before the full band comes in with the first heavy riff. I think growth is realizing that if you wait and build the tension, when the heavy riff finally comes in it’s much more powerful.”

What do you want listeners to feel when they hear ‘No Heroes’?
“(Matt) A mixture of anger, frustration and hope for a better world.”
“(Alasdair) I think with every song we write we want people to enjoy listening to it, to throw their horns in the air and bang their heads.”

You’re from Boston, which is a very vibrant city in terms of art. Do you think your background has influenced your sound in any way?
“(Scott) Musically, it’s influenced me a lot. Some of my favorite bands in a variety of genres are from Boston. As a band, I think we’re more influenced by the amount of incredibly talented bands and musicians that are in the city. You always have to step up your game, whether it’s writing, recording, or performing.”
“(Matt) We’re really lucky to be here. Between the bands that came before us and the bands that are around us now, I think this can be an incredibly vibrant place for the arts and music. It’s easy to be inspired by the hard-working people in other bands, in advocacy, in booking, in sound, and in club staff that make it all possible. As far as heavy music goes, we have a great scene full of incredibly creative people who are pushing their genres forward and who have put out some absolutely stellar records in the time I’ve been here.
There’s nothing more beautiful than watching from a hometown stage and seeing someone you admire having fun in a creative way, and I think this community does a really great job of supporting and celebrating each other.”

What are your favorite memories from the 18 years of being a band?
“(Scott) Going to play in Belgium in our first year as a band. We had a blast. Also some random nights in the rehearsal room when things are going great and you’re playing the best you’ve ever played in your life. Sharing that with five good friends is one of the greatest experiences you can have.”
“(Matt) My favorite memories are random…looking around the room and seeing everyone engaged and in the moment. It could be a show, a recording, a new song we’re working on, fine-tuning a set, or whatever…my favorite memories are somewhere in between.”
“(Alasdair) I really enjoyed recording our version of the CCR song ‘Gloomy’ for the Ripple Complication album ‘Burn On The Bayou’. We had two days in the studio with Benny to record the song and the main track came together quickly, so we had plenty of time to add more subtle background sounds, like organs and wind-up Halloween toys.”

How do you handle the challenges of being an underrated band in the heavy rock scene?
“(Alasdair) We focus on the music. It would be nice to tour internationally and make a living from our music, but the reason we play is because we like to get together as a band and play our music.”
“(Scott) We don’t worry too much about that kind of stuff. We try to manage the parts we can control. Write good songs, do our best on stage. Whatever will be, will be. If we’re underrated or a bit of a well-kept secret, so be it.”
“(Matt) Well, thanks for the compliment. When someone has little to no expectations of you, I think it’s maybe easier to provoke a ‘holy shit’ moment or two. We keep trying to make those moments happen, and we appreciate the people who follow us.”

What hobbies or interests do you have outside of music?
“(Alasdair) I’ve always loved horror films, like the Universal classics ‘The Wicker Man’, ‘An American Werewolf in London’, ‘Killer Klowns from Outerspace’, ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘The Shining’. I also enjoy reading, recent favourites include ‘The Indian Pond Trilogy’, ‘Cursed Tales’, ‘The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories’ and Grady Hendrix books.”
“(Scott) Travelling, football (soccer), spending time with my wife and dog, beer.”
“(Matt) Travelling is the most important thing to me. Even if it’s just a short drive somewhere, I always come away feeling more alive and more connected to the world around me.”
“(Kyle) I’m a sound engineer by trade, so I love anything to do with sound. I’m also an electronics enthusiast, so I enjoy working on my car and doing little upgrades (when it’s not broken). I bought a motorcycle last spring, and it’s been a blast to ride and learn how to work on.”

Can you share any memorable experiences you’ve had on tour or in concert?
“(Alasdair) At the end of 2019 we had the opportunity to go to Las Vegas to support John Garcia’s band, which was a great experience. Watching him and his band soundcheck Kyuss classics was very special and it was a lot of fun playing for his audience.”
“(Jay) One time we were on the road with We’re All Gonna Die (Boston) and Solenoid (Belgium). We were in Washington DC and we got too close to the Capital Building with two vans and a trailer. The next thing we knew we were surrounded by heavily armed police officers. They took one look at the vans and realized we weren’t terrorists but a bunch of rockers trying to get to a show. After a few minor heart attacks, they told us we couldn’t drive through that area with our trucks and redirected us in the right direction.”
“We were playing another show in Connecticut and they had a huge banner in front of the stage promoting the venue. In the middle of our second song, I looked up and saw that someone had written ‘Don’t Suck’ on the back of the banner. We didn’t suck that night, but I always thought it was funny. The best part of touring and playing shows is being on the road. Meeting new bands. Reconnecting with old bands we’ve played with in the past.”
“(Kyle) One of the most fun shows I’ve had on tour was in Columbia, MO, a small college town with not much to do. We’ve played a lot bigger cities on this tour, but this one was off the rails. It was packed, there was a huge circle pit at one point, I think we sold $300 worth of merch, they were going crazy. Small college towns, man. Those kids are hungry for entertainment.”

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians trying to break into the heavy rock genre?
“(Alasdair) I think just being authentic goes a long way. If you try to follow a trend or jump on a bandwagon chances are there will be a different new thing along before you make it. Play music for yourselves first and foremost, and enjoy it.”
“(Matt) Be loud, get weird with it, and then keep getting louder and weirder and weirder and louder.”
“(Jay) I think any advice I would give to up-and-coming bands would be to practice hard. Write songs that come naturally to you not songs that you think people want to hear. Play any and every show you can and try to develop friendships with those bands. Those friendships lead to other shows and opportunities. Make sure you’re in a band with people you get along with. It’s really hard when you don’t. Lastly, do it because you love it.”
“(Kyle) Three things, and there’s no way around any of them. You have to be a badass at your instrument. Period. Do your homework and practice. Then, put yourself out there. If you’re new to a city, make yourself known to the local scene. Go to shows, make friends who work at clubs or play in bands, become a recognizable face. No one gets caught shredding in their basement. Lastly, don’t be an asshole. It seems obvious, but there are a lot of egos out there. Be the coolest, friendliest version of yourself. If you stick to those three things, it won’t be long before someone contacts you for a project. Spend a lot of time writing. Play like you mean it.”

In closing, how would you like your legacy to be remembered in the heavy rock community?
“(Alasdair) I hope people appreciate the songs as complete musical expressions. Even though the riffs are the focus, I like to think we turn them into hit songs with strong vocals and melodies.”
“(Scott) I would like us to be remembered collectively as a band that had good songs, put on an incredible show and were made up of solid dudes.”
“(Matt) I hope they remember us as a band that constantly evolved and defied expectations.”

Aristocracy Interview #595 With American Heavy Rockers Cortez

Line Up:
Matt Harrington: Vocals
Scott O´Dowd: Guitar
Alasdair Swan: Guitar
Jay Furlo: Bass
Kyle Rasmussen: Drums
(Drums on this album performed by Alexei Rodriguez)

We are talking again about our newsroom, where in a little while, we will have interview 595 of Aristocracy in all its emotions. This time, we talked to a band that combines the modern and the classic in a very personal and organic way. Of course, given what the band built before we met them, it shows that they do not need to be extravagant, but they do show in a very elegant way, engaging atmospheres and a very intense sound arrogance. Doing so allows the band to see their past without guilt, but showing a modernity that is also not forced, it is done in a natural way and full of direct and precise attitudes that will lead to a work determined to make an impact and show a new story but always being heavy because it is their brand and their destiny to do so. With this in mind and in our ears, Aristocracy talks to the Americans from Cortez and they show us their fourth full album entitled Thieves And Charlatans.

A1: Talk about the composition work on ‘Thieves And Charlatans’?

Alasdair Swan: There wasn’t any real difference to how we wrote with this album over others except for the first 2 songs. During the lockdown, we weren’t able to rehearse for several months and over this time Scott wrote the music for what would become “Levels” and I wrote most of the music for “Gimme Danger”. The difference was that we both made rough demos of the music and sent those out to the other guys so that we’d have something to work off when we were able to rehearse again. After we started rehearsing it was the same approach as always where Scott or I would bring a riff or idea to the band and we’d jam it. If we all feel there’s something there we keep working on it, adding other parts and finalizing the structure over weeks and months until it’s musically complete. During this early stage, Matt will often come up with vocal melodies, but he leaves finalizing the lyrics until the music is finished. The only other outlier in this batch of songs is “Stove Up”, the core music for which was written by the former Cortez guitarist Tony D’Agostino. Unfortunately, Tony died in 2018 and we thought it would be a fitting tribute to take a song idea of his from when he was in the band and finish it. 

A2: How does the band mix a rootsy and modern sound?

Scott O´Dowd: We’ve always been influenced by older hard rock and metal bands, (Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Motörhead, etc.) plus lots of NWOBHM (Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General). Add some 70s punk (Damned) and 80s hardcore (Black Flag, Adolescents), plus 90s Stoner Rock (Kyuss, Monster Magnet, etc.) and Scandinavian Rock (Hellacopters, Turbonegro) and you have the start of some of our influences. We’ve also always sort of blurred the line between Heavy Rock and Metal. We aim to combine our influences into our own thing and try not to sound too much like any of them. We eschew retro production in favor of a more modern sound overall.

A3: Why do you say this album is an anomaly?

Alasdair Swan: Normally,we write songs a few at a time in between gigging,but these songs were all written in one big block when the world went on pause during the pandemic.That gave us the freedom to really focus on the songs and refine them over a couple of years.Because we were not playing any gigs we didn’t have the distraction of having to rehearse our other songs and I think the end result is slightly more complex arrangements and parts than previously.

Matt Harrington: Aside from this one being mostly written over the course of the COVID lockdown in the US, it’s the first one where we didn’t play a single song live before we recorded it. That’s not to say that anything would have changed musically in a song if we had, but I think sometimes that audience feedback can inform the broader musical approach in some ways. Beyond that, we weren’t able to play together for a long while before we got back at it and I think everyone came back into the room with a ton of fresh ideas that really allowed us to expand on our sound.

A4: Did any literature or film inspire the band on this album?

Matt Harrington: Lyrically, I was definitely influenced and inspired by what I was reading, watching, re-reading / re-watching, observing, and playing at the time. For books: I am a Revolutionary: Fred Hampton Speaks, America: The Farewell Tour, Empire of Illusion, Contrary Notions: The Michael Parenti Reader, Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism, Dune, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Oryx and Crake.
For graphic novels: DMZ, Maus, Palestine, Saga, Monstress, and Punk Rock Jesus.
For video / film / TV: Parenti’s “Yellow Lecture,” Black Mirror, The Expanse, Cidade de Deus, Judas and the Black Messiah, Children of Men, Idiocracy, and American Psycho.
For games: Cyberpunk 2077. Certainly everything that had transpired over the course of the COVID lockdown up to the day of recording was an influence as well.

A5: How is Cortez different from your previous bands?

Alasdair Swan: I think the biggest difference between Cortez and previous bands I have been in is that all band members are on the same page regarding what we want out of the band and what our expectations are. When I was younger, there was definitely the goal of trying to make a living off music, but in Cortez we all have separate careers and lives so we can focus purely on the music. I think it also reduces potential stresses and areas of contention; we’re all writing and playing the music we are because that’s what we love to do. And we’re all committed to putting in the time and effort required to gig, write, record, and release albums to that end. 

Matt Harrington: Speaking personally, I’ve never been in a band with this sort of longevity or such a strong idea of who we are and what we do. We’re a close knit band of brothers, and it’s been the most consistently healthy band I’ve been in from a relationship, mental, and emotional standpoint. As a vocalist, I’ve always had the mindset that voice is an instrument and what, I do should serve the song. Cortez generally approaches songwriting in the same way, without involving egos, and we all have the same mindset of playing and writing for the song first and foremost. Songwriting is truly creative for us as a group, because there’s no conflict and it’s a collaborative environment all around.

Scott O’Dowd: Cortez is different mostly due to the fact that every band is like its own living organism. They all have their own uniqueness.

A6: How did the invites to Craig Riggs and Jim Healey come about?

Scott O’Dowd: Craig and Jim are both friends of ours, as well as former band mates of mine in different projects. They are both amazing and unique vocalists, who we thought would lend a different quality to some of the back up vocals.

Matt Harrington: When we started the recording process, I knew I wanted some different vocal textures on parts, and Craig and Jim are two of my favorite singers so I was stoked to have them. Jim had worked with us during the recording process for Sell the Future, but unfortunately the song he was on didn’t make the final album. We wanted to make sure we got him on at least one of the new tracks for this one. Craig was actually in Cortez for a bit before I joined, and one of the songs he sings on was partly written by a former member of Cortez, Tony D’Agostino, who has unfortunately passed on. Craig had been in the band with Tony, and it just felt right to have him sing on it. It was really a stroke of luck for us that their schedules both worked, and all credit due to Scott for making it happen.

A7: Why did Alexei Rodriguez play on this album and not Kyle Rasmussen?

Scott O’Dowd: It usually takes a while for albums to be released once they have been finished. ‘Thieves And Charlatans’ was recorded in late summer of 2022 when Alexei was our drummer. Kyle didn’t officially join the band until May of this year, so that’s why he doesn’t appear on it.

A8: How did the band arrive at Ripple Music?

Scott O’Dowd: Todd (who owns Ripple Music) had been a fan of our earlier albums. When we were looking for a record label to release our album ‘The Depths Below’ in 2015 or so, we approached Ripple to see if they might be interested. At that time, they weren’t able to make it work. Todd asked us to participate in the ‘Second Coming Of Heavy’ split series in 2018, and we have been with Ripple ever since.

A9: What’s the idea behind the album’s artwork?

Alasdair Swan: We worked with Titukh, who is a tattoo artist in Salem and was recommended to us by Ryan and Matthew Murray from Black Veil Studios in Salem, MA. We gave him the theme of corruption (e.g .politicians lying and stealing), basically creepy, shadowy monsters posing as humans. He absolutely nailed what we were after. We all love the final image of the monsters hiding behind human masks, it got the brief spot on.

A10: Any reason that the band felt selfish about recording this album?

Scott O’Dowd: To be honest, we are always selfish when it comes to writing and recording. We are first and foremost concerned with making music that we enjoy. This time I feel that we were more selfish than usual, due to this record being written during the pandemic. We did whatever felt right to us in the moment. We wrote one of the catchiest songs we have ever written, ‘Gimme Danger’ and also one of the longest in ‘Levels’.

A11: Who mixed and mastered this album?

Alasdair Swan: Benny Grotto recorded the album and mixed it. This is the third album we have done with him and working with him is great. He has a knack for bringing out the best performances in us and nailing the sound perfectly. We’ve developed a relationship over the years where we’re able to really focus on our performances safe in the knowledge that Benny is on the same page with what we’re trying to achieve and is instrumental in realizing that vision. The mastering was done by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.

A12: This album speaks both of the past and the future. How is this done?

Matt Harrington: So,musically speaking, I think we try to do that with every release. We are definitely the sum of our collective and individual influences from the decades that preceded us up to now, but we also have an evolving musical language that is very much ours as a band, and we always try to push each other to take that and move it forward in a way that sounds like us but brings in new and interesting elements. Lyrically, I think the themes are rooted in elements that have affected people for centuries, but speak to what is happening now and where I think things are headed.

A13: Is the album conceptual?

Matt Harrington: I’m not so sure, I intended to make it conceptual when we started writing, but it’s fair to say that maybe we arrived there anyway. It definitely has cohesive thematic elements across all of the lyrics and songs that are pointed or direct, and perhaps less allegorical or open ended than previous albums.

A14: Thieves and Charlatans continue to exist in our world and I believe they will always exist. Which ones are the most problematic?

Matt Harrington: For me, the most problematic are the ones who pretend to be on the side of the people and a just world. They say all the right things, but their actions very rarely match their words. In the US, we are fooled and goaded into culture wars by media and politicians as a method of distracting us from class war and what our government is actually doing on the global stage and at home. Even if the “lesser evil” were to back up their words with matching actions at home, they still fund and advocate for endless war, genocide, arms sales to regimes they prop up or install, global climate change, and the theft of resources around the world. They pretend this is for the good of the people at home and abroad, but it’s very clearly not. They wield fear and uncertainty as a weapon. They lie, they cheat, they steal, they make promises they have no intention to fulfill, and perhaps most importantly, they inspire false hope that they are not just an ally to the people, but a benevolent savior. To me, this is more dangerous than the people who show me and tell me that they are evil, because they enable and work with that evil, distract from the ongoing class war, and co-opt revolutionary thought and action to funnel it back to a powerless position. They don’t want to change the status quo, because it benefits them.

A15: Does the band feel differences between the albums ‘Sell The Future’ and ‘Thieves And Charlatans’?

Alasdair Swan: I think the main difference for me is that our songs are that bit longer on the new one. While both albums are 8 songs, ‘Thieves and Charlatans’ is almost 10 minutes longer. It’s so long in fact that one of the songs won’t be on the vinyl because there’s not enough room. I think that is due in part to being isolated from playing gigs while we wrote the album, so we spent more time tweaking song arrangements, adding parts here and there, which led to longer songs.

A16: It’s not that we don’t like it, but why add complexity to the band?

Scott O’Dowd: As a band, we’ve always had songs with complex arrangements or twists that may not be evident right away. The key is to make things flow naturally, so that the complex elements don’t necessarily stand out. Ultimately a song has to make sense.