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.
