Over the past two weeks, the majestic CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL have not only released their debut album, but they’ve also played a rammed out Rescue Rooms show. Ya know, just your normal September.
Anyways, we had the pleasure of chatting to the band as our AOM. They told us about weekly congregation, tease us about a ‘secret’ video, and give potentially the biggest love spread session that ever did exist. Maybe…
Hey COTCS! Can you give us a little background to how you guys got together to from this mega band. A little history of your Notts roots?
Greetings! We are all good friends from other Nottingham bands: DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES, HELLSET ORCHESTRA, MAMMOTHWING, YOU SLUT!, IRON SWAN, PILGRIM FATHERS, ULYSSES STORM, ABRACADABRA, POLYMATH, EAR VINGS, ENGINES OF ARMAGEDDON, RESCUED BY WOLVES, DISTILLERY BLUES BAND, APPARATUS OF SLEEP and more.
The album launch was magnificent. How did it go for you? Were you happy?
We are very happy. Nottingham is so supportive of new music, we are humbled and honoured. Thanks to everyone who came and made it an unprecedented night.
To all the COTCS newbies, how would ya describe your music?
Rock and Roll.
What’s the songwriting process like? Is it a 7 piece mind-bashing, or is there someone who takes the lead with it?
Bill writes the songs, but everyone has freedom to develop their own parts. There are improvised parts, and very planned parts also.
And linking to that – how do you guys record all your tracks? Do you all meet up together? Obviously there’s seven lives involved so is it a bit of a mission to all get together or is it easy peasy?
We self-recorded our new album ‘Is Satan Real?’ at The Doom Room in Hockley. Congregation is weekly. If a member cannot attend they are forgiven.
Are there any stand out tracks from the album yet that you’ve had proper wicked feedback on?
We’ve had great feedback on the album as a whole, CDs have been flying out as far as Mexico and Australia. ‘Watch it Grow’ and ‘Evil in your Eye’ have been mentioned a few times. People have commented on the variation throughout the album so different tracks are appealing to different people.
How does it feel to have your debut album out there for everyone to listen too?
Wonderful! A huge thanks to Bilocation Records (Germany) and kosmik-artifactz.com for putting it out on limited edition compact disc, available now at cosmicskull.org. Heavyweight coloured vinyl is coming early 2017.
Between you all, you’re well respected in Nottingham’s music scene. So – who do ya wanna spread the love to? Which Notts musicians should peeps keep an eye out for?
There are so many, here are some of the bands we like in no particular order, sorry to anyone we’ve left out: LORD HA HA, THE INVISIBLE ORCHESTRA, MANNEQUIN, KAGOULE, CROSA ROSA, THE HIJINKS, BAD MEN, SUNSET NEBULA, SHRYKULL, EVIL SCARECROW, EYRE LLEW, RIFF BASTARD, KAT KYRISS, JC DECAUX, BISMUTH, 8MM ORCHESTRA, GREY HAIRS, WIDOWS, WE SHOW UP ON RADAR, BUS STOP MADONNAS, TURNBARREL, LIAM BAILEY, THE BARNUM MESERVE, 94 GUNSHIPS, I AM LONO, BENDIGO, CHEAP JAZZ, FISTS, LOUIS CYPHER, RATTLE, DAUDI MATSIKO, THE HIP PRIESTS, US DAMN NATIVES, TV CRIME, NICK JONAH DAVIS, MOLOCH, FIELD STUDIES, MEGALODOOM, WITCH TRIPPER, A-TOTA-SO…
Love should also be spread to I’m Not From London, Buttonpusher, Thee Cosmic Goat, Bloom, Forever Records, JT Soar, 1 Thoresby Street, The King Billy, Chameleon Arts Cafe, The Maze, Lofthouse, Stuck on a Name Studios.
And finally, with the album out there, and the RR show done – what is next for COTCS?
We’re working on another video at a very exciting location, to be announced soon! Hopefully touring next year, maybe a vinyl launch somewhere in Nottingham. In the meantime you can listen, download and buy our album ‘Is Satan Real?’ on limited edition CD at www.cosmicskull.org.
Yours in Love of New Music,
Angelica Giugno x
