C.O.C. - Clean My Wounds
Powerhouse Returns With New Studio Album
Interviewed By Keith McDonald
A powerhouse four piece hailing from North Carolina,
C.O.C. bridges the sounds of hardcore punk and heavy metal producing a
unique sound that has built them a large and loyal following of fans
throughout the world.
Consisting of vocalists Pepper Keenan, guitarist Woody
Weatherman, drummer Reed Mullin and bassist Mike Dean, the band has
consistently toured the world over from their debut album Eye For An Eye
to their newest release America's Volume Dealer. They have also changed
labels, leaving Columbia Records to join Sanctuary Records. I had the
chance to speak with Woody about the new album.
Touching on the new album, Woody explains that
"this was the quickest album we ever recorded. We had several
months of preproduction, working on songs and so forth. We had over 40
songs written for this thing. The hardest part was picking and choosing
which songs we wanted to put on the record to make it sound like a C.O.C.
album, not all one type of song, a lot of variety". He adds that
"for the first time ever, we had done the whole thing in our home town of Raleigh which was a trip" and helped "keep
the vibe". The album was produced by "John Custer. This is our
fourth album with John. He's a pretty smart individual, one of the kinda
guys that's not scared to be adventurous and take chances in the studio.
He's not afraid to deviate from the norm". As for the songwriting
for the album Woody explains that "we pretty much all do. Every
song is a little different like a lot of bands are. Sometimes Pepper
will show up with a whole song in the bag or somebody will come up with
a riff at practice and it'll evolve into a song. They all change"
as he notes that "nothing is set in stone until we actually get in
the studio and start messing with things" adding that
"everybody pitches in". Woody also explains the parting with
their former label Columbia Records as "a classic scenario. The
last album we did was Wise Blood. The day that thing came out they fired
our A&R guy that originally signed us. That whole album" Woody
starts, "(Columbia) really didn't know what to do with us.
Basically, their rock department was nonexistent at that time. Alice In
Chains sort of disappeared. We were on tour for nine months with
Metallica and we never saw any Columbia people. They never came to any
of our shows" and that "by the time that tour was over we
requested to be released from our contract. Right off the bat they
denied that, they wanted us to do another album for (them). We started
working on different things and stuff. Finally, we came to an amicable
agreement" where they were given their release. Woody continues
that "they could have been real assholes. They wound up being
really cool about it, gave us our master tapes back and what we were
working on". They were able to end on a good note. "We left
shaking hands, it wasn't a bloodbath" as changing labels has
"happened to a lot of bands". It was at this time that
"the Sanctuary guys rolled up. Their heads were in the same place
ours were at. They know what kind of band that C.O.C. is and give us the
freedom to do what we want to do. I didn't realize how big an operation
it was. Things have moved really quickly with those guys, which is
excellent. That was our goal, to get the music out quicker" and not
to "take this long periods of time between albums". Changing
from a major to an independent label "absolutely fits a band like
C.O.C." according to Woody. "It was great, the experience of
being on a monster major label. It was a good feeling to get off that
and down to some basic roots. If you get the major distribution and the
label is a little smaller, (they're) able to do things a lot
quicker". At Columbia "you had to go through 30 or 40 people
and different departments to get things approved". In the end, at
Sanctuary, Woody feels "this is a much better scenario for a band
like us, more hands on". C.O.C. has been on a few labels during
their years. Woody explains that "everytime we move around it's a
learning experience. We've moved around to a few indie labels, to a
major and now we're with a big indie. It's cool and has given us
insight. You learn what not to do".
Touring in support of the new release will be "the
usual. C.O.C. has made our name by touring, that's what we do. I think
this time around we're going to concentrate a lot more on our own
headline because after nine months with a great band like Metallica you
can't get any bigger. We want to take our favorite bands out and do some
headlining". The Metallica tour was a great experience for Woody
and the band. "That was smoking. We were actually in the studio
when we got the call from James (Hetfield). An unbelievable experience
playing in front of all those people every night".
Most bands last no more than five years, yet C.O.C. has
been around since 1982. Woody notes that they are "constantly
challenging ourselves and not making the same record and over and over.
We've been brave enough to move ahead and not be concerned with what was
a hit on the last record and trying to reinvent it. I think that's one
of the reasons we're still here. It's a great feeling". Even though
C.O.C. has been around for almost twenty years, they are still looking
ahead as they move towards radio. Woody says that "the first
single, Congratulations, was #1 most added to Active Rock" adding
that "it came out pretty strong". There also may be a live
record on their horizon as "that's the one thing we've been
thinking of seriously because we've never done (one). We actually have a
lot of master tapes from different tours at small clubs and
stadiums". They are interested in doing "a live album that
isn't just one show but a few shows. We'll see what happens". As
for everything else, "we just wanna keep on doing what we do. I
think the main goal is put another real studio record out a lot sooner
than we have in the past. We have a lot of material we already demoed"
and he feels "this label will allow us to do that". Let's hope
so.
©2000 Metal Rules!!