Cool Baby

2017 interview (before adding rap/hip-hop vibe).
Between DC alleyways and 7-11 sandwiches, I chat with Reid and Ian of Maryland based band Cool Baby. Composed of six members, CB began roughly 2 years ago, and have been jammin ever since.

Tell us about the birth of Cool Baby!

REID: So it was more of an assembling of members; we were all friends before. So it started off with me and my buddy Nathaniel who have been playing music since ninth grade. We wanted to form a band and so we first were jamming, terribly, just him and I. Then we were in math class and the drummer, Marco, was just tapping on his desk and I was like “Uh, you wanna play drums?” and little did I know he was very good at drums. Then I already knew this guy [Ian], this guy is an overachiever at piano, he’s real good at piano, and I asked him to play. Were you on the fence at first?

IAN: I wasn’t really down with it

R: Yeah, Nathaniel and I hadn’t been playing music for very long at the time. Then after Nathaniel and I grinded a little bit, Ian decided he was on board. Then we got Zack, who I also didn’t know was good at his instrument. He plays saxophone. And we got Julian, which was the last edition.

What’s an artist, song, or album that makes you feel a heavy dose of nostalgia?

I: “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton

R: My dad used to listen to hella soft jazz. Do you guys know Touchdown by Bob James? Oh, should I choose one that people know? Also Mac Demarco, even though its new, somehow makes me feel nostalgic.

I can imagine driving at night and it’s playing softly in the background…

R: Yeah, he has the vibes, like “Chamber of Reflection” definitely

That’s my rooftop song! Do you feel like social media plays an important role in getting your music out there?

R: Hugely. We suck at it though

Do you feel like that’s a bad thing though, that you have to depend upon it?

R: I hate it

I: I feel like it’s the new way music works nowadays

R: This is some sour shit to say but I think people are caring less and less about music because of social media. Like if you have a hundred thousand plays on a song you’re gonna listen to it; you can just find music that way a lot easier

Or instead of listening to an entire album

R: Yeah, that doesn’t happen anymore

So what are your thoughts then on physical ways of listening to music versus streaming sites?

R: Vinyl is cool because it’s more personal but concerts just make you feel a lot more, or they make me feel a lot more, than just listening to records

How was the show at The Void that you guys played?

I: Great vibes. I love drunk crowds, they’re always vibing with everything

So do you guys just record your own stuff in your basement?

R: We’re moving up

I: We met this amazing guy with a house studio. He’s really into supporting local music.

R: Yesterday, we’re moving on up, we went to a nice, nice studio to record. I realize as much as I hate it, you’ve got to reach out to blogs and stuff to really get your music out there, so that’s what we’re trying to be doing

Do you have any full albums out right now?

R: We have an EP that came out a couple of months ago.

If you could pick a past era in music that has most influenced your sound what would it be?

R: 60s because there were so many good bands, like Zeppelin

I: Zeppelin, I feel like a good amount of Zeppelin, not that I know anything about guitar, but I’ll throw that one out there

R: It’s less bands with me, it’s more guitarists, like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix. I like the Chilli Peppers

I: 70s

R: Yeah 70s, although the Chilli Peppers are my favorite, like late 80s/early 90s, like Blood Sugar Sex Magik

What’s it like being a musician in the 21st century?

I: Stressful

In DC?

R: I don’t know anyone that’s really made it out of DC

I: I feel like it’s all lopsided, like to come up you have to actually know someone, you have to get lucky

R: There’s a great hardcore scene here, but we’re not hardcore. Like Bust Off is great, or like there’s a good math rock scene I guess, like Cartoon Weapons, they’re crazy good.

Your most recent song, “Now I’m Stuck” is about realizing the downfall of an addiction. Has music provided an escape from the downward spiral of addiction?

For sure music has always provided an escape for much more than drug addiction. Music can be quite the high in itself. The verse is about the duality of drugs. “Paint a perfect picture with the acid in my eyes,” acid is fun and all but afterwards you feel like your vision feels bland after the high. “look at the sky smoke clouds will hide my lies” talkin bout being dishonest to your parents about drugs, specifically smoking weed. The chorus is meant to sound pleasant but be melancholy in nature. Drugs got me fucked up. Second verse, “addiction grows with distance” I had to go to rehab instead of school which actually made it harder to stay sober, became a vicious cycle. “Xannys on the line he’s like you better fuckin listen, i know i’m quite the distance, but you better fuckin mission, and i ain’t no uhhh physician? but withdrawal gotchu twitchin and the itchin gotchu singing” talkin bout what withdrawal and addiction feels like and the lengths one will go to feed/rid the feeling. “man i need this do you wanna see me breathing, i know i don’t got money but i doubt you wanna see me bleeding” talm bout when i’m out of money but i’m addicted, around when i hit my rock bottom……
LISTEN TO COOL BABY HERE
interview by AL SMITH
photo by JEYLAN ULUSAN - Melted Magazine