Intro: When a group of musicians has chemistry anything is possible. Tennessee’s own [Coopertheband] is a shining example of the best music can offer us. The chance to build a connection with your brothers and sisters in music, as well as to reach and impact fans outside your normal circle of influence.
Coopertheband is a 5 piece indie-rock outfit boasting an impressive level of songcraft and musicality. “Rebels,” the opening number on the groups’ latest record Kingdoms, recently took home an award at the international songwriting competition… and for good reason. It’s an uplifting tune layered with crispy percussion and moving melodic elements traded by vocalists and guitars alike.
Masked Faces was lucky enough to land an an interview with the band, and took a closer look at the groups story and vision. Check out the full interview below!
Interview:
Did you watch the Super Bowl half time show? If so, what did you think of the performance?
Matt: I liked it! I am a huge JT fan so I watched intently. I didn’t watch the game actually, just the halftime show!
Will: I did! I loved it! I thought JT did an absolutely flawless job, and I loved the Prince tribute.
Joe: Yes and I enjoyed it. The Prince tribute was fantastic!
Cooper: Absolutely! I thought it was incredible. The choreography was on point. I also very much enjoyed seeing the production and all the different stages they put up.
Phoebe: I was watching a documentary about Fleetwood Mac during the halftime show {judge me PLEASE} but I heard it was good??? JT can do no wrong.
How did you all meet/How did the band come to formation?
Matt: Cooper moved to Jackson and added Will as a main drummer, then Phoebe as female lead, then me as main bassist. I brought Joe on because, I mean, have you seen him play?!
Will: We met around town. I moved to Jackson after college and got involved with music at a church. That’s where Cooper and I met. We met everyone else through a tv show that was filming at the time. Matt and Joe were helping run sound/production of the show, and Phoebe actually had her own episode, playing some of her original songs.
Joe: I met Cooper through our Bass player Matt. Matt told me that he knew a guy who needed a guitar player and I’ve been apart of the band ever since.
Cooper: I first started playing under “Coopertheband” in 2010, but it wasn’t until around 2015 that I started meeting everyone currently in the band. Once we formed this lineup though we’ve really gotten very tight and love playing together.
Phoebe: Cooper ran me down at a gig I was playing and asked if I wanted to be in his band. Of course, I was 15 at the time so I had to ask my mom, who made my dad accompany me to the first couple practices. He eventually said “these guys are cool, I’m going home.” And now they’re my brothers. It’s cute.
From where do you draw musical inspiration?
Matt: Honestly, all over the place. I’ve been obsessed with music since I could talk. Every genre, every style. For bass, I LOVE Motown.
Will: I have a classical music background. I went to the University of Tennessee at Martin and studied percussion. I gained a ton of musical inspiration from my time at UTM, and I feel that that inspiration comes out in the music I get to help make.
Joe: We generally draw from bands like Switchfoot, Coldplay, Colony House and Needtobreathe
Cooper: I’m a sucker for indie rock bands, but I also first started playing music from listening to Coldplay and Switchfoot so they’re very high on my inspiration list.
Phoebe: I really like that feel-good indie rock: the 1975, Bleachers, Bad Suns, Walk the Moon, etc. You know, stuff that makes you wanna dance. However, I draw from LOTS of different genres and artists for lyrical inspiration. Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper, Ed Sheeran, James Taylor, The Smiths, David Bowie. I could go on. Everyone has something to offer.
If you had to use one word to encapture Coopertheband what would it be?
Matt: Flibbertigibbet.
Will: Bramily (band, friends, family)
Joe: Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious
Cooper: Bramily
Phoebe: Ethereal {okay not really but Cooper and Will took mine}
What are your goals for the group?
Matt: Have fun, play music, spread unconditional love.
Will: Our goals are to touch as many people with out music as possible. We are very realistic about how unlikely it will be that we will be super rich or famous, but that doesn’t mean that we wont strive to reach as many people as possible with the musical vehicle that we have. If someone comes to a show and can feel loved and wanted, even if only for the length of the show, we consider that a win. So we plan to keep that going as long as possible.
Joe: To bring a little love and light to those who may not have any. We also strive to eat any and all of the worlds fried Oreos.
Cooper: Just trying to bring smiles to people’s faces who may need it the most. I hope our music spreads a little bit of much-needed love, joy, and hope to our world.
Phoebe: Mostly, it’s just to spread joy, as the guys have stated. But also, it’s one of my personal goals to have fun and get as much experience as I can. This is what I wanna do forever, so I’m really just trying to pay attention
Can you give us a glimpse into the songwriting process you all employ?
Matt: We all live apart, so we each get random ideas. Cooper and Phoebe are constantly writing. We all get together for 6 hours every few weeks and throw ideas into this big proverbial pot, add in pizza, and (sometimes) out pops a song or two.
Will: Typically Coop or Phoebe will present an idea that they have worked on for a while, then each one of us will present ideas that could enhance the song. We really strive to make every song we write s collaborative effort, even if one of us writes the majority of the song.
Joe: It usually starts with one of us presenting a song idea to the band and that is usually Phoebe or Cooper. Then we come together as a group and to write and create. And that’s how we pretty much wrote Kingdoms.
Cooper: Basically what all of the rest of the guys said. Haha.
Phoebe: I really love how it’s kind of a group effort. Some of us take the lead but if one member doesn’t like a set of lyrics then we change them. It’s a democracy.
You just released an album, do you have any other music in the works?
Matt: *Snape Voice* Always.
Will: We do, actually. We’ve been working on a few things that we think have a ton of potential. Keep an eye out 😉
Joe: We are always writing and moving forward. So be ready. You never know what to expect.
Cooper: We’re definitely always writing 🙂
Phoebe: Oh most definitely!
What happened to the Phoebe vlog?
Matt: Solid question! Phoebe?
*PHOEBE USED DEFLECT*
*ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE*
Will: I’m gonna let Phoebe answer that.
Joe: I have no clue.
Cooper: Phoebs… you’re up.
Phoebe: Um…moving on.
If you could play at any music festival, which?
Matt: Glastonbury hands down.
Will: I think it would be DOPE to play at the Pilgrimage festival in Franklin, TN
Joe: Ooohhh. That’s hard…. I’d say go back in time and play Woodstock. Just so I can meet Jimi Hendrix. However, time travel doesn’t exist so I’d say Glastonbury.
Cooper: Glastonbury. Summerfest would also be pretty awesome.
Phoebe: Would it make it obvious that I’m an 18 year old girl if I say Bonnaroo?
Any tips for bands hoping to blend their own sounds into something new and hit the road?
Matt: be open, be critical (and able to receive critique), be loving, and be prepared to get uncomfortable.
Will: Keep on keepin’ on! Don’t ever stop, no matter how difficult it may get, or no matter how many people say no!
Joe: Be humble and strive for excellence. Also, good manners go a long way.
Cooper: If you want music to be your job, then you’ve got to treat it like your job. There are not many free handouts in this industry.
Phoebe: It’s the most fun you’ll ever have and the most exhausted you’ll ever be if you do it right. Be kind and be persistent, grasshoppe
Outro:
Keep on keepin on, Masked Faces fam! Be sure to check out Coopertheband on all of their socials and snag their latest album on Bandcamp today!
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