Thursday, January 4, 2018

Interview with L.A. Cobra’s Frontman, Don Cobra:

By: Lucy Hall

L.A. Cobra Logo

     Big explosions, colored smoke, fire, motorbikes, classic cars, and hot chicks surround the platinum blonde singer. He does a dramatic roundhouse kick, whilst staring dangerously into the camera lens, as he turns full circle to face the microphone. His ripped, skintight jeans with the protruding bulge look great. The band’s rhythm section is finger tapping their guitars and twirling drumsticks, decked out in denim and leather. All this exhilaration is showcased within a single music video. Was I describing a Cinderella or Poison video circa 1988? Uh, No! I just described elements of not “one” but “many” hits in L.A. Cobra’s video playlist.

L.A. Cobra Promotional Photo By: Marina Mare

     In most people’s mind, South Africa’s L.A. Cobra would be a product of the 1980’s hair metal movement upon their initial impression. However, this is not 1988, it's 2018, more than three decades after the L.A. Scene took over the airwaves and MTV. L.A. Cobra may not be driving their motorcycles down Sunset Boulevard (yet) however, they definitely possess the musical talent, image, and attitude of 80’s Sunset Strip rockers including the kick-ass attitude. L.A. Cobra formed in 2005 with members, Don Cobra (Vocals and Guitar), Slade (Lead guitar & backing vocals), Ewil Honey (Bass & backing vocals), and The Animal (Drums). Cobra moved away from the popularity of nu-metal and forged their own brand of rock. They claim to be heavily influenced by bands such as Motley Crue, Guns & Roses, Bon Jovi, White Snake, Poison, Kiss, WASP, and Skid Row. Not only does Cobra have the talent and looks needed to produce a successful metal act, they also have a contagious sense of humor. The band has elevated their camp rock persona to a new level by proclaiming to not simply be “glam rock” but they regard themselves as “sleaze rock”. To support these claims the band uses over the top stage antics and tongue in cheek lyrics and album titles. Like predecessors Van Halen, Cobra is the ideal band to party with. They are all about fast music, fast cars, fast Harleys, fast chicks, and a good time. By gigging and networking the band paid their dues to the Metal Gods and soon their debut album, Cherry Hill was released in 2007.  L.A. Cobra continues to produce emotional hard rock song sagas within their latest 2017 release, which may be ultra commercial glam but its addictive as hell. 
Don Cobra Promotional Photo By: Christelle Duvenhage

I caught up with the powerful-voiced frontman with the charismatic stage presence, Don Cobra for an interview:                  
HEAVY MAKEUP: L.A. Cobra is based in South Africa, Don, what can you tell us about band's origins? How did you meet your band members?
Don Cobra: Yeah L.A. Cobra is based in Pretoria, South Africa. We started out in November 2005, we were all friends hanging out in the same rock-clubs, and then it just happened.  Besides for myself and Callie; The Animal, Slade, and Ewil joined in 2012/13 and it has been the longest running L.A. Cobra line up yet.  We’re a gang now and we love each other like brothers.

HEAVY MAKEUP: What can you tell us about the charismatic Don Cobra? How old were you when you got into hard rock music? When did you begin to sing and write songs?

Don Cobra: What can I say…haha, what you see is what you get, I’m down to earth and love to make new friends, and of course traveling is my new passion besides music, but it’s always music related.

I was nine years old, a friend of mine introduced me to Metallica, Ride the Lightning and Garage Days…since then my life changed, I had it all on tape back then...haha  I started playing guitar at nine (and I still suck), and started writing songs at about the age of eleven or twelve.  My cousin Zeff and I played our first gig at eleven if I remember correctly, after the first song the teachers stopped us cause my cousin sang something about “Playboy Magazine” that was the start for me..haha

HEAVY MAKEUP: What can potential American fans expect from a Cobra show? What can be expected both musically, and visually from a performance? Any unique stage antics?

Don Cobra: Our shows are raw, honest and full of energy, if we mess up, we mess up, there’s no hiding behind stuff, but the crowd can relate and connect and see that we are having a fucking good time while we’re on stage, which make it more enjoyable for them and that they wanna be part of the Cobra experience. There’s a lot of sweat, we are busy, no time for just standing in just one place, I wanna connect with everyone in front of me. We do have our unique stage antics, we’re three singers now, so we switch mics at times that the fans can see everyone up close from where they are standing.

HEAVY MAKEUP: While in the writing process, where do you channel your lyrical inspiration? Do you write from your own experiences, or do the songs have certain storylines or themes?

Don Cobra: All of the above, some songs are written from past experiences and emotions that popped up whilst writing the album, means a lot of stuff happened in the past four years, we had death, breakups, and Slade was blessed with two awesome twin boys (Deo and Enzo) so all of that kind of stuff happened whilst writing Shotgun Slinger and had to be dealt with some way or another.

HEAVY MAKEUP: In the subsequent years following the aftermath of grunge rock, there were bands that possessed both the look and sound of classic glam rock who denied being part of the genre. However, these days,  there are bands like Steel Panther who are continuing the tradition and embracing the genre as a new wave of hair metal bands is emerging onto the music scene. L.A. Cobra openly declares to be a notch higher than glam by turning it up to eleven and proclaiming to be “sleaze rock”. How did you initially get into sleaze rock? Has there ever been a sleaze rock movement in South Africa?

Don Cobra: When we started out it was natural, I don’t think it’s something you choose, and decide we are gonna be a sleaze rock/metal band. It’s in your blood or not.  Our influences were of that nature and the songs that we wrote when we started out was just sleaze rock/metal, the lyrical content and the way we dressed immediately set us apart from any other band on the scene.  I don’t think there was a sleaze rock movement in South Africa before us, there were some glam/punk inspired artists and band is the 80’s early 90’s that was definitely part of that era, but no one that took it serious enough as SA was and still is very conservative in certain ways. There is a huge metal scene here, don’t get me wrong, but in the Sleaze rock/metal since we’re the one of a kind on this whole continent.

HEAVY MAKEUP: L.A. Cobra is definitely a memorable band. A band that is sincerely fulfilling the role of “rock stars,” an element that has been lacking in modern music. Is that an aspiration that the band has intentionally pursued? In your words, how would you describe your sound and style?

Don Cobra: I don’t think it’s something we intentionally pursued, it just happened after our first music video “Live to Ride” was nominated for an award on national television here in SA and people who seen us related to whom and what we are and we did a television commercial for a UK based company that was broadcast in the UK for two years.
L.A. Cobra featured in TV commercial

It’s hard to say, I guess every band says we’re unique...haha we just do what we love, our sound is raw, in your face with guitar solos that everyone craved for the last two decades, and catchy sing along choruses, there’s also a modern element in our sound to attract the younger generation that wasn’t as lucky as us to grew up in the 80’s haha. But with the sound of our new album, Shotgun Slinger  that was produced by Swedish Rockstar Martin Sweet from Crashdiët, Sister, and Sweet Creature, he brought out a whole new element into our songs with his production, by making it alive and he knew what we wanted before we even wanted it. Martin is one super talented human and we couldn't be more grateful to have worked with him on this. Take a listen here for yourself:

Check out L.A. Cobra's Shotgun Slinger Album on Apple I Tunes

Link:


HEAVY MAKEUP: You definitely have an image and attitude inspired by the 80’s sunset strip rockers. In particular, you have a similar look as Motley Crue’s Vince Neil. Did you intentionally channel Vince’s look? Who has inspired you the most? Who has been your primary rock role model?

Don Cobra: I actually didn’t, I just look like him…haha so weird. I had people from abroad wanted to take photos with me cause I was their version of young Vince Neil, but for me it is a compliment, he is one of my favorite frontmen of all time, he is a living legend and has accomplished so much and so much for our genre that words can’t describe. I had people saying that I should play “Vince” in The Dirt movie as well. Rock on Vince!!!

HEAVY MAKEUP: I love the fact that L.A. Cobra has a tongue in cheek method to song/album titles and themes. For example, the album How Much Snake Can You Take?? is an ingenious title. How do you generate such ideas?

Don Cobra: This actually came from an old flyer we made, like a 70’s retro flyer with this blonde pin-up girl that had a python wrapped around her, the caption we made was: “How much snake can one woman take??” and it became our album title a few years later, we always like to provoke a little at the right time and place..hehe.
HEAVY MAKEUP: The official video for the single, “Stray Cat” has an exploitation film vibe complete with big explosions, a hot chick, a fast car and a killer band, L.A. Cobra performing in a junkyard. Whose idea was it to make a video in the style of an exploitation B movie?
Don Cobra: It was our director at the time who came up with the idea of making a Tarantino style short story over three music videos when we released How Much Snake Can You Take??
HEAVY MAKEUP: The videos for songs such as “Shotgun Slinger,” “Danger, Danger”, and “Back Roads” has all the elements of any great glam video. Not only do they have glam elements but in addition, they kind of have southern rock aspects. These videos remind me of bands such as Kix or Junkyard wearing ripped jeans and cowboy boots while dancing in the desert. What can you tell us about these videos and songs?
Don Cobra: I guess there's always been a sleazy cowboy vibe in our songs and videos...haha  “Shotgun Slinger” was the first song produced by Martin Sweet and the title track of our new album, Shotgun Slinger. "Danger Danger", “Back Roads” and “Stray Cat” was from our previous album How Much Snake Can You Take?? that formed part of Tarantino style trilogy.

Check out L.A. Cobra's How Much Snake Can You Take?? on Apple's I Tunes
Link:


HEAVY MAKEUP: If you picked one song, one album, one video, or tour what would you be most proud of?

Don Cobra: This is super difficult...haha. I must choose one song, I’d say I'm very proud of the song “Ride” on our new album Shotgun Slinger, actually super proud of the whole album.  Also, our new video for “War” was released on Christmas day; check out our www.facebook.com/lacobra band for updates.
HEAVY MAKEUP: What else does Don Cobra do outside of music? Is there anything that would surprise fans?
Don Cobra: As I mentioned earlier I love traveling, it’s my new passion, I love to see how different cultures live, and eat their local cuisine. When I’m on an island I have to drink their local RUM…haha...other than that Slade and I do road trips with Harleys when there’s time. Yeah, I guess so I love carpentry as well, been neglecting it the past year and a bit, but I love creating things with my own hands…hehe.
HEAVY MAKEUP: The band has toured Scandinavia, Europe, Australia, and Brazil. Any American tour plans?
Don Cobra: Yes, there actually is, we were confirmed yesterday for Rock N Skull Festival 2018 in Illinois and it’s such a dream come true to share a stage with Pretty Boy Floyd and Crashdiët who is also performing there. We’ve been waiting for this for past twelve years and can’t describe how grateful we are. Thank you, Justin Murr \m/

HEAVY MAKEUP: Other than your the debut of your third album, Shotgun Slinger, any other upcoming projects? Lastly any messages for L.A. Cobra fans throughout the world?

Don Cobra: Yes, we launched it on the October 7th this year, and yeah we are gonna make a video for every song on the Shotgun Slinger album starting early in 2018.

Thank you guys for all your support in the last twelve years, can’t wait to see you next year at the Rock n Skull Fest, Il, USA, please check our www.facebook.com/lacobraband for updates on shows that will be added in the USA, and please get your copy of our new album online or a signed hardcopy and merch in our online store on FB, so that you can sing along while we break some hearts and melt some faces!! 

See you soon America

Love
Don//Slade//Callie The Animal//Ewil

L.A. Cobra Promotional Photo By: Marina Mare

     L.A. Cobra not only has the ability to write songs that make chicks cry and drop their panties with their gritty sleaze cock rock but also they draw in the male fans by invoking lots of headbanging and air guitar. Here is exactly what you’ll be missing if you don’t splash out your cash for L.A. Cobra albums: a solid package of hard rocking music and your collection will be devoid of one of the essential bands of the New Wave of Hair Metal.  Thanks to L.A. Cobra for ensuring that the glamorous era of rock lives on.
Visit the band’s official site:

www.lacobra.co.za
Visit the band on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/lacobraband

Visit the band on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/lacobra
L.A. Cobra - “War” Video, Album, Shotgun Slinger

Lucy