Interview: Philly Based Band Cologne Discusses Their New EP "New World"
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Cologne is a Philly based band whose music combines the sounds of pop, indie and arena rock to create an amalgam that is undeniably their own. The band recently released their five-song EP "New World", so it's only right that we connect with the guys to find out more about the project, how they decided on their name, their goals for 2018 and much more.
After reading our exclusive interview with the band, be sure to follow them on their social media streams to stay up to date on all things "Cologne" and most definitely stream/download "New World" ASAP.
Tell us about the name of the band "Cologne". Why did you guys select it and what does it signify?
When it came time for us to choose a name we decided to have fun with it so we set up a bracket where each of us came up with four names which resulted in 16 potential names. Those names were matched up and voted until one was left. We know when people hear the name Cologne, they probably think of the men’s fragrance, but the name has a much deeper meaning to us. The name comes from the beautiful German city of Cologne, which was destroyed in World War II, but rebuilt to have a diverse and unique cityscape. The name was originally our guitarist’s Sean’s idea and once he told us the beautiful metaphor behind the name, it was a no-brainer to us that was it.
Congratulations on the recent release of your debut EP, “New World"; we really enjoyed it. How long did it take to write and record overall?
Thank you. Before our singer Staph joined in March of 2017, we were working on several songs that ended up blossoming into “New World” and “One Last Time”. After trying out several singers, Staph joined and added vocals to those songs, and also took part in writing the rest of the songs on the EP. So all in all, it took about 8 months from when we started to releasing the EP. The DIY approach allowed us to take our time and hone in on our sound while making the EP.
Were there any songs that you recorded during the "New World" sessions that you decided not to include on the EP? If so, why?
We are constantly writing and working on new song ideas so during the “New World” sessions, we wrote four additional songs, which we play live. We chose the songs for the EP because we thought they showcased the different sides of the band. We have plans to release some of the other songs as singles in 2018.
Describe a typical Cologne concert? Do you guys have a favorite cover song to perform?
A typical Cologne show is highly energetic and about having a fun time. We have a blast playing live and seeing everyone singing and dancing along. We feed off the energy of the crowd, so seeing everyone having a good time together is a great feeling. Our ultimate goal is to make sure for the duration of our set that people can let all their worries go and just have fun. We recently added Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” to our set and gave it a Cologne makeover.
With 2017 winding down, what do you guys look forward to the most musically in 2018?
2017 was an amazing first year as a band. Our goals in 2018 are to release a few singles, with the first coming in January. We want to keep growing as a band and make sure we’re delivering the best possible live show we can. We’re super pumped to see what 2018 brings!