O. Cohen… Not actual photo
Showcase: O. Cohen
Published on June 4th, 2013 | Jonny Abrams
Rocksucker was quite taken with the delicate, lyrical, ‘spot of sunlight on the wall’ folk stylings of O. Cohen, recently making his “Paint a Happy Picture” one of our singles of the week, so we fired him over some questions to find out more about his particular operation. Heads up, he’s playing at the excellent Good Ship venue in Kilburn, north-west London, on Thursday..
How would you describe your music, if pushed?
This is always the hardest question. If pushed, I would say: pseudo-intellectual babble, with a touch of Neo-Capital-Marxism and a sprinkle of self-deprecation… I never get this question right.
Where are you based, and what do you use to record with?
I am based at home. Sometimes, I go out and take a walk. I use a very basic soundcard and mic to record, but plan to step into a proper studio soon to do my songs justice once and for all.
Are you signed to a label? If so, how did you come to their attention?
Not yet, but I am amidst negotiating a deal with myself. Stressful.
Is there a full album in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it? (Feel free to be as abstract as you like…)
There is, in fact. At this stage I cannot say much. It will include ten songs, none of which are about me. I tend not to write autobiographical songs because my personal experiences cannot really capture the richness and diversity of life. Not sure my songs can, but at least their scope expands to where my imagination goes.
Where can we hear your music online?
There are various online platforms bearing the name O. Cohen. I prefer youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/omripresent/videos
There’s also the website www.ocohenmusic.com
Which have been your most exciting gigs and/or overall moments so far?
I had a gig in Germany a few years ago and when I got off stage this dude gave me a €5 note on which was written: “TODAY I WAS LISTENIN TO RADIO AND WAS DISAPPOINTED CAUSE I HAD NO MORE FEELINGS!!! THANK U 4 BRINGIN ME BACK!!!” That was nice.
Got any more coming up? (Gigs, that is…)
The Good Ship in Kilburn on June 6th.
The Workshop, on June 27th.
Are there any obscure and/or up-and-coming acts that you’d like to recommend or give a shout-out to?
There’s an Israeli experimental band called Suicidal Furniture.
Finally, if you were forced to spend the rest of your days in solitary confinement, but were allowed to bring the entire works of five different artists along to tide you over, whose would you choose?
Tom Waits, Bright Eyes, Daniel Johnston, Leonard Cohen and The Beatles.
O. Cohen, thank you.
About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
