Monday, 14 September 2009 00:00
New Zealand loves COBRA STARSHIP... and Cobra Starship, love New Zealand. We know this, because current chart-stomper 'Good Girls Go Bad' peaked at #2 on the official NZ singles chart... and Cobra Starship vocalist Gabe Saporta, has previously articulated his wishes to be harboured in a shelter on a New Zealand mountain come the end of the world. Despite three fifths of the Cobra team hazarding into a car-crash on their last trip to our shores, looks like Saporta will have another friend alongside him throwing the be-all, end-all of parties.
Guitarist RYLAND BLACKINTON, also has warm fuzzies when contemplating our little corner of the world... and currency. You can take the Cobra out of New York, but you can't take the assets out of the Starship. Calling from his home in Brooklyn, New York, Blackinton listed future plans of the Cobras in the order of; "coming to New Zealand", then - "we got the VMA's this weekend, that's sorta the only thing on our radar at the moment. That's gonna be a blast." - It's wonderful to see where your heart belongs; Blackinton.
"The year before that, we were out nine and a half or ten months, of the year... I've come to get used to it. I don't mind sleeping in a bunk and stuff like that. I'm thankful to be in a bus, rather than a van."
COBRA STARSHIP - RYLAND BLACKINTON: I'm very excited. Last time we were there, we only got to go to Auckland and now we get to go to Christchurch. We'll be there in March, which is too far away. But I'm really looking forward to it. COUP DE MAIN: Cobra Starship are returning to New Zealand!
CDM: Last time you were all here, there was a car-crash incident involving Cobra members...
RYLAND: I was not in the car. It was Alex, Victoria and Gabe. I was at the bar that they were on their way to and their friend, was driving them. Super scary though, either way.
CDM: The 'after' footage was filmed for a local TV show; 'Rapid Response'...
RYLAND: Wow, really? I did not know that. That's insane. Wow, that's crazy. I gotta find that footage.
CDM: Are you excited for the MTV Video Music Awards this weekend?
RYLAND: I'm really excited about it. We didn't even get to go last year... But, I just sit around all day, waiting for an excuse to put on a suit; personally.
CDM: Plus, you've got two nominations this year!
RYLAND: Totally. The video we did with Kai (Regan); he's a great director. I know he's excited too. We're up against some pretty colossal contenders, but we already feel that we've won. Just by even finishing this record, feels like a huge victory to be honest. So everything else, is just icing on the cake.
CDM: How did it feel having 'Hot Mess' debut at #4 on the U.S. Billboard album chart?
RYLAND: Wow. Number four. That's amazing. It feels great. Obviously, when everyone does their record, they want it to go well. But we didn't really... you know. We just kept our ambition low I guess, 'cuz you never want to be bummed out. So this has all been a really pleasant surprise. Just been taking it one day at a time.
CDM: You must be pretty pleased with the end-results of Leighton Meester singing on 'Good Girls Go Bad'. How exactly, did the collaboration come about?
RYLAND: We were in the studio here in New York and our producer just told us to take the following day off. Like; "Take the day off, we're gonna have one of the Gossip Girls come in and work on a track". Gabe and I both know about 'Gossip Girl'. We didn't really get to watch it that much, 'cuz of tour. But when I'm home, I watch an episode every once in a while... and it's a really juicy New York show. I love it. So when they said that, our ears perked up. It took a couple of moves and it took a couple of months... but eventually Gabe had an opportunity to go out to L.A. and work with Leighton on the song. It kinda, was just the one missing element. We were very fortunate to have Leighton available to do it, and she was super professional. Just beautiful and talented. It was great.
CDM: Did you ever think that the single would be so successful as it has been?
RYLAND: No, not at all. I just thought that it was cool... and felt proud of it. We all felt good about where it was at and where the record was at. So, it was a pretty nice surprise.
CDM: What was it like self-producing the new Cobra Starship album; 'Hot Mess'?
RYLAND: It was good. We got to learn a lot about production over these last few years. So it was good to finally implement some of that stuff. We also got to collaborate with some people that are a lot better at it than we are. We got to collaborate with Kara DioGuardi, with Kevin Rudolf. Patrick (Stump) helped us out on some stuff. We had a great production team. I feel like, it was very rewarding to hear the finished product. So, that was really great.
CDM: Did you script out each episode of Cobra Cam? Or free-style with whatever felt right at the time of filming?
RYLAND: They're scripted. Most of them, Jack (Edinger) and I would write together. We wrote a lot of them while we were in New York, when he was staying over here. We would just workshop ideas, come up with crazy ideas for infomercials and things like that. We always made sure that the show didn't have any kind of format. So that way, we could get away with doing whatever we wanted. I think that we were pretty successful in that, in keeping it all random and all over the place. Then we would bring the ideas to the band and then the band would give their input on stuff that they'd wanna do. Then during the day while we were doing stuff, Jack would go the store and get whatever costumes we would need. Believe it or not... even though they're only three minutes long, they take the whole week to do and to get ready. But it's really a lot of fun for us to express that side of ourselves creatively.
CDM: Tell me about THIS IS IVY LEAGUE!
RYLAND: That's my favourite band ever! No, I'm just kidding. This Is Ivy League, is just something that Alex and I have unfortunately only be able to do in our free time over the last three years. But we have a show on the 18th, that we're playing with this guy I really like; Patrick Cleandenim. He just has the best music. We have a (new) record, we have about nine songs. We're just finishing it at our pace, whenever inspiration comes to us. It's a very leisurely thing, but it's music that Alex and I really enjoy making. We've known each other since high school and this is something that's very special to us.
CDM: I purchased the self-titled album and loved it.
RYLAND: Thank you so much for buying that. I see that money. Thank you. I appreciate you checking that out.
CDM: When did your acting pursuits begin?
RYLAND: I went to college for acting and then I did a showcase up here and met someone from this theatre that does classics; like Shakespeare, Moliere and what-have-you. I came and was working in production for reality TV believe it or not. I was just a PA. I would watch over the set from 6PM to 6AM, then in the morning I'd go and rehearse for these plays at this theatre. I didn't really get to do anything on Broadway. I did however last year, get to do a really great play that my friend wrote; called 'The Optimist'. That was the must fun I've had in a long time. I just came into town and learned my lines on tour; I just got there and did it. So it was really nerve-wracking. But It was a lot of fun. Since then, I haven't had an opportunity to do any acting now. But I do get a lot of creative enjoyment out of doing the Cobra Cam stuff.
CDM: Do you prefer music over acting?
RYLAND: I don't really prefer one to the other. I think they're both very competitive... and not practical; financially. So, I enjoy both. Whichever one I have an opportunity to do, I kinda just take it. But right now, yeah I'd say that I'm definitely more focused on music now. But hopefully... when I have time one day; I definitely want to get back into acting seriously. There's just not enough hours in the day, it seems lately.
CDM: How's your 'good' friend Guy Ripley, doing lately?
RYLAND: I don't really know. We don't really keep in touch. The last time I saw him, was when he interviewed us for the album. It was really weird.
CDM: Do you think Victoria will ever accept a date with Guy?
RYLAND: I don't know... (maybe) if the price is right? Is he rich? No, I'm just kidding. That's a good question. She's a particular kind of girl. I don't know if Guy is her type. He might be a little too old.
CDM: You don't seem to have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon as much as Gabe and Victoria... What are your thoughts on the Twitter-verse?
RYLAND: I think it's cool. I think it can get kind of hectic, personally... and I end up having to stop following people, because I get really sick and tired of seeing talk about really lame and mundane day-to-day stuff. However, I do think it's a great tool to promote things and to keep people in the loop on things that you're doing. But if I'm not doing anything interesting, I usually don't talk about it... and some people do, but that's their prerogative. But, I'm not that good at it. I just started not too long ago. I think I've tweeted, like thirty-five times. But I read Stephen Colbert's tweets and that's the coolest thing ever. He is the funniest person on the planet.
CDM: Gabe underwent surgery on his vocal chords earlier this year... How has his recovery been?
RYLAND: I think he's recovering quite well. He certainly feels like he can't get back up to 100% again, which is a bummer. But I think that's the way those things work though. He was able to sing through the pain long enough to do stuff. Sometimes he has to take these crazy steroids. He likes to strengthen his throat before he sings. But he's managing it. The thing is; the guy just talks and yells like - he talks all day and yells all night - so we'll see how much more mileage we can get out of that guy's throat.
CDM: Are you happier when on tour? Or when recording in a studio?
RYLAND: I like both. Definitely this last time we came home, it felt really good to come home. Home's great. But touring can be fun too. We toured less this year, than we did the year before. The year before that, we were out nine and a half or ten months, of the year. This year, was a little bit less intense. I've come to get used to it. I don't mind sleeping in a bunk and stuff like that. I'm thankful to be in a bus, rather than a van. So, I like all of it. I like to be home. I like to be in the studio... and I like to be on tour. The only thing I don't like, is vacation.
CDM: While on your last trip to New Zealand, Gabe expressed his plan to build a bomb shelter here. Can we expect to see you here as well, when the world ends?
RYLAND: Oh you better believe it. Your dollar's looking great. Not as great as it was the last time we were there. But yeah, absolutely.
CDM: What can fans expect from your set-list come March?
RYLAND: We're going to play a lot of new songs. We'll probably play a spread from all the records. But by then, we'll be playing a lot of new songs I hope.
CDM: Lastly... I bet you have a message for all your New Zealand fans?
RYLAND: For those that got to see us last time, we look forward to seeing you again. Anyone that didn't get to see us last time, we're not only going to Auckland this time, so we look forward to seeing you there. BRING SOMETHING THAT BREATHES... clothing-wise. It's going to be a hot messy one yeah!
COBRA STARSHIP will be touring New Zealand in March 2010! Read our tour announcement HERE. Cobra Starship's new album 'Hot Mess' is in-stores now, featuring the single 'Good Girls Go Bad'.
