1.Growing Up
My mum was a big influence growing up. When I was a kid she used to sing and play guitar, and I’d sing along. She wrote some original stuff too – I got my ability to harmonise from her and she introduced me to artists like The Dandy Warhols, Eels, PJ Harvey and The Breeders. In school I learned classical piano and voice, and was heavily involved with everything musical they would let me do. I wrote my first song when I was about nine years old and I knew from about that age that I wanted to be a musician.
2. Inspirations
I am inspired by anyone who is unabashedly emotional in their music, whatever form that may take. It is also inspiring to see my friends make music that is mind-blowingly good.
3.Your Band
Rachel Maria Cox is just me in almost all live settings (I have played the odd band show as ‘Rachel and The Cox’), but for this EP I recorded with a band. Brayden ‘Boots’ Porter played lead guitar – he’s a self-described ‘dad rocker’ who makes me melt with his talent. Jack Lundie is a folk singer-songwriter, plays in an alt-country band called Adeline Pines and also played in a hardcore band called Caverns. He played rhythm guitar on this EP and one of the songs is also about him (fun game – guess which one). I met Jack and Brayden through playing gigs in Newy. Oliver Young, from Nailhouse, plays drums and recorded the EP. He and I dropped out of the same uni and didn’t really hang out, but after I launched Sad Grrrls Club he sent me a (drunk?) Facebook message about how much dudebro culture in music annoyed him and the rest is history.
4.The Music You Make
My sister once heard a Camp Cope song on the radio and thought it was me so I guess I sound like them. I would describe it as ‘sadcore’ but it’s basically emo acoustic tunes.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
Black Wire Records in Sydney is the greatest venue on Earth, closely followed by the Lass and the Hamo in Newy. I am very lucky to have played or be playing with some excellent bands who I am even luckier to call friends.
[Rachel MariaCox photo by Courtney Joy Fry]
I Just Have A Lot Of Feelings is out Thursday July 28 through Sad Grrrls Club. Head toBlack Wire RecordsSunday July 31 to hear Hannahband, Marina Mitchell, Antonia Susan, Jamie Hay, along withRachel Maria Cox.
