Band Interview: Corpulent Provocateur

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life are pleased to bring you an interview with alternative metal band, Corpulent Provocateur.

1. How did you get started as a band?

Each of us had several bands before we found C_P, at least three. So there was a lot of background there. The beginning was simple. Two guys, drums and guitar went for jamming. Just playing with the guitar octaver wasn’t enough and after several sessions we decided to ask our friend, Jirka (bassist), if he wanted to jam with us. He agreed but on the condition that it wouldn’t be anything serious. But after one session he realized that this is it. It’s serious. The big question was who would sing. We tried to find a good singer for more than a year. No success. So the guitarist decided to give it a try. Band went to record a demo six months later. Recording session went so well, that in 7 studio hours we had 9 songs. So we decided to put it together for a debut album. This all happened before the first gig, which was also a very unorthodox event in that we decided not to reveal the name of the band before the gig. The event was simply called FIRST_CONCERT. The funny thing was that people were so curious that even without hearing a single record or knowing the band’s name, the concert was sold out. During the show, we gradually declassified the name of the band. So, two years in the practice room, album recorded, all before first gig!

A year later, the drummer decided to focus on his studies. We were pretty sure who we want to be his successor, but he was in other bands. We invited him for a little chat without telling him what it’ll be about. When he sat in the car, he was literally kidnapped out of town without any explanation. We just played him unreleased material, cranked the volume to maximum and told him to shut up and listen. When the album finished, he agreed to join. And that was it. Here we are.

2. How would you describe your sound?

Since we really like the music from the 90s, you can certainly hear it in our sound. But we don’t think we’re “lost in sound” in this era. We listen to a lot of new music that inspires and influences us. Of course, the fact that we played in many genres in different precious bands also has a great influence on our sound. So in addition to grunge vibes, you can hear elements of funk, as well as melodic psychedelia. The biggest loss for us would be if we played the exact same music as anybody else.

3. What bands/artists would you say have influenced your style of music?

Definitely grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam or even Foo Fighters who have roots there. Add to that, there is influence from RATM, Chili Peppers or other funk based rock bands. As we describe ourselves as alt-rock, we can relate to Queens of the Stone Age, we all love Vulfpeck. Their funky grooves make you grab your instrument and immediately start to play anytime you hear it. That’s it, if you want us to name concrete bands, but it’s not only that. Every concert is a new inspiration. That’s why it’s important to do it. And we do it too, all the time. Right now, unfortunately, all you can do is watch live concerts on the Internet.

4. Has the rise of YouTube & music streaming helped or hindered you as a band?

Since our band started making progress in this internet era, we are used to it and we try to use it. On the other hand, with the ocean of online content it is a tough job. And sometimes you lose a lot of time with it instead of working on music. But we see it as some kind of a natural evolution, so we don’t complain about it. Moreover, our label The Animal Farm Music is helping us a lot with it and we are thankful for that.

5. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

We all have regular jobs (luckily in these fucked-up times), so we don’t have much time for any other hobbies. But in our spare time we like to spend time with our families, our drummer likes to play pc games and the bassist works with wood.

6. What are your future plans musically? Tours?

When this cock-sucking piece of motherfucking shit virus is gone, or we have a vaccine, or any other way to get rid of this bastard, touring will be the first thing to do. We love it. That’s the reason why we do this. Playing for people is everything. To share the energy which flies from us to the audience and back is more than any likes or views on social networks. These are just numbers. The true feeling of the music levitates above the people during the concerts. We had planned European tour this year, we should have visited England, Germany or even Iceland. All cancelled. Nevermind, we will handle it and wait. In the meantime we will release the last of our four singles which we recorded last year in The Animal Farm studios in London. We will also make a music video. We constantly keep working on new music and have more time on it since there are no gigs.

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