Citizen Cope creates very original music. His work is a mixture of funk, Tom Waits and Long Island rap. His latest album is The Clarence Greenwood Recordings.
Check out official site for Citizen Cope
Daniel Robert Epstein: What inspired The Clarence Greenwood Recordings?
Citizen Cope: I just wanted to make a record that I followed my first instincts on. Im just inspired by life, people Ive met, situations Ive been in and just whatever comes to me as a writer.
DRE: Did you purposely try to make it different from the last one?
CC: I think each record probably evolves into its own thing and makes its own life. It wasnt purposely different; it just turned out that way.
DRE: Since your stuff is so unique, are you surprised to be on such a big label?
CC: No because I always wanted to sign with a major label. They were willing to invest in recording since Im really into the recording aspect of it.
DRE: Do you do most of the producing yourself?
CC: I do a lot of that. Ive always been inspired by it.
DRE: What makes you want to want to do all of that work yourself?
CC: Its just my nature because I have a vision for what the music should be so production is a very important aspect of the process and thats why worked out for me to do it.
DRE: Your music reminds me a little bit of Tom Waits. I was wondering if he was an influence on you at all.
CC: Well, he wasnt but Ive heard that before and I respect him a lot.
DRE: At age 35 you seem a little young to have such deep meaning in your work. Where does that come from?
CC: I guess I was reacting to the situations Ive had in my life I guess. Just being meditative when you write songs puts you into a kind of deep meditation so maybe that leads towards some type of introspection or something.
DRE: How did Carlos Santana end up on the record?
CC: I did a song for his last record called Shaman and he asked me if theres anything on my record that I wanted him to do. So he played on it and it worked really well.
DRE: Did you see him play with Antonio Banderas at the Academy Awards?
CC: I saw it. Im not passing judgment on that but I heard the movie was really good.
DRE: The movie is really good but I was a little surprised to see Antonio there. But Ill leave you alone on that.
Is this album more personal than your previous albums?
CC: There were personal aspects to both of the records and I just think this is me naked. There was a lot of emotion in it.
DRE: Do you produce a lot of other people as well?
CC: No, I dont. Ive been asked to do a lot of production but I havent really jumped into that quite yet.
DRE: What happened with DreamWorks?
CC: What happened on this record was that I had to give $100,000 to DreamWorks because they had my contract and they were supposed to do the next record, but I didnt want to do it with them so they let me out for a fee so it pretty much took a good chunk of my recording budget.
DRE: What was the problem?
CC: They werent really set up to break an artist like me. I think they thought a lot of people like the music but it really takes a vision.
DRE: I read that you played with the Neville Brothers in Holland, how was that?
CC: It was great, man. I love those guys I mean Ive always loved the Meters and love the whole New Orleans sound the drummers and everything are great.
DRE: Yea, theyre amazing. Howd their crowd take to you?
CC: They took to us alright. It was kind of early so by the time they got on it was packed. But there werent that many people there but I think they enjoyed themselves.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out official site for Citizen Cope
Daniel Robert Epstein: What inspired The Clarence Greenwood Recordings?
Citizen Cope: I just wanted to make a record that I followed my first instincts on. Im just inspired by life, people Ive met, situations Ive been in and just whatever comes to me as a writer.
DRE: Did you purposely try to make it different from the last one?
CC: I think each record probably evolves into its own thing and makes its own life. It wasnt purposely different; it just turned out that way.
DRE: Since your stuff is so unique, are you surprised to be on such a big label?
CC: No because I always wanted to sign with a major label. They were willing to invest in recording since Im really into the recording aspect of it.
DRE: Do you do most of the producing yourself?
CC: I do a lot of that. Ive always been inspired by it.
DRE: What makes you want to want to do all of that work yourself?
CC: Its just my nature because I have a vision for what the music should be so production is a very important aspect of the process and thats why worked out for me to do it.
DRE: Your music reminds me a little bit of Tom Waits. I was wondering if he was an influence on you at all.
CC: Well, he wasnt but Ive heard that before and I respect him a lot.
DRE: At age 35 you seem a little young to have such deep meaning in your work. Where does that come from?
CC: I guess I was reacting to the situations Ive had in my life I guess. Just being meditative when you write songs puts you into a kind of deep meditation so maybe that leads towards some type of introspection or something.
DRE: How did Carlos Santana end up on the record?
CC: I did a song for his last record called Shaman and he asked me if theres anything on my record that I wanted him to do. So he played on it and it worked really well.
DRE: Did you see him play with Antonio Banderas at the Academy Awards?
CC: I saw it. Im not passing judgment on that but I heard the movie was really good.
DRE: The movie is really good but I was a little surprised to see Antonio there. But Ill leave you alone on that.
Is this album more personal than your previous albums?
CC: There were personal aspects to both of the records and I just think this is me naked. There was a lot of emotion in it.
DRE: Do you produce a lot of other people as well?
CC: No, I dont. Ive been asked to do a lot of production but I havent really jumped into that quite yet.
DRE: What happened with DreamWorks?
CC: What happened on this record was that I had to give $100,000 to DreamWorks because they had my contract and they were supposed to do the next record, but I didnt want to do it with them so they let me out for a fee so it pretty much took a good chunk of my recording budget.
DRE: What was the problem?
CC: They werent really set up to break an artist like me. I think they thought a lot of people like the music but it really takes a vision.
DRE: I read that you played with the Neville Brothers in Holland, how was that?
CC: It was great, man. I love those guys I mean Ive always loved the Meters and love the whole New Orleans sound the drummers and everything are great.
DRE: Yea, theyre amazing. Howd their crowd take to you?
CC: They took to us alright. It was kind of early so by the time they got on it was packed. But there werent that many people there but I think they enjoyed themselves.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
