Meet The Band: Cousin

If you ask us what Cousin sound like, we'll tell you they sound like all the good indie rock that came out of Canada in the '90s. If you ask Giulio Rocco, frontman for the Niagara Falls four-piece, he'll give you an answer that's maybe-not-all-that-different from ours: "Our music is 'that guy'," he says. "You know him, everyone does. You probably met him in college, or at your part-time summer job. He's the guy that almost likes the same music as you, so he tags along with you to see all the same shows. And after a musical brawl, hollering the words to the songs he recognizes, he'll be the guy walking home in a drunken haze with one shoe on. He'll most likely crash on your couch that night. Yeah. It's kind of like that."

Who the hell wouldn't want to check out that band? And since you happen to be able to do just that this very Friday at the band's Sneaky Dee's CD release show — which will also feature a Young Lions Music Club dance party DJed by Holy Fuck's Brian Borcherdt (all for five freaking dollars; Facebook invite here) — we figured this would be a good time to introduce you. Meet Cousin:


If you could open for one current band that you haven't played with before, who would it be?

Probably The Wanted. They are really changing the boy-band paradigm, well according to the Metro. I haven’t really heard anything besides their single. That would be cool to open for a band that has only one song.

If you could play one venue you've never played before, what would it be?

Probably the stage at Harbourfront Centre. Who doesn’t like to play by the water where you can watch expensive yachts pass by? I like places where I can watch things while I am on stage. If I couldn’t do that then maybe a zoo or something.

Your all-time, all-star supergroup?

Han solo on bass, the 10th doctor from Dr Who singing, Ned Stark on Drums, and Captain Kirk on guitar. It would sound like the Mars Volta if they played Viking Death Metal.

What's the worst album you own?

The worst record I own is probably Weather and Dissolution by Creed. It was a gift. Actually it was a gift my brother got from a girl in grade school. We share everything though, so it’s mine too. But nah, Creed is still great in a bad kind of way. There is a friend of mine who has counted how many times Scott Stapp clenches his hands in their music videos.

If you absolutely had to get a face tattoo of album art from one record, which record would you want to have on your face for the rest of your life?

Probably Micheal Jackson’s “Dangerous”. If I could get an artist to pull that off I would be happy forever. I would find something new and exciting on my face every day.

Say, for some strange reason, all the music in the world is going to be destroyed, but you can save all the songs from one decade. Which decade's records would you save?

The 90’s obviously. It contains such a fantastic spectrum of music. From high-fi to lo-fi, a cross-pollination of musical genres and experimentation. I mean, it is almost as broad and fragmented as that last sentence, but it would keep me occupied. I guess that is kind of a selfish reason to choose that decade. Fine, the 60’s.

Who, in your opinion, has/had the best facial hair of any band ever?

Matt Berninger from The National currently does, but he is across the border. I’ll stick with some Canadian hair and choose my main man Burton Cummings… or Spencer Burton from Attack in Black/Grey Kingdom there seems to be a thing about Burtons and facial hair…

What was the craziest live show you've ever seen?

I think it was at last year’s Scenefest in St Catharines after a show inside of a bar. A metal band decided to set up shop in an alleyway outside and got their mosh on soon followed by the fuzz.

What's your favourite song to play live? Why?

Probably Mountain Slip. It makes me feel like I can rap, plus we have a horn section that usually helps us out, and the crowd really digs it.

What was the first record you ever bought? When was the last time you listened to it?

Disney’s Music from Tarzan. Phil Collin wrote those sick tunes “For one so small/you seem so strong/my arms will hold you/ keep you safe and warm”. Most enchanting record of ‘99. It’s still on my pod.

Who was your favourite band (or artist) when you were 12 years old? Do you still like them?

The White Stripes were cool back in the day. But so was TLC. I really can’t decide. And heck yes I still love them. Not in that ironic or nostalgic way either. I still get into it.

John, Paul, George, or Ringo?

This question could turn into a dissertation, or an all out brawl. Let’s not argue. The Beatles were great.

Do you hate your hometown?

Niagara Falls is extremely Kitschy and I dislike it for that. I grew up there though so I do have some fond attachment to it. But, it is probably one of the worst cities in the Southern Ontario Region to support original music. There is a lack of venues that support local artists and the only place that sells music besides the pawnshops downtown is Futureshop. Thank goodness for St Catharines and the fine people like Timur Inceoglu, Matt Breese, and Josh Rikkerink that make things happen or else there would not be an outlet for young talent with such an awesome community. I don’t think we would have stayed as a band if it weren’t for that music scene.

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Meet The Band is a regular feature where we introduce you to bands we like. You can find all of the rest of them here.



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