Interview . Cobra Starship . w/ Alex Suarez (bass). label fueled by ramen .

Interviewer: Laura Schriefer . 13/02/2010 . Gruenspan . Hamburg . Germany .

Punk76: How was the band formed and where do you know each other from?

Alex: Ryland and I met Gabe while going out in New York, partying. It's kind of a small network even though, you know it's NY and there's a lot of people. Gabe met our drummer Nate on tour.

Punk76: While he was on tour with Midtown?

Alex: Yes. And Victoria.. it's funny. I met her a couple of times at a party a long time ago and when Gabe was looking for a keytar player he just did a myspace search for "brooklyn female keyboards" and she came up with her band.

Punk76: It's been such a long time since you've been in Germany (last time Decaydance festival 2007), why did it took you so long?

Alex: I don't know.. we've never been to Europe that much.

[Gabe walking by]

Alex: Gabe, why did it took us so long to come back to Germany?

Gabe: Noone likes us here.

Alex: There it is! (smiling)

Punk76: oh no, that's not true!

[A short interruption, Gabe had to ask Alex for the buscode because he forgot it and couldn't get in]

Alex: But yeah we just didn't know that we have any fans over here.

Punk76: But you have! Actually a lot. (smiling)

Alex: That's amazing.

Punk76: So you will come back earlier to Germany now?

[a long pause]

Alex: ...yeah.

Punk76: You gotta say it, right? But thinking "no we hate Germany we'll never come back"

Alex: No, we love it here! We just don't know when we'll be able to come back.

Punk76: Is it your first time in Hamburg?

Alex: Yes.

Punk76: And do you like the location? With the Reeperbahn nearby and so on?

Alex: I haven't really seen anything. I woke up at 2 o' clock and then I came inside and we did a photoshoot. And since then I haven't left yet.

Punk76: You should take a look if you get the chance to.

Alex: Yeah, I'd love to see more of it. I'm excited that tonight there's a lot of partys going on.

Punk76: You're very succesfull with your recent record "Hot Mess" over here in Germany. Does it bother you that a lot of your "new" fans don't know any of your older songs?

Alex: No, I feel like if people get into us now, and they'e really into it, they'll look back into our older records.

Punk76: Which of your records it your personal favourite and why?

Alex: I think my favourite record is "Hot Mess". Not just because it's our newest but because it's one that we really did together. On our last record "Viva La Cobra" we had help by Patrick Stump (singer of Fall Out Boy) and while the first record we weren't really together yet. So this record is just us.

Punk76: Could you please complete the sentence "people shouldn't buy our new record if..."

Alex:..they get easily offended.

Punk76: (laughing) But it's not that bad, really..

Alex: No, it's not that bad. Or "if they don't like to dance".

Punk76: Would you consider yourself as a serious band or more like a fun band?

Alex: Definitely a fun band. The whole thing is, we don't take ourselves too serious.

Punk76: I read that the name "Cobra Starship" comes from a print on a sweatshirt, is that true? Did you have other names in mind before?

Alex: That would be more a question for Gabe. I don't know if you read the story about how he got bite by a snake from the future.

Punk76: Yeah I did, it was very interesting.

Alex: Well yeah, that's the only story I know.

Punk76: Okay, so Gabe chose it?

Alex: Well, he was forced to do it by a snake of the future (smiling).

Punk76: Which bands influenced your musical career?

Alex: All kinds.. I've been into a lot of french electro stuff. But.. kind of everything, like Britney Spears.

Punk76: oh really? (smiling)

Alex: Yeah! She's got really good pop music, you know?

Punk76: Well.. yeah. Kind of.

Alex: (smiling) At least for certain specific things, I'm not a big Britney fan but I like the whole production. I was also influenced be the 60's music.. you know, it's all over the place.

Punk76: Do you believe in god?

Alex: That's a really good question. I'm not sure if I believe in god. If I had to pick a yes or no I'd say yes. I'm not very religious but I don't know what's up there. But I believe in karma.

Punk76: If you could choose one person of Gossip Girl to play, which one would you choose?

Alex: Chuck Bass.

Punk76: You all kind of have a thing for Chuck Bass, right? How does that come?

Alex: Yeah, 'cause he's kind of sweet. He's in high school and he sneaks out and goes to bars..

Punk76: You did the same?

Alex: No! Actually.. a little bit. Maybe. Yeah. (smiling).

Punk76: Is there a difference between German fans and american fans?

Alex: I think the difference is between more or less the USA and Europe because the drinking age is lower here. And so the fans start drinking at a younger age, the kids are starting to drink at 18 here, while in the US it's 21.

Punk76: And that's influencing the concerts? That the kids are drinking more?

Alex: Yeah.

Punk76: But in a good way or in a bad way?

Alex: In a good way! Of course, drinking makes everything better. No I'm just kidding. But it makes a difference, the kids go crazy when they're wasted. They get crazy in the US, too, don't get me wrong. But there's something when most of the kids are very wasted or drunk, that makes it very funny.

Punk76: Okay and the last question, please complete the sentence "If I could be anywhere in the world right now I'd like to be in..."

Alex: Japan.

Punk76: You're going there, right?

Alex: Yes and I'm very excited about it, we love Japan.

Punk76: You've been there before, how are the Japanese fans compared to the other ones?

Alex: Awesome.

Punk76: So they're the best?

Alex: No, but they're awesome. All of our fans are awesome, they're just in different countries. Our fans are all very awesome and we're greatful for the fans that we have.

Punk76: Okay, that's all, thanks a lot!

Alex: Thank you!

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