Pop rock artist CODY JAMES has had some releases out and about, with newer music in the works already. He is even currently out on the road touring around with a lot else in-store too. Find out what else is discussed from the man himself below.
1. Please tell us about the history of you and your music.
First off, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me! This opportunity means a lot to me. I showed an interest in music at a very young age. My family has stories of me standing in front of the speakers in my childhood home and head-banging to anything that came out. This is before my memory really started forming. When I was 5 or 6 I discovered my first musical loves, The Doors, Nirvana, and Kiss. From those moments, I knew I wanted to be a 'rock star'. Fast forward to Christmas Day 1996. I was 7 years old. I opened the next gift from my father, what could it be? It was a guitar. I couldn't believe it. I had never seen one in real life before.
From 7-9 I was completely self taught. I learned how to play by reading books and practicing until my fingers were raw. I took lessons for a brief time before I started writing my own songs. By freshmen year of high school I was in my first band. I played bass and sang lead vocal. We were a loud punk band an we just wanted to have fun. I remember being so nervous at our first show, when I was 14. I was going to be singing in front of people and more importantly, swearing in front of my parents for the first time, haha! After that it was over. It was music all the way. Throughout high school I was constantly writing songs, practicing, and collaborating. In and out of many different bands. After high school I moved away from home for school. I continued to play and write. It was always my main focus. I dropped out of college and began to tour.
By my early to mid 20's, I had joined a serious band. We were really going to give it everything we had. We would practice as a band 2-3 nights a week, constantly writing, refining, and holding our sound. We ended up going on 5 US tours and released two full length records completely independently over the course of 7 years (https://spoti.fi/3x8fAju). In the fall of 2018 I ventured on my own and went solo for the very first time. I had written material that wasn't appropriate for the band and wanted to see how the songs did on my own. I hit the ground running and began playing as much as I possibly could all on my own (https://bit.ly/3xbcxH8).
In the spring of 2019, the band went on what would be our final tour. In the middle of tour, we got an offer to work with a booking agent (I had been booking all of our tours myself). The guys didn't want to go for it. That was my last straw, and I quit. I was now a solo artist. 2019 was a big year for me. I played over 100 shows, recorded a few singles, and established a name for myself. 2020 was all about recording, and I was able to fully record an album's worth of material, playing every instrument. 2021 I was back on the live scene, playing over 60 shows from June-December.
2. Where are you based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands/artists you could recommend?
I'm from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It's part of a larger area called the Fox Valley, which consists of neighboring cities Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, and Fon du Lac. Green Bay, WI is 45 minutes north and Milwaukee, WI is 1.5 hours south. Oshkosh itself has a population of only about 70,000. Being a college town, it's a nice-sized area that's still small enough to escape the hustle and bustle of big city life. We have an extremely fertile music scene, with a plethora of talent. Some of my favorite artists include the now-defunct The Traveling Suitcase (https://bit.ly/3QysiPx), Horace Green (who I've filled in on drums for multiple times - https://spoti.fi/3Rt96DY), David Paul Martin (https://spoti.fi/3eDGQA6) Auralai (https://spoti.fi/3d8jphL).
3. How would you describe your style?
The most simple description is pop/rock. But of course that's way too general. I really like jazz textures construed with a pop mentality. Digestible and relatable, but innovative and new. I'm always finding ways to take complex chords and melodies and recreate them in a way that pleases both the casual listener and the musical aficionado. Early John Mayer is likely the closest comparison (https://spoti.fi/3RCV8zt). Pop/Rock covers the bases here, but it leaves a lot out of the picture. If I could, I'd say something more like jazzy-poppy-bluesy rock with emotional sensibility. But no one wants to hear all of that, haha!
4. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
I currently have a bit of an amalgamation of releases. I have three singles, "Living on the Breeze" (https://spoti.fi/3DcSoV7) "Walls" (https://spoti.fi/3Dd2ANi) a cover of the classic song "For What It's Worth" (which appeared on the "Parallel Universe" compilation album (https://bit.ly/3qtNOKK), and an acoustic EP, "Acoustic" (https://bit.ly/3Qv4JqH). These songs serve as framework for what's to come. These recordings are kind of the exoskeleton for the songs. A pre-cursor, if you will. I wanted to release some material while simultaneously really taking the time to make full-band versions of these songs great.
5. Do you have any new music in the works?
I have lots of music in the works! At the end of the month I'm releasing a new single with The Animal Farm called "Everything in Me" which features a full-band arrangement. It's a great bluesy feeling pop/rock track which is all about finding out who I am. That's the first of four singles we will be releasing. I'm lucky enough to have a studio right at home so I'm always writing and recording. It's really cool to have outlets like you to share my new music with !
6. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Currently writing this while I'm in a hotel room on tour haha! I just got back from an 11 day tour to the east coast and the mid-south. I usually play 2-3 times/week, often times I'm driving hours around the Midwest. At the end of the month I have a short run with a good friend of mine around Illinois and Iowa. November I'll be back down in Nashville and before the year is up I'll hit Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and lots of places in between.
7. What plans do you have for the future as an artist?
My main focus is and has always been to get better as a writer. It's a challenge to express yourself in the truest way while expanding and growing at the same time. I also aim to tour more, and I think that improving my writing will naturally take me there. Writing, recording, and touring are the big three. On another note, I have a large following on TikTok (https://bit.ly/3L3uBcj) and I'm finding ways to keep them engaged as well.
8. Where can we listen to your music and where can we buy your stuff?
The best places would be Bandcamp (https://therealcodyjames.bandcamp.com) or my website (https://officialcodyjames.com). I just added some new merch pieces and like I've said, new music is coming very soon !
9. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Give it time and keep an open mind. You might be hearing some new melodies and chords. Absorb them. This is a real human being making music from his soul. For me, I always have to listen to something 2-3 times before it begins to sink in. At that point if I feel no connection to the music, I'll move on. The first listen is always the hardest.
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