Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Cote.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I discovered my father’s “5150” and “1984” Van Halen CDs when I was about thirteen years old, and I just fell in love with guitar and rock and roll. From there I dove head first into artists like Aerosmith, Guns N’ Rose, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Runaways, and Poison, just to name some more. I was really infatuated with the vibes of the bands from the 1970s and 1980s, so I started playing guitar shortly after. When I was fourteen, I started taking lessons from a guitar teacher named Brandon Durham, who is still one of the greatest teachers and mentors I’ve ever had. Studying with him throughout my teenage years gave me the opportunity to go to Berklee College of Music. However, upon my acceptance to Berklee my senior year of high school, I chose to defer and I moved out west to Hollywood, CA, to attend Musicians Institute. Unfortunately, Musicians Institute had a pretty watered-down curriculum and a “If you sign the check, you’re in,” mindset, so after a semester I moved back home to Boston, MA to start my college career at Berklee.
When I returned to the East Coast, I formed The Ben Cote Band and hit the roads of Massachusetts during weekends to gig as much as possible around the state, as well as play shows at and around Berklee. The Ben Cote Band has gone through several lineup changes since its formation in 2014, and it now consists of Berklee alumni Taka Nakamura (on drums) and Josiah Contreras (on bass). The band has released a few records, including the 2015 EP, “Order Up,” the 2016 album, “Tight Jeans and Sunglasses,” and 2017’s single, “Why? (After All This Time) [feat. Dan Whitelock].” We released a single titled, “Ex-Girlfriends Club,” in February 2018, which is the first single off of our upcoming full length album which is set to be released in June 2018.
Berklee College of Music has done a lot for me, and has opened up many opportunities for my band. One of my professors, Joe Musella, hooked me up with local producer David Minehan, who is not only an amazing producer, but is a Boston legend. He was in The Neighborhoods, which was a HUGE local punk rock band in Boston. Dave has produced every one of the band’s records, including the one we are working on now. I was also very blessed to receive the 2016 and 2017 Berklee Achievement Award and scholarship, as well as the 2018 Berklee Professional Music Achievement Award and scholarship. I also won the 2018 Berklee Collaborative Songwriting contest with my band’s song “Why? (After All This Time)” that we co-wrote with fellow Berklee student Dan Whitelock.
I am in the process of planning a regional tour of the Northeast to support our upcoming album. I have a lot I want to do with the band, and it requires hitting the road. I recently received endorsements from DiMarzio and Xotic Effects, which is an honor, and I am currently designing my own signature guitar with Roger Mello and Sea Glass Guitars, which are honestly the best boutique guitars on the market.
I still have a long way to go, but I’m excited for the journey. It’s only rock and roll, but I like it!
Please tell us about your art.
The Ben Cote Band’s sound is definitely guitar-driven rock and roll, but it is a culmination of all my influences. I love all aspects of what makes up rock music; blues, punk, hair metal; and they all come together to create the “Ben Cote sound.” I love artists like Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, but I also love bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols and The Replacements. My goal is to create rock and roll that can have that flashy guitar style, but still have that rebellious raw punk vibe too.
There is a lack of original rock and roll these days, and I’m not sure if it’s because live music is not very popular at the moment, or if it’s because people are just too afraid to stand out. The way I see it is that I like it, so I’m going to play it. However, I don’t want to be considered just a throwback artist, because I’m not trying to sound like the 1970s. My music is modern rock, but there is definitely a nostalgic vibe to it.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
The game has changed for musicians, but I don’t think it’s for better or worse, it’s just different. There’s a lot more outlets to get your art out to the masses now, but the downside is that the world is so oversaturated now. It’s our generation of artists’ job to figure out how to make this new system work. However, it may just be as simple as finding your own specific way to stand out from the oversaturation, because right now there is a lot of room left for artists that are different from everyone else.
How can cities encourage artists? Support them! Go out and go to a show, and buy a CD if you like the artist. Recommend them to a friend. Little things add up.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can find The Ben Cote Band’s music on all online streaming and digital retailers, such as iTunes, Amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify. You can also download it on our website, www.bencoteband.com.
You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Soundcloud, and Reverbnation, just search “Ben Cote Band” on any of those apps.
Most importantly, you can see us perform live! We are always gigging, and you can see any tour/show dates on our website or Facebook!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bencoteband.com
- Email: gregg@bencoteband.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/bencoteband
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bencoteband
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/bencoteband
- Other: www.instagram.com/thebencote
Image Credit:
All photos by Steven Hebert of SDH Photos.
www.sdhphotos.com
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