Interview with: Cool Ass

Cool Ass was created by Marc Marut, with a sound that’s reminiscent of 90’s alternative. Combining a hard hitting, toe tapping, energetic
rock style with other influences, Cool Ass music gets people moving as much as the lyrics get them laughing. Not only is Marc a
musician/songwriter, he is also an accomplished actor. He has starred
in feature films such as “The Paperboy (1994)”, as well as many TV
shows such as “Goosebumps” and “Road To Avonlea”. Marc does all the composing, recording, and audio engineering himself.

Interview by Tim Brown

1-When and why did you start playing?
I was given my first electric guitar when I was eight, but I didn’t get serious about learning how to play until I was fifteen. I always had music that just popped into my head, and I needed to learn how to put it onto an instrument… but with piano, teachers tried to restrict my adding style to what I was learning, and I didn’t like that. For me the guitar was freedom. Nobody restricted me, and I could just express myself however I wanted.

2-Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
There are so many! Definitely Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan for their amazing technical skills. Also Brian May and David Gilmour, because ultimately music is about how it sounds, and they sound great. That’s just a few off the top of my head.

3-Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?
I used to listen to The Doors “The Soft Parade” on vinyl a lot as a kid, and was fascinated by how the title track could change so drastically from part to part, yet still worked beautifully together as a song. The first record I bought for myself was “Stone Cold Rhymin'” by Young MC, and I was really impressed with the sound of the bass. I still really like having a powerful bass sound in my own music today.

4-Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD’s?
I really enjoy Veruca Salt, and never get tired of the albums Nina Gordon and Louise Post cowrote, including “Ghost Notes” from after they got back together. I especially like Danko Jones and his first EP “My Love Is Bold”, because it’s just dripping with attitude… otherwise, some of my staples are AC/DC, Hole, Metric, Alice Deejay, or whatever I feel like at the time.

5-Have you been in competitions? Fleadh’s? Any prizes?
I’ve never done any music competitions.

6-Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? Concerts, radio, TV
I haven’t done any live performances in a long time. Working in the studio allows me to do
everything myself.

7-What makes this kind of music “good” to you?
I really like my music because it’s upbeat and lighthearted. It’s got a great rhythm you can really groove to, and the lyrics are pretty funny. The style is reminiscent of the 90’s, which was a very magical time for me. Hearing it makes me happy.

8-Why did you choose to play this kind of music?
I didn’t really choose it, it more or less chose me. When great music pops into my head, I feel it has to be recorded and put out into the world. This is just the kind of music that comes out of me.

9-Let’s Talk about your music and your last work…
I was getting ready to record some other songs I have written, when suddenly out of nowhere we got hit by this coronavirus. Life changed almost over night, and like all my other songs “Fuck You COVID-19” just popped into my head. It was such a catchy tune and was so relevant to how people were feeling, I had to put all my other plans on hold and record it. For the music video, I asked fans from around the world to send in footage of themselves rocking out to the song. I wanted to show that despite all the restrictions we’re currently having to deal with, we could all still come together and have fun. People really love it, and I’m grateful I can bring them some joy in these difficult times.

10-How do you feel about the internet in the music business?
This is the best time in history to be into music! The internet allows us the opportunity to
discover music we couldn’t have ever heard in the past. It used to be we’d either have to listen to what was on the radio or exchange cassette tapes, but now with a little effort we can search for anything. We can even interact with our favourite artists over social media! I think it’s brought musicians and fans closer together.

11-What are the plans for the future?
Since I already have a lot of songs written, I plan to record and release more singles until I have enough for an album. Then, because I’m so fond of records, I’d really love to have it pressed onto vinyl. Not just regular black vinyl either, but something really colorful. I think putting out a brightly colored vinyl record would be really Cool-Ass!

12-How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?
I understand it a lot better. I used to have trouble, sometimes, translating what I heard in my
head onto instruments, but now it’s a lot easier. That’s the advantage of knowing a little music theory – I don’t use it to write music, but having that knowledge prevents me from getting frustrated when I’m getting it out of me.

13-Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
Sure, for me that’s pretty simple. A tune pops into my head and is so catchy it gets stuck there for a while. Eventually, I realize I have to record it, so I take what I hear and put it onto
instruments… then I set about recording and producing the track. I do everything myself, which I guess makes me a bit of a control freak… but I’m always happy with the final result.

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