Interview: An Old Friend push back against the status quo

We need intimate human connection. And if we don’t get it in the correct doses, we are prone to romanticizing it, for better or for worse. We overlay fantastical notions over the truth, thus clouding what is right in front of our noses. That detachment numbs our senses, and reality isn’t even our own anymore. Alt-rock quartet called An Old Friend, whose moniker is drenched in nostalgia for former and faded relationships, battle grisly-boned demons with their song “Lady,” a slow-cooked dreamscape framed around escapism of what could be. “If I can’t see all of it, then maybe I should learn to try and not love you instead,” lead singer Cody Kohler caterwauls into wiry guitar licks. His heart turned purple, Kohler feels every prick of the past, but that only serves to ignite him somehow from the inside out.

“Lady” anchors the band’s latest EP, 2017’s I Am, I Was, a classically-structured set of rock tunes subverting expectations along the way. Rounded out by Eddy Barrera (on guitar), Cory Brown (bass) and Frank Facompre (drums), the Long Island troupe of players celebrate refinement of their craft, which was seven years in the making. “When we first started playing, we didn’t have nearly as much chemistry together as we do now, nor did we have much knowledge on the music industry side of things either,” Kohler tells B-Sides & Badlands. Heavily influenced by rock darlings La Dispute and Mewithoutyou, EP primer “They Feed on Me at Night” is an assaulting rhythmic piece with a spoken word interlude that “kind of flowed naturally,” he says. “[I] was toying with it during rehearsal, and it just made sense to us.”

“Scavenger Hunt,” enticingly spun with varied guitar chords in an intricate web, and the ambient release “We’re Still Sleeping” rely heavily on mood, allowing the melodies to untie in calculated drips. But that’s the general approach An Old Friend adheres to, choosing to rearrange templates of what rock music could and should be. “We believe it comes from us never really having a targeted sound. Each of us also have an eclectic background of influences that aid in the way we portray our music, individually, and then when that is combined, it makes our sound,” says Kohler, who has perfected his vocal exertions and shades in delightful extremes and vulnerable subtleties. “We write as a collective a lot, so we believe that’s what largely attributes to our overall sound and intuition as to what sounds good and feels good to us.”

“It’s these scars that tell me who you are,” Kohler observes with one of “Scavenger Hunt”s most poignant lines, peeping into between mournful cries and stifling claps of sound. It’s an apt examination “to understand people,” he explains, noting that particular lyric was written by bandmate Barrera, whose guitar work is sweetly aggressive. “The experiences one goes through in life shapes who they are,” and it is from that vantage point much of the band’s work is filtered. “Fragments & Blurs,” another moment of blues-bending, engages with an “eclectic flow of that…felt nice.”

With “We’re Still Sleeping,” Kohler’s voice twists and glides across the coals of a dying fire. The misery is raw, and even within the erratic arrangement, which later accelerates to a break-neck speed, the emotion sits just on the surface. “That song was partially written on acoustic guitar [with] vocals by [me], so that could have aided in the more emotional atmosphere,” says Kohler. “As far as the tom groove at the end of the song, that’s what flowed naturally for Frank, and as a band, we knew it was the right touch. His heavy Tool influence may have peaked out a little there, as well.”

Top to bottom, I Am, I Was, frames the present through past trials and tribulations, ultimately pressed together with four genius minds and a mission to flip the script. “One major thing we learned is that writing is a process that can never be rushed, and we feel that’s the issue with today’s industry. Certain labels have big expectations for bands to keep producing on such a large and fast level that it barely allows the artist to breath, reflect and live life as a means to have substance to write about,” Kohler bemoans of an industry spiraling out of control.

In the meantime, An Old Friend eye more adventures in their new work going forward. “Oh man, we have so much new material that we are stoked to bring into the studio. All of the new songs each individually carry their own complexities and colors,” stresses Kohler. “So, for those who have been supporting us, hang tight, we assure you will not be let down, this next release will be a special one.”

The beauty of their workmanship also lies in a live show that’s as unique as it is complementary to their studio recordings. “We record our songs as organically as possible, therefore, having our live performances sounding as close to the studio recording as possible,” he says. “Although, there may be times where we improvise some slight changes to a song or two for fun or to flow the set better. You can always add to your songs giving the crowd a little extra color to take in.”

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