Kopek: The Rock Of The Irish

Have you ever played word association? Ok then, what comes to mind when I say Irish? Red hair? Shamrocks? Bagpipes? Lucky Charms? How about genuine and authentic rock and roll saviors, here to deliver a sermon that not only is rock and roll not dead, but it is about to grab you by the neck and choke you into submission. Do I have your attention now?

Let me introduce you to three lads from Dublin, Ireland: Shane Cooney on drums, Brad Kinsella on bass and Daniel Jordan on vocals and guitar. They go by the name Kopek and their debut CD, “White Collar Lies”, has only been out a short time, but it has caught the attention of an industry that has grown stale and an audience that is hungry for real music. These guys are as genuine as you get: real musicians writing real songs and playing real music.

I had the privilege of catching up with drummer Shane Cooney before a recent gig and we talked about this crazy rock and roll ride that has begun for the band. “The response here in the States has been overwhelming at times. We wanted to keep things honest and original when we made the CD, but we truly did not expect this kind of a reaction on this side of the pond. Everyone seems to be really into it,” said Shane.
So, what’s in a name? What exactly does Kopek mean? Shane explained, “It really doesn’t mean anything, we just liked the word. We wanted to choose something that people would hear and associate it with the band, no second meanings. We wanted to have a blank canvas, free to do what we wanted. Plus, it needed to have a hardcore and rock sound to it.”

The boys have been busting their chops and paying their dues for almost ten years now, so this is no overnight sensation story. Drawing on influences ranging from Robert Johnson and the Doors to Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins, the lads perfected their sound. Daniel provides some nasty guitar riffs that are as infectious as his very unique voice. Shane and Brad are a solid rhythm unit providing that fist in the air pumping backbeat that keeps the songs throbbing along.
“Our style is one that would stop you on the street, throw you up against the wall and slap you in the face”, says Shane, when asked about the group’s sound. “The Sex Pistols would have killed for all of this material to write about. There is so much horror going on in the world. Then you have bands that write love songs, but what if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend? Things do tend to piss us off, especially after our hangover wears off and we like to write about those things; whether it’s the price of alcohol or the price of oil.”

Shane told me that his musical defining moment came when his parents took him to a midnight show when he was eleven to see Jerry Lee Lewis in Ireland. It was a rare opportunity to see Lewis perform and Shane was a mere twenty feet away from him in a small club. He was so blown away by how real Lewis was and how he wasn’t trying to copy anyone else, he just wanted to be himself. That was the moment that he knew he wanted to do that for a living.



Speaking of shows, Kopek has definitely been busy burning up the road on tour. They just finished up a very successful tour with Hinder, Saving Abel and My Darkest Day. I was fortunate to see the guys perform in Greensboro, NC on that tour. “That was a great show! The crowd there was very into it and very energetic. I also learned that moonshine is a delicacy in those parts of the South,” explained Shane when recalling their stop in North Carolina. The band ended that tour and then jumped onto another tour with Cold and Egypt Central. Shane told me that when that tour was over, the band would be joining another tour, but he couldn’t let the cat out of the bag yet and tell me who with.

Our conversation closed with a discussion of the band celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the States instead of their native Ireland. “We were actually in Baltimore on that day and had a show to play. It’s amazing how all of America comes together and for one day only, everyone is Irish. I think we drank for two days straight and are still a bit hung over. America certainly knows how to do St. Patrick’s Day right,” said Shane.

I have to tell you all that this band has had a major impact on me. I cannot tell you the last time that I got a CD that was as solid as “White Collar Lies” is. Shane explained to me that they wrote and recorded in a way so that each song could be strong enough to be a single and video. The irony is that there are so many choices floating around, that the label is debating exactly which one to release next. How many bands can say that they actually have that type of a problem?

Check out these Irish lads and see what all the fuss is about. One listen to “White Collar Lies” will make you a believer not only in the luck of the Irish, but also in the talent of these amazing musicians.

Kopek: Dublin's Addictive Musical Export

Ireland’s newest export to the USA comes in the form of a power trio of rockers called Kopek. Their stellar debut CD entitled “White Collar Lies” has just been released onto the world. The band, consisting of Shane Cooney on drums, Brad Kinsella on bass and Daniel Jordan on vocals and guitar, are here to bring back some much needed energy and passion to rock and roll.

How many times have you opted not to buy a band’s CD because you only liked a song or two on it? Well, this CD is an exception to that rule as it is a work of art from beginning to end. It flows cohesively from beginning to end and warrants the listener’s attention to such an extent, that you don’t want to skip any tracks. How many times has that happened to you while listening to a band’s CD? Be honest now; very few times has such an occurrence happened.

The CD opens with the new single “Cocaine Chest Pains” and the opening riff immediately grabs you by the throat demanding your attention. It also caught the attention of Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue as he featured it on his radio show The Sixx Sense as one of his new picks. If this one doesn’t get you rocking, then you best call 911 because this is pure rock and roll ecstasy.

The title track shifts gears and slows the tempo a bit while delving in lyrics on a level sure to strike a chord with many people today. Touching on the government getting richer while more and more lives are lost, it is a song that touches on the sentiment of many Americans today.

“Love Is Dead” is another stand-out track that pays homage to many of the band’s fallen idols. It was the band’s first video and is a stellar example of singer Daniel Jordan’s insanely original and powerful vocals.

The band really mixes it up and rocks out with fierce intensity on songs such as “The Easy Way (D.B. Cooper)” and “Bring It Home”, which also includes another nasty riff that the song is based around. They also know how to slow the tempo a bit on songs such as “Floridian” and “Bigger Than Us All” to where they are almost ballads, but they build up to their chorus which rocks out.

Brad and Shane are a tight unit to supply the backbeat and drive that powers this band. Daniel, well, what can I say about Daniel? This guy is definitely a star that many people will be talking about in the near future. He is a highly skilled guitar player with some original and amazing riffs that hook you from the first chord. He also possesses one of the most original voices to come along in years. He has a rough and raspy voice that is so powerful and full of conviction that you can’t help but to notice who is singing. It hooks you and makes you want to hear more.

I highly recommend this CD to lovers of powerful rock and roll that is true to the core and heartfelt. You also have to love the effect of the distortion pedal on a catchy riff. Kopek may be new to the scene for most of us, but these guys have been putting in their dues for almost a decade and it looks as if the payoff is in sight. Check out “White Collar Lies” and experience a new force in rock and roll to be reckoned with.

Hinder And Friends Keep Rock Alive In The Carolinas

The Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC recently played host to a good old fashioned rock and roll party. The new travelling rock show consisting of Kopek, my Darkest Days, Saving Abel and headliner Hinder pulled into town on January 27. Their agenda was simple: to thaw out the frozen town and to keep rock and roll alive in the Carolinas.

Kopek kicked off the show right on time to a half full house. The ones who were there got treated to a solid thirty minute set from this Irish band. Lead singer Daniel Jordan has a very unique voice and is a worthy front man. Low on style, but heavy on substance, they slowly warmed the crowd over. “Cocaine Chest Pains” and “Love is Dead” got the loudest crowd responses.

My Darkest Days were up next and the floor quickly filled up when they hit their cue. Discovered by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, this band has developed a very strong and loyal following in a short amount of time. Their set really got the crowd fired up! It included a great cover of Duran Duran’s “Come Undone”. It was true to the original, but with an added rock edge to it. The set ended with their huge lead-off single “Porn Star Dancing” and everyone in the building was on their feet for this one. Lead singer Matt Walst is great fronting this band and his voice was top notch. The ladies did seem to be very taken to their shirtless, mohawk sporting guitarist Sal Costa.

Saving Abel took the stage next and kept the crowd pumped up. Touring in support of their latest CD “Miss America”, the bands energy may have been just a step down from My Darkest Days, but they did sound awesome. Lead singer Jared Weeks interacted a lot with the crowd and even dedicated a song to the troops serving overseas. “Addicted”, off of their first CD, got the crowd rocking as well as their latest hit “The Sex Is Good”.

It was finally time for Hinder to hit the stage and at that point, the crowd was hot and ready for them. In a time when most bands depend on a lot of flash and props to make up for a lack of actual talent, Hinder proved that they were not in that category. Lead singer Austin Winkler was definitely schooled in the eighties front man genre. He strutted around the stage enticing screams out of the women while at the same time encouraging the men to band their heads! He had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. The band was there to have fun and wanted the crowd to forget about their nine to five troubles for ninety minutes and enjoy this rock and roll party.

The set was a good mix of tracks off of their new CD “All American Nightmare” and their previous two releases. The band is all about partying, but they have also found a niche amongst their fans with their eighties inspired power ballads. “Better Than Me” and their huge hit “Lips Of An Angel” got two of the biggest sing along that night.

The band was tight and proved themselves worthy of headlining this bill. All bands did a meet and greet after their sets that night and met fans and signed autographs. The music industry is truly struggling with the issue of illegal downloading. When acts like these allow the fans to get one on one contact with them, it is a great marketing tool that needs to be utilized by more bands.

It was a fun night full of great rock and roll. Hats off to the beautiful Carolina Theatre for bringing such a great event to their venue. It is a small, intimate theatre complete with an upper balcony and the acoustics in the place were incredible. The theatre is a classy place with a top notch staff. Here’s hoping that many more great acts will make at a stop at this wonderful venue.