Alt-Rock Band, Kojak, Share Their Unpretentious Rock Anthem “Seasons”
In the spring of 2023, Kojak entered the studio of acclaimed musician and producer David James Allen to record what was initially intended to be a single tune. Little did they know that this encounter would mark the beginning of a liberating creative process. The energy, sound quality, and creativity that David brought to the sessions captivated the band, leading them to expand their vision and produce a full album under his record label, Littleknown Records.
Their song, “Seasons,” has a lot to offer, from sweeping guitar melodies to a chanty chorus, all held up with a rolling, rhythm-driven beat. The band chants the four seasons in the pre-chorus which, lyric-wise, is the first part of the song that was written. It felt natural to name the song after this pivotal moment in the tune, a moment in which time for the band is passing quickly and they are trying to find their bearings.
“Winters can feel long and drawn out in small-town Ontario, so with the changing of the seasons we felt naturally driven to create some tunes that reflected our rejoice in the inevitable tilt of the earth’s axis,” says drummer Mitchell Cory. “We feel like we hit our mark with ‘Seasons,’ which for us suitably plays like a celebratory, summertime anthem.”
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
We are Kojak, a rock’n’roll band from Prince Edward County. Our sound is quite expansive, covering elements of rock, roots/americana, blues, funk, and a bunch more. Our main aim is to simply provide a musical product that we would enjoy consuming. This allows us to cut out all unnecessary distractions and focus on what is important; Making solid tunes.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Our most recent release is our single ‘Seasons’ which we have deemed appropriate as a summertime anthem. Coming out of a monotonous and bland winter season we felt driven to create a song that reflected our excitement heading into a more enjoyable time of the year. For us ‘Seasons’ came naturally, it is one of those songs that came to us quickly and basically wrote itself. We followed our intuition to create a tune that we think people can relate to on a very accessible level.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
Our songwriting process is a group effort. Every member of the band has contributed rather evenly to all past and present projects. Often a song is born out of an impromptu jam that seemingly comes out of nowhere; A simple guitar lick, a bouncing drum rhythm, or even a quirky lyric that inspires us to build upon a single spontaneous moment. These moments come out of nowhere and we all feel driven and inspired when encountering them, leading to a writing process that is equally engaging and productive for all members.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
Along with the release of our newest single ‘Seasons’ we released a long-form video on our YouTube page chronicling our recent journey as a band. This video includes Kojak performance footage, practice footage, touring footage, and most appropriately, footage of us writing and recording ‘Seasons’. We hope this content can give a small insight into why we do what we do and how rewarding and enjoyable the experience of being creatively expressive can be. Outside of the video project we still have a busy summer ahead, including a hometown show at Base31 supporting Kasador and The Glorious Sons, as well as a few festivals; Mackinnon Brothers Back to the Farm and Gussapolooza. We’ll also be hitting up a bunch of our favourite nearby cities like Kingston and Toronto for shows with some other great bands.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
No single moment in particular. I think what really keeps us going is the high that we get from playing a great show. This can come when playing in front of thousands of people or it can come when playing in front of 20 people. The feeling is the same, the sense of accomplishment when you go out and do exactly what you wanted to do, connecting with an audience and being honest with your musical material, that’s what it’s really all about. These are the moments that make us feel like we’re heading in the right direction
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
Check out our friends Feral Minks! We’ve done a bunch of shows with them and love jamming and hanging with them. They have a unique rock sound that is laid back but highly groovy and infectious. The dynamics in their sound is fun, they also know how to let loose and bring a lot of energy to their songs when appropriate. We definitely recommend giving them a listen or checking out one of their shows!