Interview: Cobbler Opens Up About New Album, ‘No One Knows The Question’
Welcome to TIG’s interview with Cobbler, the electronic musician hailing from the city of Sheffield, United Kingdom. With a career spanning three full albums and a mini-album, Cobbler is no stranger to the music scene. Renowned also for his collaborations with poet Luke Wright and singer-songwriter Michael Vickers, Cobbler’s journey is always an honest and personal one.
His latest album, ‘No One Knows The Question,’ digs deep into the complexities of human emotion and experience. From the intimate breakdown of a long-term friendship to the allure of distant shores and starting again, Cobbler’s music is a personal reflection of life and the ups and downs it throws your way.
Join us as we unravel the layers behind the new album…
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US COBBLER AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RELEASE OF THE NEW ALBUM. HOW HAS YOUR SONGWRITING PROCESS CHANGED OR REMAINED THE SAME FROM YOUR PREVIOUS ALBUM TO ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION’?
My previous album, ‘Songs, Delayed,’ was all about remaking songs I had written when I was younger and bringing them into a contemporary focus. On ‘Question’ I started from the bottom up. I wanted to write about how I felt now to allow myself and my audience the opportunity to see how I’ve grown and changed as an artist and a person.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN THEMES OF THE SONGS ON ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION,’ AND HOW DO THEY RELATE TO YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES?
I’ve lived in Sheffield my whole life, and a recent experience of having to end a longterm friendship and the subsequent fallout led me to question whether I should try living somewhere else. The lead single, ‘Wanderlust,’ speaks about this desire – “Let’s just run away to Rio”!
I think overall there’s a theme of dissatisfaction and restlessness – not internally (as ‘Dinosaurs and Meteors’ shows I am happily married!), but with the outside world. ‘Shitshow’ talks about how awful our current government is, and the aforementioned friendship is detailed in ‘A Guy With A Bad Idea’ and ‘No White Knight.’
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED IN MAKING ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION,’ AND HOW DID YOU TACKLE IT?
I think it’s always nerve-wracking to open yourself up in this way. These songs are intensely personal, and holding my nerve in writing, recording and releasing them has been a challenge at times. It’s like holding your inner feelings up and projecting them out into the world. How will people react?
WHAT DO YOU HOPE LISTENERS TAKE AWAY FROM ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION’?
I hope that listeners will feel it’s authentic and honest. This is who I am and how I feel. I also hope they will respect the creativity that goes into the music, which I think can be hard to categorise at times. I make the music that I want to make, without worrying where it will fit and I hope listeners will enjoy that variety.
YOU ALSO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ARTISTS LIKE LUKE WRIGHT (THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE COUNTRY) AND MICHAEL VICKERS (DOGS DON’T DEAL) – HOW DOES COLLABORATING WITH OTHER MUSICIANS IMPACT YOUR OWN CREATIVE PROCESS?
I love working with both Luke and Mikey. They both have really different approaches to songwriting and music and take me out of my comfort zone. Plus, Luke gave me the guitar that features on most of these songs so he’s had a big impact there!
I would love to collaborate with more vocalists – I’ve got a dream of making an album of duets – so I’d welcome anyone who fancies writing a song together getting in touch.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AFTER THE RELEASE OF ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION’?
I’m working on new material with Dogs Don’t Deal and The People Who Run…, I’ve already got three songs for the next Cobbler album. I make music endlessly for my own mental wellbeing as much as anything else, and I’ll keep doing it until I can’t do it any more! Stay tuned, I’m not going anywhere.
AND, FINALLY A FUN QUESTION… IN THREE WORDS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ‘NO ONE KNOWS THE QUESTION’?
In three words…?
Eclectic excoriating pop!
As we wrap up our conversation with Cobbler, we extend our thanks for shedding light on the creative process and themes behind ‘No One Knows The Question.’ From his candid reflections on personal experiences to the challenges faced in bringing this album to life, Cobbler’s insights have offered a deeper understanding behind the music, and we’re grateful for the time and candor throughout.
Check out the album below and keep up to date with Cobbler via the social channels below.
Facebook / Twitter / Spotify / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / YouTube / Instagram
