I recently discovered the project CODE E1, created by musician Nick Cody. The band has a definite indie rock sound, but it also has elements of new wave, rock and folk thrown in for good measure, making for one awesome mixture altogether! If that sounds good, you should really check this interview out!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released an album titled Year Of The Bat Cat. What can you tell us about the album? Why did you pick that title?
The graphic for Year Of The Bat Cat came from a brilliant graphic artist, Sarah Patrick. After the whole Covid era, I imagined the Bat Cat character to be a combination of Batman and Godzilla, bringing some great healing melodies and beats to the wider world. The album contains 10 great tracks remixed by Mercury Prize nominee and John Peel favourite Black Star Liner. I’m lucky to also have superb vocal assistance from Agi and Ella Playford on All Kinds Of Crazy. This is music to spark the brain and tap your feet.
How has the reception to Year Of The Bat Cat been so far, and where can the album be purchased?
We’ve had great feedback on the album from a variety of radio stations and artists, including Jim Glennie, the founding member of James who commented: “Wonderfully innovative and explorative. Packed full of strong melodies and ideas. Exciting and unpredictable.”
The album is available on all digital platforms, as well as Bandcamp as a physical CD and digital download here – https://nickcodymusic.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-bat-cat
Do you plan to release any singles from the album in the near future?
There are lots of tracks on the album that would make great singles and we are looking at Gather Round as a future single, which has an extended version on the album that has turned out really well.
Are there any plans to release another album or EP, or is it too soon?
There are another 24 CODE E1 tracks in the vault, so plenty of material for further EPs and/or another album. We’ll be reviewing release dates in the next few months. I have two other albums on the go at present, as well as the CODE E1 material, so it’s super busy.
The band is the project of Nick Cody. Why did you decide to produce music under the moniker of CODE E1, instead of as a solo artist?
The idea for CODE E1 came from the fact that these are electronic remixes of Cody material, and are very different to the previous 4 albums I have released, so they deserve a different and unique moniker.
Your music has an experimental, new wave sound. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
Both Black Star Liner and I are Talking Heads and Bowie fans and both of those artists are a big influence on the CODE E1 material. On Nothing Here Sounds Good, I feel myself channelling Bowie with the line “You can take these sounds; you can shape these words”. David Byrne and the rhythms of The Talking Heads have been a big inspiration, especially from the Remain In Light era. In recent times I’ve been a big fan of Jason Isbell, who is a terrific songwriter, as well as Nick Cave, who was first introduced to me by my good friend Tim Booth, the lead singer for James.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?
I have a new album featuring Towse of great cover versions with a twist coming out this September. The first single will be a totally new rework of the classic Fleetwood Mac track Dreams, but totally different to the original version, played on a resonator guitar with violin and great harmony vocals. We already have a video completed for this and four other great tracks mixed for the project. Towse from CA will be joining me and Harry Orme from Leeds once they return from their two-month tour across the USA for a showcase events in Leeds at HEART Arts Centre. I’m also finalising the second Nick Cody & The Heartache album, which is a real rock project with many guest artists from across the globe.
Where are you based? How is the local music scene faring at the moment?
I’m based in Leeds and have a terrific network of artists who have contributed to my various projects. I have also had great support from seasoned musicians including Jon Gomm and Chris Catalyst from The Sisters of Mercy. The local scene is thriving with a real diversity of music of all sorts to suit all tastes. I’ve been lucky to support seasoned artists including Martin Simpson and Jon Gomm at the great venue, The Old Woollen.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
We are playing Leeds at HEART Arts Centre on September 23rd and tickets are already selling well for this event, hosted by Green Eyed Records, which promotes creativity through collaboration for artists.
Any last words for the fans?
Please support artists by attending live events, buying CDs and merch. Rather than streaming tracks which give virtually no income to clients, buy from Bandcamp. Its more important that ever to support musicians, or as Joni Mitchell once said: “Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone”