EMQ’s With iCobbles
EMQ’s With iCobbles
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Pop-Rock band iCobbles. Huge thanks to Drummer/ Keyboardist, Colin Timpson, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Colin Timpson aka iCobbles. I play drums and keyboards. I’ve been playing the drums for 50 years now, and keyboards for about 10 years (very basic level ).
The band is a relatively new thing, it sprang out of the creation of my debut album using the musicians that appear on the album plus those I will need to play it live. John Mitchell on Vocals, Nick Andrew on Guitars and synths, me on Drums and Keyboards.
How did you come up with your band name?
My close friends call me Cobbles, so when it came to a band name that was the first name I came up with. Then, after the first release under the name Cobbles I discovered there was another artist of the same name, so I had to change it to iCobbles. The change in name has been a technical nightmare with Apple and Amazon, but it’s sorting itself out now.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
I live in Berkshire, UK, and the Rock scene is still popular over here. There seem to be more Rock bands springing up all the time, especially with young people. But then I think that young people have a lot to be angry about in the UK and Rock is generally an angry music isn’t it?
My music is not so angry, more a statement of modern day life in the UK.
What is your latest release?
https://icobbles-official.bandcamp.com/album/youre-not-alone
General release date was 10th October 2024.
Who have been your greatest influences?
The influences for this album are many and varied:
Genesis, Phil Collins, Kalvin Harris, Rihanna, Paco De Lucia, Cameron, Kate Bush, Tchaikovsky, Harry Styles, Boris Brejcha, Rammstein, Chick Corea, Dua Lipa, Arianna Grande, Stevie Wonder, David Guetta, Justin Bieber, King Gnu, and Justin Timberlake.
What first got you into music?
I have to give credit to the history teacher, Charlie Harvey, at secondary school who taught me to play the drums at age 12. That gave me a real passion for the drums. Then the Music teacher at the same school, Andy Stevens, invited me into the school band a year later and that gave me the absolute joy of playing live. When I left school, aged 16 I formed an originals band with some friends and my twin brother. After some years this got me into writing songs, but not many.
In 1985 the band I was in broke up and that had a profound effect on me. I was disillusioned with music / bands and the industry so I gave everything up. Then six months later my mum called me to one side and said these words “you have music in your blood, and in whatever form, you will have to do music for the rest of your life” when I asked why she said “because otherwise you will be the pain in the ass you have been the last six months”. I took her words to heart and started playing drums in cover bands at the weekends for the next 20 years.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I love the collaboration I have with John Mitchell and long may it continue. In the future it would be awesome to collaborate with Celine Dion or Teddy Swims. I know they are not Rock stars but you did ask!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Has to be Glastonbury. To play in front of thousands, singing my songs would be a dream come true.
The other would be the Sopot Festival in Poland as it’s just such a cool festival to be at.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
A Pink tee-shirt with my band name on it. – before I had finalised the band name!!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Be kind to everyone you meet, help people where you can and make the world a better place.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Freddie Mercury
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I always get a huge kick out of writing songs. “yesterday it didn’t exist, and today it does” to be able to do that is a great privilege and gift – I have to thank my mother and father for that.
What I hate – lugging my drum kit around and breaking it down at the end of a gig. One day, one day someone will help me!! Lol.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
That the streaming platforms paid a decent rate to all artists.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Genesis, We can’t dance. For me it was better than Trick of the Tail, which I considered the best up to then.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
In this modern world, downloads are becoming king with all the streaming platforms around. What is best however, is a personal choice. I like vinyl but I also like the convenience of downloads.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
My first band out of school, when we played back at the school the following year, the room went crazy for us. We had supported the “school” band. But halfway through the headline act the crowd started demanding that we come back on! Utterly magical night.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I was a corporate accountant for twenty years, so that’s always my fallback position. When music didn’t pay the bills I went into Accountancy. But now it’s time to follow my passion for music.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
John Mitchell, Celine Dion, Phil Collins, Teddy Swims & Gordan Sumner (sting)
What’s next for the band?
Second album, then live shows
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564418319322
https://icobbles-official.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/icobbles_official
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
A Jaffa cake is awesome and is both, pure and simple!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I am trying to help Penny’s Ark, a dog rescue charity here in the UK that rescues dogs from kill shelters in Romania. Their rescue shelter land has been sold and they need to raise funds to buy some land in Romania to house the 30 dogs they have rescued. I am donating all the proceeds from my single “Heaven Sent” to Penny’s Ark.
Link to video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpCpsTKjCew
Link to single – https://icobbles-official.bandcamp.com/track/heaven-sent-2
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