Cognition | Matt Connarton Unleashed

0:00 Speaker 1: There it is.

0:00 Speaker 2: That is the Washed the band is a cognition and I believe we have gen X with us via Microsoft teams. Jan are you there? Good morning, Good morning, welcome back to the show. You have been on, of course once before with your other band, and I remember we went through this and you'll have to refresh my memory.

0:19 Speaker 1: Is it?

0:19 Speaker 2: Is it Generations or Generation z yess Generations? So that's the other band that we had you on with. But this project, I really like this a lot.

0:29 Speaker 1: Cognition. I love the sound.

0:31 Speaker 2: We're going to play at the end of our conversation today, we're going to play the other single that you sent us, the game, which is also a really great track. But and where are you geographically? Are you in Missouri? Yeah, we're in Springfield, Springfield, Missouri.

0:44 Speaker 1: How is that close to Saint Louis.

0:47 Speaker 3: Three and a half hours?

0:49 Speaker 1: Oh? Not close at all. Okay, what are you close to?

0:53 Speaker 4: You?

0:53 Speaker 2: We might have talked about this last time too, But is there what, like, what's the big big city that you're close to or is there one one?

1:01 Speaker 3: Well, so we're so we are close.

1:03 Speaker 1: To Branson, Branson.

1:04 Speaker 3: Okay, I'm I actually live in Branson.

1:08 Speaker 1: Oh, you live in Branson. Okay, gotcha, gotcha?

1:11 Speaker 2: And what I do want to talk about the song, But before we do that, what's the difference between because of some of the same members right in both.

1:18 Speaker 3: Bands for a four out of five?

1:21 Speaker 1: Four out of five?

1:22 Speaker 2: Okay, Now that's interesting because I mean, with with that that ratio, what can you describe the difference between the two projects in terms of I mean, if it's only one member different, like, tell us about that.

1:34 Speaker 1: I'm really curious about this.

1:36 Speaker 2: How do you like, you know, because obviously you know they're both rock, they're both metal. But what what is the difference between the two bands Cognition and Generations?

1:45 Speaker 4: Well, so both so the members all play different instruments too. So for like Generations, Daniel is the drummer for Generations, but he's the guitar player for Cognition. Oh interesting, Michael, Yeah, Michael plays the bay for Generations, but he plays the guitar for Cognition.

2:04 Speaker 1: Oh wow.

2:05 Speaker 3: And Anthony plays.

2:07 Speaker 4: The guitar for Generations, but he plays the bass for Cognition.

2:13 Speaker 2: Oh that's interesting. Okay, that's cool. I've never I've never seen anything quite like that where you have you know, basically it's most of the same people with two different bands because they just play different instruments in the different projects. That's really interesting, that's cool. Yeah, how so how did I assume Generations was first?

2:34 Speaker 1: Right?

2:37 Speaker 4: Yeah?

2:37 Speaker 3: So well I believe so. Well. No, actually they were playing.

2:42 Speaker 4: Cognition first, okay, and then started Generations. But I came into Generations first.

2:48 Speaker 1: Okay.

2:50 Speaker 2: Now do any of these songs cross over? Do you and end up getting played by both both bands?

3:00 Speaker 1: Because I was not yet, not yet, not yet.

3:03 Speaker 4: No, It's it's funny because well, we recently unfortunately lost our drummer that you hear on both of our tracks, and uh so we we have a new drummer, and it's amazing how just one member can completely change the sound and the vibe of a band. Yeah, it's also interesting to me. I I was like, being the lead singer, you.

3:34 Speaker 3: Know, for both bands. My voice doesn't really change, so I.

3:38 Speaker 4: Wasn't quite sure if it was just gonna wind up sounding like the same band. But it really doesn't. Both bands are still completely different, even though you know I'm.

3:47 Speaker 2: The same right right, Yeah, that that dynamic is very interesting to me. Well, let's talk about the song the Washed, because this is heavy stuff. And you know when you listen to it. Obviously, songs, you know, lyrics can can mean different things to different people, And of course there's no right or wrong answer, because art is up to the individual to interpret it however it means whatever it's going to end up meaning to them as as in this case as a listener. But but the song does have a very specific meeting from the meaning, from the point of view of what you wrote about and tell us about that, what is the washed about.

4:24 Speaker 4: So it's almost like a like a war cry for anthem for trying to raise awareness and trying to come together to help battle this fit and al epidemic, because I mean, that's exactly what it is. I think it's reached the point where you're probably not going to find a person who's not been affected in some way, whether it's a family member, or whether it's a coworker, or whether it's just somebody you know or you know, whether it's just someone very close to you. But it's it's astating and everybody, every one of us in the band has been touched by it.

5:05 Speaker 4: I've lost several friends, Daniel lost his cousin, and that's who the song is actually wrote for okay, So, yeah, we got to do something.

5:16 Speaker 2: What was it like recording it? Because again, uh, it's heavy stuff the subject.

5:24 Speaker 1: I mean, was was that challenging at all? Or was it?

5:27 Speaker 2: Was it kind of just like recording any other song? I mean, I mean, what was that like to to work on this? Because obviously, when you're talking about a subject like that, you wanted to really come across. You know, you want it to come across to the listener as being about something important. You know, even if they don't necessarily connect. You know, you don't hear the word fentanyl and the lyrics necessarily right, but but but you want it. You do want it to connect to the listener in a way that they know they're listening to something important and that you're talking about something serious.

5:57 Speaker 2: So was that a challenge in terms of recording this?

6:02 Speaker 4: So the studio is probably our favorite place. You know, music is a coping mechanism. Uh, the best coping mechanism, I feel like. So, so I would say no, just for that aspect, because that is our space that we can get in there and have all the emotions and uh, but you know, use it positively.

6:25 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, no, that makes sense. That makes sense. And what's the reception been like? You know, I assume you've been you know, people probably ask you, you know, what's the song about, or maybe.

6:38 Speaker 1: Maybe as you're as you've released.

6:40 Speaker 2: This because it is available right this is this is already out on all the platforms, I assume, I mean, what what what's the reception been like to the song so far?

6:49 Speaker 4: Uh? You know, it's it's it's been great. We you never know when you release something what the response is gonna be. And I and I'm nervous every time. It doesn't matter. I'm nervous every time I go on stage, right, And but the response has been great, you know, since I've started both of these projects. It's I was not expecting. I really went into it not expecting anything. M hm. And uh, I was just living my best life, I guess. And uh, but this response has just been really great. It's everybody's been overwhelmingly supportive.

7:27 Speaker 3: And uh.

7:27 Speaker 4: And we are planning on putting a music video to this one. We're going to get community involved. I reached out to some some people in the community and they have graciously provided us with some photos of their family members that have been impacted. And uh, you know, we're gonna we're going to honor them in the videos.

7:48 Speaker 3: So I'm I'm really excited about this one for sure.

7:51 Speaker 1: Oh that's that's excellent.

7:53 Speaker 2: Do you feel like, you know, because when you mentioned the community, do you mean when you say community in this context, you mean just just the area that you live in or are you referring to and I suspect it's this, but are you referring more to just the music community? Because it seems like people who are artistic, particularly in music, musicians we've all known. I mean, you know, I've been around a while, we all know a lot of For whatever reason, musicians tend to very often be people who fall prone to addiction, whether it's fentanyl or anything else, any number of things.

8:28 Speaker 2: I mean, is that kind of what you're referring to, like in the music community, or do you mean geographically or or what do you mean exactly just a.

8:35 Speaker 4: Mixture of both. I also, you know, joined some fitanel support groups. Oh wow, have some really great support groups on Facebook for anybody that is looking for some support.

8:45 Speaker 3: And I highly encourage that.

8:47 Speaker 4: Yeah, and so you know we've reached out to those groups too as well.

8:51 Speaker 1: Okay, Okay, no, that's good.

8:54 Speaker 2: And why why the washed? What is what is the meaning of that term in the context of the song?

9:04 Speaker 3: I think you know that Again that's left up to the interpreter.

9:09 Speaker 4: Yeah, for me, it's you know, we're washing clean and starting over. Yeah, we all have mistakes, we all go through hard times. It's part of the learning process, it's part of the growth process.

9:25 Speaker 3: Shame.

9:26 Speaker 4: When people carry shame, it leads to a lot of you know, a lot of negative coping, I think, And so for me, it's washing that shame.

9:34 Speaker 1: Away right right now?

9:37 Speaker 2: Have you have you had a chance to perform this live?

9:42 Speaker 4: Yes?

9:43 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, good?

9:47 Speaker 2: And tell us about two you know, because again we talked about generations last time we were on the show. We don't know a lot about cognition. But so you've got this, and you've got the single of the game, And have you released other music under Cognition or are those the only two track so far?

10:00 Speaker 4: Not yet, that's the only two, but we definitely have more coming. We're working on a full album.

10:06 Speaker 1: Excellent, excellent.

10:08 Speaker 2: And then are you the other track the game, which we're gonna play at the end of our conversation, which also really love. Did you record those in the same place, the same studio.

10:16 Speaker 1: Yes, okay? And where do you record these?

10:19 Speaker 2: Because we should give some shine to I don't know if you there's so many different ways to record now, you know you can at a lot of musicians have home studios. A lot of musicians will still go to a studio work with a engineer and producer and everything. But I really like sonically, I think both these songs sound absolutely fantastic.

10:36 Speaker 1: So I'm curious where you record well?

10:39 Speaker 4: That is kudos to Jeff Smith over at Studio twenty one in Springfield.

10:45 Speaker 1: Okay, okay? And how did you come to work with him?

10:51 Speaker 4: So I believe Daniel has worked with him on projects previously.

10:56 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, yeah, because he does Like I said, I mean, the sound uh is is great?

11:02 Speaker 1: Does he? I know?

11:03 Speaker 2: Very often in these situations sometimes an engineer will become more a producer will become almost like a like an additional member of the band. Is he someone who makes a lot of suggestions or does he just obviously he gets a great sound out of you.

11:17 Speaker 1: Uh.

11:18 Speaker 2: Does he offer a lot of input or does does he just just record?

11:23 Speaker 4: Yes? So specifically, in generations, we're gonna be using a lot of different just backing tracks.

11:28 Speaker 3: Yeah, and he we've kind of given.

11:32 Speaker 4: Him the creative space to to see what he hears and so he's really been helping us on those backing tracks.

11:40 Speaker 2: So okay, so what yeah, So in terms of recording with him, because you mentioned generations on the backing tracks, what's kind of the and again, because the dynamic of this is so interesting to me. It's basically two bands in one but just with with everybody playing different instruments or almost everybody, So.

11:58 Speaker 1: What what's kind of the priority?

12:00 Speaker 2: Is there a hierarchy in terms of what your priorities are with with each band because you're working, so you're both bands are recording at the same place, right, So is there a hierarchy in terms of what you're trying to do first?

12:14 Speaker 4: In terms of recording, we just we kind of rotate, you know, we go in this can get things accomplished for generation, and then we go in this week for cognition and people ask me all the time, like which one do you like better? And it's hard because I love them both for different reasons.

12:34 Speaker 2: Right right, Well tell us so what now I'm curious now that you said that, So what are the what are the things that you love? What are the different things that you love about each project?

12:45 Speaker 4: So Cognition I feel like kind of is more connected to my roots, and uh, you know, I relate.

12:56 Speaker 3: I relate to all the music, but some of the songs in cogn Nition definitely hint more on my past, I guess.

13:06 Speaker 4: And and then Generations I have.

13:10 Speaker 3: I feel like it opens up more of a creative side of me, and and a lot.

13:16 Speaker 4: Of it kind of hits just into who I am now, and and they have different feels in different vibes. Generation is definitely heavier, so it's kind of more I don't know,

13:33 Speaker 4: Gothic princess with.

13:38 Speaker 3: Some Wichi vibes a little bit too. I love it. But and like I said, Cognition is more.

13:45 Speaker 4: I almost feel like it had I don't want to turn it into that, but again, I kind of feel like it speaks kind of to my roots.

13:52 Speaker 3: So it has a little bit more of a country vibe to me.

13:56 Speaker 1: Yeah, we might.

13:57 Speaker 2: Actually, I'm probably gonna have time. I might sneak in. Like I said, we're gonna play in just a couple of minutes. We're gonna play the game. The other single that you sent us for cognition, but I think after that I might also sneak in that Generations track that we played before Seance, because I really liked that one a lot too, And for listeners who didn't get to hear that before when we featured that on the show, it'll be kind of a chance for them to sort of maybe compare and contrast.

14:24 Speaker 1: Yeah, and tell us again.

14:27 Speaker 2: Too about your roots. You know, you mentioned cognition kind of plays to your roots a little bit, and we did talk about that before when you were on the show. But again for newer listeners who might not know, tell us a little bit about your background.

14:39 Speaker 4: So being raised in Branson, Missouri, which back in the nineties specifically was the country music capital of the world, and my parents were entertainers there. I grew up a child performer performing in the shows around here, and I you know, I mostly I guess you could say classically trained in country So mostly what I grew up doing was country music, Okay, But Rocks has always been the core.

15:09 Speaker 3: Of my being.

15:11 Speaker 1: Absolutely.

15:11 Speaker 3: I'm so excited to be able to do it, you know.

15:14 Speaker 4: Again, coming into this, I was nervous how my tone was going to translate and see where it was going to go. But my voice has changed tremendously since I've started this project, so.

15:26 Speaker 1: Oh has it?

15:28 Speaker 4: Yeah?

15:29 Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot.

15:30 Speaker 4: It's grown a lot, it's deepened, it's my range has definitely changed, the tone has changed.

15:35 Speaker 3: It's it's been cool.

15:38 Speaker 1: Is that is.

15:40 Speaker 2: That something you've tried to do intentionally or did that just happen organically over time?

15:44 Speaker 1: I know some people.

15:47 Speaker 2: Yeah, sometimes our voices do change as we get older, they get deeper, or even like doing this, like if I listen to a podcast I did twenty years ago, it's like almost sound like almost sound like a kid. Absolutely, does your approach to vocals consciously change when you're you know, when you started in these these bands?

16:10 Speaker 1: Obviously, I don't know.

16:12 Speaker 2: I mean, do you sing kind of the same way that you did when you were singing country all the time, or or or did your approach intentionally change?

16:20 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, it's all it's all changed.

16:23 Speaker 4: And even when I go back to trying to sing other things, it sounds differently too, And I think some of that also just comes with, you know, the confidence growth as well.

16:34 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting to me because a lot of the new country I'm talking about, like really new stuff that that is kind of you know, it almost has an eighties.

16:44 Speaker 1: Rock vibe to it.

16:45 Speaker 2: And the one thing in the New Country that you'll hear that's that's still that makes it country because some of the some of the stuff, you know, like like my adopted son, Christian, he works at at ninety six point five, the big country station here in our area, and you know, so sometimes I'll tune in and it's a lot of it is it sounds like eighties rock. But the only thing that makes it country is the way that the vocal is just singing. There's like it's like they'll be just enough. It's subtle, they'll be just enough twang in the vocals where where you know, if somebody who's a rock singer who would never sung country, we're singing that exact same song, it would just sound like a rock song.

17:29 Speaker 2: It's really interesting to me. That's why I was curious about how your vocal approach might be different in these projects versus when you were singing country on a regular basis.

17:40 Speaker 4: Yeah, no, I you know, I'm I think we've all made it a point and I don't know, maybe that comes with age two, but we've definitely all made it a point to just be ourselves, like fully authentically and have a good time and whatever comes out comes.

17:55 Speaker 3: Out, you know.

17:56 Speaker 4: Yeah, so and we're experimenting, you know, that's part of it too, And music nowadays has.

18:07 Speaker 3: There there are pros and.

18:08 Speaker 4: Cons to how music has changed and blending the genres, because the genres are definitely getting blended and it's creating some really awesome stuff. So that's kind of what I feel like work we're doing as well. So we've got a couple of new songs coming out with Generations that are featuring some rap artists, so oh interesting.

18:30 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we're mixing metal with rap artists.

18:33 Speaker 1: So very cool.

18:34 Speaker 4: Fun.

18:35 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, no, that is that's that's awesome.

18:37 Speaker 2: Well, Jen, like I said in a moment, we're gonna play the game another great track that I love from Cognition. So we'll we'll let you go in a second, but please let our listeners know where's the best place to go online for people who want to keep up with everything that Cognition is doing and you know Generations as well, Like where should people go online to keep up with these bands?

18:58 Speaker 3: So we're on every you.

18:59 Speaker 4: Know, so media platform. You can find us on Facebook, and Instagram. I have a personal Facebook because I also do some projects even just outside of that.

19:09 Speaker 3: I did a nineties acoustic cover set last night.

19:12 Speaker 4: I've got a national Anthem performance in a couple of weeks for like a professional wrestling event, and I've never been to a professional wrestling event, so I'm really excited about that.

19:23 Speaker 3: That's going to be so much fun.

19:24 Speaker 4: And that's the cool thing about about doing all these projects, and because you get to just experience so many new places, so many different people, so many great bands. Because there's so many great bands out there. Live music is not dead, and yeah, it's just been a journey and it's great. But you can find us on I have a TikTok, so we're just everywhere.

19:47 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, excellent.

19:48 Speaker 2: I do have to keep you a moment longer because you mentioned you're going to be seeing the national Anthem at a professional wrestling event. So I'm a big wrestling fan. I even do a podcast with a couple guys called Tough Bumps, So I just have to ask you, like, what is what is this wrestling event that you're gonna be singing the anthem at?

20:05 Speaker 4: So it's show It's show me State Wrestling, which is like the Missouri Wrestling Organization I believe is uh doing an event in Fulton, Missouri. Okay, I can't can't remember the name of what the event is specifically, Oh, the Wyatt Wyatt International.

20:21 Speaker 1: I think really Okay, yeah.

20:24 Speaker 4: So yeah, they've had they've been promoting the crap out of it, and it looks like they have so many wrestlers coming.

20:30 Speaker 3: So yeah, I'm excited. It's gonna be awesome.

20:32 Speaker 1: Oh, very cool. I'm gonna have to look that up online.

20:35 Speaker 2: I'm curious now, and are you are you only performing or the national anthem or do they have you involved in anything? I hope no one's going to hit you with a chair or anything like that, but do they do they have you doing anything else at the event or just singing or maybe it's a surprise that you can't tell us.

20:50 Speaker 1: I don't know.

20:52 Speaker 3: Well how we.

20:53 Speaker 4: Got involved is they actually decided to use something wicked as their theme song for the event?

21:01 Speaker 1: Oh the Generations track?

21:05 Speaker 3: Yeah? Oh wow, Oh.

21:06 Speaker 1: That's so cool. Okay, okay, yeah, very cool.

21:09 Speaker 3: So I was excited about that.

21:10 Speaker 4: And then we actually had Reaper Wrestling out of Canada pick up seance as their theme song for their next upcoming event.

21:17 Speaker 1: Well that's a cool niche.

21:21 Speaker 3: That was not expecting it. Yeah, I know, it's it's so cool. I'm just I'm honored and I love it.

21:27 Speaker 4: And there was a festival in New York called the Something Wicked Festival and they picked up our song also for to be their theme song.

21:36 Speaker 3: For the festival.

21:37 Speaker 4: So I've I know, I guess I feel kind of dumb now for not realizing that that existed or that's the thing, but I didn't cool.

21:47 Speaker 2: That is very cool. Well, congratulations on that. So we might have to I might have to sneak in Something Wicked too from Generations at some point in the show today.

21:55 Speaker 1: That's awesome.

21:56 Speaker 2: Congratulations on that. That's very very cool. Well, well, gen X, thank you again so much. It is wonderful to speak with you today. We'll let you go in a second. We're going to hit this track of the game, which I absolutely love Cognition. But as you're I'm glad you know, sounds like you got new music on the way. So as you're releasing new music, we'd love to play it here and we'd love to have you back soon. You got a lot of great stuff going on. Very positive and congratulations again on the Washed.

22:21 Speaker 2: That's a great song, very very powerful. Love that a lot so so again, we wish you continued success and we look forward to having you on again soon.

22:30 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you so much for having me.

22:32 Speaker 2: It's always a blast, absolutely, jen all right, thank you, take care, have a good day.

22:36 Speaker 1: We'll talk again soon. I'm sure, take care. B all right, bye bye, all right.

22:40 Speaker 2: That is jen X from the band Cognition and of course Generations as well. Might sneak in a couple of those songs, but right now we're going to play this. This is another great song from Cognition. This is called The Game. I really like the sound of this one. Check this out.