Chalkboard Confessional: Ryland Blackinton of Cobra Starship
While it’s become increasingly difficult to get away from the band’s seemingly omnipresent frontman/aspiring clothing mogul, COBRA STARSHIP is made up of more than just Gabe Saporta. When Saporta was faced with putting a band together in the wake of the hit single, “Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)”, the ex-Midtown member looked to New York City indie duo THIS IS IVY LEAGUE featuring RYLAND BLACKINTON and ALEX SUAREZ. Saporta recruited both for the synth-happy sound of Cobra, but throughout it all, the duo kept their original band running. The pair released their debut full-length, This Is Ivy League, in 2008, demonstrating the wide range of music that appeals to them. BLACKINTON briefly spoke with writer COURTNEY FOREMAN about what types of music influenced him, and which albums still do.
What are some of your earliest memories of music?
My first memory of music would probably have to be from Sesame Street. I remember all the musical parodies that they used to do. And I remember Lionel Richie being on the show and doing a parody of one of his songs. Also, Back to the Future in general-like [the character of] Marty McFly playing guitar. My mom also used to listen to a lot of Bruce Springsteen, too.
What kind of music did you listen to as you got older?
I grew up in Massachusetts, so I was really into a lot of the stuff that was happening there and stuff like Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth and mostly grunge stuff. Then I got into older stuff like Pink Floyd and the Beatles and stuff like that. That was once I got into high school and got a little older.
When did you begin playing music?
I started playing in the school band when I was 9 and I started playing guitar when I was 11 or 12. [Cobra Starship bassist] Alex Suarez and I were friends in high school, but I wanted to be an actor. That’s what I thought I was going to do. So I was just doing music as a hobby. Alex and I had our band, This Is Ivy League, but we never planned on touring. Then when we met [Cobra Starship frontman] Gabe [Saporta], and we got the opportunity for him to show me his band.
Are there any bands that you listen to now that you wish you had listened to when you were younger?
I’m sure a lot of people feel this way, but when we were in Las Vegas, I saw the Cirque du Soleil Beatles show called “Love.” It was so inspirational. Just hearing the songs of the Beatles recordings was pretty unbelievable. I remember wishing that I kind of got into the Beatles at a younger age.
What’s the greatest influence on your music?
The big ones for me at the moment are [New York electronica/post-rock duo] Ratatat and [Montreal electrofunk duo] Chromeo.
Which artists are you constantly listening to now?
The newest Ratatat record [2008’s LP3] and, there’s this guy from New York we really like–his name is Patrick Cleandenim. He’s incredible. Patrick’s stuff is very motivational. I think he’s onto something new and something fresh, and artists like that are what really inspire me. My other band, This Is Ivy League, just did a show with him about a month or two ago, and it was incredible.alt
