Behind the Noise: Interview With Cora Line
Hannah Benedum from the band Cora Line gives us the latest scoop on the band's latest ventures. Check out their tour dates for this November below!
What influenced you to become a musician?
I´ve always loved music. Some of my earliest memories are me dancing in my parent´s basement to that Eiffel 65 song (which is still a banger and I will fight anyone who says otherwise :D) or watching MTV with my mum. I remember seeing the Guano Apes music video for Break The Line on MTV in like 2001 and thinking “wow these people look so cool! I wanna do that!”. When I started middle school I got really into Linkin Park and that was when I started singing and screaming. Very poorly of course but it was an outlet for me. When I got into the whole Punk/Emo thing it didn´t take long for me to start my first metal band. It was an awful Metalcore band called “Today´s Last Breath” and I never stopped making music since then. It's the only constant in my life.
What has your favorite experience been thus far with music?
I don´t think I can pinpoint one, or even five, most favorite experiences. My whole life revolves around music in one way or another so I guess my “favorite” one is the fact that I get to live the life I'm currently living. I was on tour with other bands a lot this year and that filled me with more happiness than I could've ever imagined. I get to travel and be around all these amazing people and even if touring in 2022 is even rougher than it was pre-pandemic it's still my favorite thing in the world. So, yeah: I´d say touring in general.
I saw that your debut EP was released in September named The Phosphorus Account Pt 1, what inspired it?
A lot of things. I grew up in DIY Punk and I played in Post-Hardcore bands a lot. When I started writing the record I had just cut ties with some people from that world and I was looking for a way to separate myself from this old identity. The past two years were riddled with a lot of very major changes in my life and the EP was a way for me to make sense of everything. Change is scary and painful but also cathartic and exciting. A lot of it was me trying to come to terms with these changes and getting used to new ways of living I think. When I got into producing 2 years ago I suddenly had this vast arsenal of possibilities at my hands. Coming from just writing lyrics and vocals and dabbling in guitar a little bit it was very overwhelming at first and I can already feel myself trying to set myself some creative limits, which can be very freeing in a way. But it was a very healing and fun experience to just have the tools and see what I can make them do. Seizing the means of production, if you will :D
How would you describe Cora Line’s music?
I always resort to the term “electronic Post-Rock” at the moment while being aware that if you haven't seen us live yet it might seem a little inaccurate. When people ask me I tell them “it's what happens when you give an emo kid access to a computer” :D
Cora line is going on tour in November! How are you preparing?
At the moment we´re ironing out the last dramaturgic kinks for the set and after that It's just practice practice practice. It's an entirely new environment for me. Both playing guitar on stage and having a laptop with me as well. There's so many things to think about that I never knew could ever be a problem when I was just playing in a more standard rock band formation but it's exciting. Cora Line is meant to be played live and giving a good performance is more important to me than any record or production technique.
What would be your dream place to tour? (venue, city, etc.)
Literally anywhere. There's so many cool places in this world and sometimes it´s where you least expect it. I mean yes I definitely want to tour the US and I will. Japan would be amazing as well but I found that some of the best shows I've played, worked or been to were in places I´d never heard of before. So I´m more than happy to try that out.
Do you have any bands or musicians you look to for musical inspiration?
It changes daily depending on my mood. At the moment I finally accepted my love for shoegaze and I´ve been dabbling a lot in that. For the record, I was drawing a lot from bands like 65daysofstatic and Purity Ring.
For anyone who is new to your music, what is something you’d like them to know about Cora Line?
We are a band and you´re a member. I recognize that I´m currently “the face” of Coraline or whatever you may call it but I want to be very clear that Cora Line is, and always will be, a team effort. Live shows are live shows because there are other people there. I don´t have 7 pairs of hands so there will be people on stage. People who will have a reaction to the music being played and people with the ability to connect or disconnect from it. That´s the magic of it. I´m not averse to playing solo shows but even then, it´s not just about me.
What is something you’re looking forward to in the future?
Tours, tours, and more tours!
Upcoming Tour Dates
11. Nov. 2022 Nuremberg Luise
12. Nov. 2022 Hannover Stumpf
14. Nov. 2022 Dortmund Atelier Schreinerei
16. Nov. 2022 Zweibrücken Erdgeschoss
17. Nov. 2022 Essen Unperfekthaus
18. Nov. 2022 Mannheim Juz
19. Nov. 2022 Munich Kafe Kult
Find Cora Line Here
