Interview with Jude Cole

We had the pleasure of interviewing Jude Cole over Zoom video! 

JUDE COLE is a simple but driven man. Throughout his long and storied career, he’s worn many a creative hat, whether it be as a singer, songwriter, guitarist/sideman, film composer, producer, manager or even a stint as music critic and interviewer to acts like The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger and dozens of other superstars. His first love, songwriting, remains steadfast and true, which is why he's releasing his first new music in 21 years.
 
“I never wanted to bookmark myself,” he explains. “I really do enjoy creating new music, and I don’t care to look back all that much. I have the Gold and Platinum records in my tank, but I don’t hang them on the walls. I don’t always like to look at past achievements — I prefer right now and a little of what’s next. I spent the last 22 years managing artists like Jason Wade and Lifehouse and being a very behind-the-scenes writer, producer and manager. For me, these two new solo projects allow me to do what I’ve always done creatively, but with a new ability to actually stand back and appreciate it.”
 
To that end, he’s most definitively moved the artistic needle forward with the contents of his two most recent solo releases. COUP DE MAIN shines the spotlight on COLE originals that showcase his multi-genre mastery, while COOLERATOR brings a modern-day retro-cool vibe to a score of doo-wop favorites both classic and under-served.
 
COUP DE MAIN encompasses a variety of styles, from the opening mid-tempo gambit of “Taking Away My Home” to the acoustic and ethereal lament of “Only Far Away” to the progressive swing of “Wax Wings.” COLE displays some formidable forward-leaning, atomically inspired chops on “The Dark,” which soars into the heart of the stratosphere with a generous cosmic assist from acclaimed fellow producer/artist, Patrick Leonard. “We’ve been friends and very close neighbors for a long time, and he would literally walk his small synth down to my studio and plug in,” details COLE. “He did all the synth work on this song, and I think it’s one of the reasons it sounds the way it does. Patrick knew that’s what I was going for — and since he even produced Pink Floyd, he nailed it. He’s a wonderful, wonderful musician. I can’t say enough about him.”
 
Not only that, but Lifehouse drummer Ricky Woolstenhulme, Jr. gave COLE and Leonard all the space they needed on “The Dark” to really stretch things out. “I asked Ricky to listen to some specific Pink Floyd records,” he reveals. “I mean, Nick Mason plays everything so painfully simple. He allows all the moving parts to do their job because he’s not in the way. Rick took all that to heart. He gave us a consistent bed of ride cymbal, kick and snare, topped with a few timeless drum fills. It really was fun to emulate that ’70s sound.”
 
“They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The Coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
But when Pierre found work the little money comin’ worked out well
C’est La Vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell”
-Chuck Berry
 
Meanwhile, over on another sonic fulcrum, COLE gets to celebrate his pure doo-wop jones on the aforementioned COOLERATOR. Bear witness to his loving take on The Charts’ rare gem “Deserie” (“one of the most beautiful doo-wop songs ever”), the twangy Chuck Berry/Rockpile vibes of “Dear Dad,” and the horn-supported rock & stroll of Guitar Slim’s “It Hurts to Love Someone (When They Don’t Love You).” This collection has been a long time coming. “COOLERATOR is a piece of work that’s been over ten years in the making — and it’s not any sort of epic work you would think would take me ten years,” he says with a hearty laugh. “It was really just a pet project in between a lot of other hats, inspired by the true heart and soul of ’50s and ’60s doo-wop music.”
 
The overall intention for COOLERATOR was to keep it simple and look for the right performance, “I always wondered how they made those records and why are they so soulful… why they’re so moving. When you hear about ’50s music, it’s often bobby socks and malt shops. I know that’s part of the Americana culture, but it doesn’t really reflect the groups that were singing on the street corners.”
 
The fact is, JUDE COLE is a career artist who’s always looking at the next creative signpost up ahead, with nary a glance back in his rearview mirror. And with Chuck Berry as his COOLERATOR guide and inspiration, C’est la vie —it goes to show you never can tell how blues, rock, rhythm, and jazz will all come together to join him on whatever artistic roads he plans to travel down next.

We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com.

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