Liz Fisher is not only the singer and keyboardist with The Cordial Sins, she’s the band’s spokesperson – at least for the purposes of letting us get to know them a little better as Band of the Day…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re an alt-rock band based in Columbus, OH. Most of us attended Ohio State, which landed us here and we love it!
How did you meet?
Corey, Kyle and I actually went to the same high school, although we didn’t talk much then. Corey and I began playing music together in 2012 and added Jeremy in 2013. The three of us have comprised the core of the group since then and have undergone most of the major changes together. When we were writing material for Daze, we decided to add our second guitarist, Kyle. Because we’ve had a few bassists and are currently in the position of rotating bassist, we consider the four of us to be the main of the group.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We’ve been performing as this iteration of the band since 2015.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Hah! Way back when, we were in need of a band name change (let’s not get into that!). So, we were throwing around idioms and “The Cardinal Sins” came up. Our bassist at the time read it as “The Cordial Sins” and we decided to roll with it!
What are your influences?
We have a pretty wide range of influences, which I am happy about. Recently, we’ve been really influenced by Radiohead, Wolf Alice, and Queens of the Stone Age, but we’ve loved those bands for a long time. Some artists we’ve recently gotten into include Dead Gaze, Scanners, WVWhite, Car Seat Headrest, Maybird, and Beach Fossils.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Something I really think we succeed at is our ability to layer guitar-heavy riffs with an ethereal, melodic quality. We like to tread the line between feeling heavy and weightless all at once.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Most of the lyrical content I write touches on themes in everyday life. Specific people, places, or events can inspire me, but even then, I typically try to keep the lyrics general enough so that they’re relatable. I like to write about concepts in life that are out of our control.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We’ve played a lot over the course of the last few years, so I’m not sure I can keep track anymore. Our live performance has improved a lot and I think audiences really enjoy it. Corey is the most active, while the rhythm section stays close and holds it down. I rotate between keys and simply just doing vocals, which allows me to be a little more mobile. Little secret – I’m also picking up the guitar, so be on the look out for that in the future!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
We haven’t gotten too out of control as of yet… We’ve only had the cops called on us once!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Jeremy plays a Yamaha Stage Custom that he’s had for years. Corey performs with an Epiphone Sheraton, Fender Stratocaster, and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Kyle uses a Fender Strat as well and a Fender Blues Deluxe. I use a Roland FA-06.
What are your plans for the rest of 2017?
Our biggest plan is to release an EP, hopefully this fall. We’re finishing up the recording process now and would like to print on vinyl and set up some fall tours. Keep your eyes peeled!
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be ing and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
That’s a difficult choice! I think we’d like to open for Wolf Alice or Radiohead and we’d have our friends Playing to Vapors open the night!
