Cojoba (band)

Cojoba is a hardcore/punk band from Puerto Rico.

Cojoba was formed in August 1995 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The original line-up was Taína - vocals; Javier - bass; and Gilbert - guitar. At the time, the band did not have a drummer, it had a drum machine instead, which Javier programmed.

Cojoba released its first demo cassette, Espíritu de Punk, in 1996. The band itself took care of producing it. Javier did the recording and mixing, Taína did the artwork and Gilbert made sure that local indie record stores in Puerto Rico carried it. But the band never depended on stores to distribute their music. it also set up a small distribution outfit, Anaconda Records, where they sold not only Cojoba's music, but also helped distribute other bands' material.

Later on, Gilbert left the band and Taína and Javier produced their next demo cassette, Vienen por Nosotros, by themselves. This cassette was released in 1999 and had more politically oriented lyrics.

In 2001, Cojoba released its first CD, Jugando con Fuego. This set introduced a human drummer, and Sham Pain alumnus Bebe, to the band. Rolin, Javier's youngest brother, also joined the band as bassist and Javier switched to guitar. Bebe and Rolin gave Cojoba a more thrash metal sound, which was very different from the punk rock sound the band expressed in its two first records. However, Taína's voice, although a lot stronger, remained melodic.

Before this CD was released, Cojoba had the chance to go on an international tour for the first time. With the help of Venezuelan anarchopunk band Apatía No, they played three shows in Caracas, Venezuela.

Shortly thereafter, Bebe left the band and David, who had years' of experience drumming for Tavú and other Puerto Rican bands, replaced him while Rolin stayed on.

In 2002 the band went on tour to Spain, France and Belgium, playing 12 shows. It also released an EP, El arte de la irreverencia, under the Paris-based indie label New Wave Records.

When they got back from that tour, the line up changed again and Juanpi replaced Rolin on bass. In 2003, the band released another CD, Sin Excusas, and went on another tour, this time playing entirely within Spain.

In 2004 Cojoba had its first tour to the U.S., playing in New York and Boston, where they were invited to play at La Rivolta, an anarcha-feminist festival. The next year they were invited to La Rivolta again, and took the opportunity to play in New York and in Baltimore.

In 2006, the band started recording its next CD, Más allá del cielo, and its songs for a split CD with Spanish band Angela Chaning. In October of that year Taína and Javier moved to New York City and finished recording both albums there, in their apartment. In June 2007 Juanpi and David join Taína and Javier in New York and they go on tour again, playing in New York, Boston and at the CLITfest in Richmond, Virginia.

Cojoba, now being based in New York, added Moe to the bass and Cristian to the drums. In October they went to Chicago to play the Latino Punk festival. But days after the tour, Cristian had to move to Canada.

Unable to find a local drummer, but eager to start playing again, the band found a drummer from Texas, Stefan, who also plays with jazz band Yells and Eels, and thrashers Akkolyte, Just Another Consumer and other bands, offered to fly to New York to play a few shows in Chicago's CLITfest, and to tour in November 2008 to the cities of Bogotá, Medellín and Manizales, Colombia.

Nowadays the band's drummer is Ray, who was once a mamber of New York-based thrash-metal band M-16.

The band is currently writing new songs and planning more tours.

Discography

1998. Y. Boislève, Francia. Canciones: Destino Manifiesto, La Caída, Gente Olvidada, Al Garete.

See also


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