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The Cogs
The Cogs began in 1994, when former Baby Tapeworm guitarist Jon Fox and singer Kris Cog (whose first gig consisted of playing the spoons in an Iowa polka band) got together to record a tribute to warped rockers Ween in their Manhattan living room. Raves for the resulting Absolute Ween led to Macho, a six-song EP of the duo's own material, and eventually culminated in the formation of a hard-rockin' quintet with a decidedly international membership: Bassist Cordula Rosa hails from Germany; drummer Jimmy Spencer left Montreal to find fame in the Big Apple. Lead guitarist Rob Mantilla is an American citizen, but he does love a good game of soccer.
"No Expectations," the first single from Viva!, explodes from the speakers with fists clenched and fangs bared. Cog pouts and sneers like a cross between Joan Jett and Debbie Harry, while Mantilla's ferocious guitar chords kick the band into oil-spurting punk-rock overdrive. The chorus is guaranteed to take up permanent residency in your cranium after a single spin. Though obviously influenced by the whole late-‘70s/early-‘80s CBGB's scene, "No Expectations" waves a snot-encrusted middle finger with a savvy that's strictly contemporary. Clearly, trash this good should be cherished, not thrown away.
-- Dan Epstein
Dan Epstein is a Los Angeles-based journalist and pop-culture historian whose work has appeared in LA Weekly, BAM, Raygun, Guitar World and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. His first book, Twentieth Century Pop Culture, was published in 1999 by Carlton Books.
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