S2: E4: Cory Marks - The Renegade & The Enemy

Cory Marks Master

Sun, 1/23 8:26AM • 1:00:33

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

music, play, song, record, nashville, dad, grew, people, listening, country, band, good, friends, backstage pass, big, kevin, north bay, guitar, artists, absolutely, Cory, Marks, Cory Marks, Cory Marks Music, Cory Marks Interview, Podcast, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Randy Hulsey Podcast, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Crystal Vision, Cypress Texas, Crystal Vision Studio

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Cory Marks, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  00:00

My guest this evening comes to us from the Great White North. He is a pilot, a hockey player, and his album entitled Who I am is making a huge splash on the music charts and with his fan base worldwide. Some call him the renegade Some call him the enemy, but you're going to get to know him as Corey marks stick around. We're gonna visit with the North Bay, Ontario native when we return. This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio. Randy Halsey. Corey, What's up, brother? How you doing this evening?

Cory Marks  00:54

Hey, Randy. I'm good man hanging in there. How are you?

Randy Hulsey  00:56

Good. Good. So it sounds like you had a busy day in the studio there. You're in Vegas at the hideout with with Kevin and Kane this week, right?

Cory Marks  01:05

Yes, sir. Yeah, we're working on album number two. And that's coming along very well. I'm really excited for this. This new album, and looking forward to wrapping it up this week and then getting it out in 2022.

Randy Hulsey  01:18

Awesome. Well, we'll we'll talk a little bit about that and how the hell the listeners can find you here. How's life treating? You know, I know that we've been all kind of locked down through this pandemic, I think at one time and you can correct me if I'm wrong, you are residing in Nashville, but you're back home in North Bay, because of the pandemic or my or my facts, correct. They're

Cory Marks  01:40

not Well, I know I've been I've been living I live in Sturgeon falls, which is just about 25 miles west of North Bay where I grew up. And my girlfriend and I lived there, I was gonna move to Nashville, but the pandemic hits, so I never made it that far. But over the years since 2012, I've been making many trips pretty much a trip every couple months down to Nashville to write and stuff like that, over the years, but but for now been at home since since COVID. And, you know, just just glad to get back to work and finish this record and got it got a little touring in there as well in September with hail storm. And yeah, you know, just trying to try to make the best of the situation, this crazy world.

Randy Hulsey  02:24

Just real quick, I wanted to give a quick shout out to Jimmy at Better noise music for kind of helping get this thing facilitated between you and I so thank you Jimmy for that. So you mentioned that you're back in Vegas, at the hideout you're recording with Kevin churko How did that relationship began with Kevin? That's an

Cory Marks  02:46

interesting relationship. But it goes it goes way back in a sense for my dad used to drive me to Toronto, just about three hours south of North Bay. When I've you know first started writing down in Nashville back in 2012 2013. And I grew up on you know, hard rock music and you know, one of those main artists being Ozzy Osborne and Kevin writing and producing a couple of Oz's records that being scream and black rain, you know, that was pretty much my school's my grade 12 soundtrack was that album, I loved it. And I remember specifically talking to my dad, as we're driving on this three hour drive to Toronto. We played that record over, you know, two times over. And I know my dad was, like, you know, that Kevin churko guy, the producer, you know, he's he's from Canada, and so on, so forth. But I was I was still fairly new to all this stuff. So I wasn't really paying attention to players or, or musicians, you know, I was just trying to get my own foot in the door. Started players or producers, I was just trying to get my own foot in the door and try to learn learn and be better writer myself. Yep. And, you know, but I do recall telling my dad like, man, let's see is that even even on my first record deal up in Canada, you know, still on the rockier side. Not quite like this churko. But I remember telling my dad, and it'd be so cool to have this kind of production, these guitar tones of drums, but on a country record. And I'm not sure if it was that trip or another trip not too long after that. You know, Kevin, Kevin's Canadian as well. He's from Saskatchewan. So as my manager and turns out, they went to school together grew up together really sketchy on and I remember, you know, I would I would my manager had a as a condo there so we would stay there. And again, I'm not sure if it was that very trip I mentioned that you know, having a cool country record like that sounding record like that with that kind of production to my dad much of that trip or, or the next one, but, Louis, my manager says, you know, hey, Cory, you should check this guy out. You know, I know this guy. And sure enough, it's Kevin churko. Oh, what do you mean you know this guy? Look at the bands he records uh, you know, he recovers tonight 25 Finger Death Punch disturbed Ozzy Osborne. Mike What do you mean you know this guy like make the maker Call got the phone?

05:02

Yeah.

Cory Marks  05:04

You know you'll, you'll get there maybe maybe a couple records for now. You know, he's he's big time. And it wasn't long after that. Probably several months now more than several months after that. Kevin churko calls Louis is like, Hey, man, you know, you have any looking to get back in the country do you haven't? Is there any artists that stick out to you in Canada at all? And it just Kevin goes, holy shit are losers. Oh, shit, I got the perfect guy. So he sent them some pictures and some of my music and Kevin Kevin was digging it. So he said, you know, if you got any shows around Saskatchewan, so I'm going to go see my family. In I believe it was June or July, I think July of 2015. And loose as a matter of fact, is opening for Toby Keith at the mosaic place a big hockey and Moose Jaw. So it says, Well, I'll try to get to that. So long story short, Kevin got that. So he saw me open up for Toby Keith. And there he was waiting for me my green room with a couple shots. Jack nice through those back shocking. Yeah, I was actually the first song we wrote together. The first two songs we wrote recorded together outlaws outsiders and blaming on the double that following September 2016, and the rest is history.

Randy Hulsey  06:13

Wow. Well, I was gonna say it's a good thing you didn't piss Louie off at some point in time or that connection may have never been made with her go there right.

06:25

Probably 10 minutes ago.

Randy Hulsey  06:28

Right on so So you grew up in the province of Ontario? What was a you know, life growing up in North Bay? Were you a sports guy coming up? Were you were you always a music guy talk taking you know, just take us back a little bit in time to the to the younger Cory marks.

Cory Marks  06:45

I was a little bit everything man. I you know, some would consider me I mean, in a sense a bit of an outcast because I wasn't, you know, your typical jock or, or, you know, definitely wasn't a nerd. Haha. You know, it wasn't a smoker. I wasn't, you know, but but I had all kinds of friends that were never stuck to one group. And, you know, since I was a little kid, we had a big air show and in North Bay. And I think that's really how it all started for me because there's, there's the Heritage Festival zone was called. So during during the day, you know, Saturday, Sunday, one to four was was an air show big and one of the biggest air shows in North America at the time, way back when and then from, you know, six o'clock till 11 it really it was massive concerts, all kinds of artists pop rock and country. And so I grew up on that for many years. So, so, you know, from four or five I was going up to air shows and I've always been an air show and aviation guy myself. I just recently got my finally finished my pilot's license. So, you know, I was I was in aviation, I was always nerding out on that love, love the military and stuff. But at the age of 10, I started drumming, you know, you know, instead of going to parties and stuff like that, or dances when I was like, you know, 1415 years old, I go to my buddy's house and we would jam out for hours and hours. That led to being in a metal band called inflict local local band. And that was great. We did everything from we had our original thing we recorded an album we had all original songs, but we also covered like archenemy and Panthera and stuff like that Slayer. And, you know, but I grew up listening to Russian Deep Purple and Grand Funk Railroad too, right? So I grew up to some really great music. And so I you know, I joined some some I was in the high school bands, but I also you know, from the age of three, I was I was on skates. So I was always playing hockey. I grew up in a big North Bay is a really big hockey town but it's a big military town as well. And also, you know, a bit of a musical family too. So I was always you know, fascinated with aviation music and of course the greatest game on earth the Canadian game we call hockey Yeah, so I did all that. You know, I started my flying lessons when I was 18 you know so from the age of really from the age of three it was hockey planes and a little bit later it was music so you know it's really just evolved and everything

Randy Hulsey  09:05

you sound yeah I sound like we were kind of poured out of the same mold and the fact that you know in school I never really fit into i Even though I played sports I was a music I too much like you and I just kind of I call that kind of the chameleon personality you know the skin color can just change to green if it needs to be green with that group and then brown if it needs to be that group and I I was not cast out by any of them or you could hang out with the potheads or whatever you know I mean like like I was welcoming all the circles but never really was glued to to one of them so

Cory Marks  09:40

yeah yeah same I you know I had you know friends that I that I love dearly that were you know considered you know, high school could be mean and shit you know? Oh, yeah, you know the losers the jocks, the smokers, the potheads all that shit. You know, I had friends in every category. Yeah, and sure. And and for the most part still in my life today. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  09:59

Yep. Well, I was gonna When you when you said something earlier about you know Ozzy was kind of like the soundtrack of your your growing up. I just got word yesterday morning. I knew you would appreciate this Rudy sarzo, the bass player for Ozzy for many years and he played with VO and Whitesnake and quiet riot he agreed to do the show here next month. So yeah, I'm looking forward to that. Yeah, yeah. So when you said when you talked about Ozzy, and I remember seeing a lot of the Ozzie pictures in the in the hideout there, where where you're recording kind of sparked my memory on that. So looking forward to that, but now you also played a stone of college hockey as well, correct?

Cory Marks  10:42

Yeah, um, I was, I played I played some junior major Junior and I had the opportunity to go to Ohio State University Division One, the Buckeyes. But at 18. I didn't feel like I had one question. It was that that was a I don't have to write that SCT test or whatever. It's called the symbol. Yeah, it's a man mandatory. So Well, then.

Randy Hulsey  11:05

I'll take the zero. Right. And then

Cory Marks  11:09

sure enough, you know, two, three years down the line. I figured the Royal Military College of Canada RMC scouted me and wanted me to be part of it. And after talking to mum and dad, I thought, well, instead of paying to go to school, I might as well get paid to go to school. Absolutely. play hockey for the next five years. A good you know, good quality hockey, get an education in the meantime, get that much that stuff, you know, be that that much closer to my dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. Yeah. But that didn't last too long, either. Because then I ended up picking up a guitar and singing and then turns out I was, you know, pretty good at that. Yeah. Stuck stuck at that.

Randy Hulsey  11:45

Are you a winger? Were you a defenseman? What, what what position? Were you playing in hockey?

Cory Marks  11:49

I switched up over the years, because I was I was, you know, I was a fairly big kid growing up, like, you know, at 1414 years old, I'd already reached that, you know, six foot 180 pound mark. So yeah, like I played, I played defense, you know, in AAA, around 1415. I went back to forward and that's kind of where I stayed was right. When you're a bit of a power forward, if you will, and up. Sure. You know, didn't grow too much taller. It's stayed just shy six, one, but yeah, my last year I was, you know, that power for it at that to 20 to 25. So,

Randy Hulsey  12:23

exactly, exactly. It's my understanding. You know, you talked about it earlier, you were a drummer at a young age what what got you into the drums of all instruments? Was that where your pots and pans kid and that's what led to the drum? or did somebody in the family have a drum kit and you just jumped in the kit one day and said, Wow, this is pretty cool. Like, talk to me a little bit about the drums? Well, it was,

Cory Marks  12:48

you know, music was in my blood. It was just the way the way I was brought up the way I was born, my dad was a drummer. And I love my dad. And you know, my mom, my mom played a little guitar and sang too. She had a very musical family and, you know, love her very much too. And I was just, you know, very lucky grew up in a musical family. And, you know, obviously, being from Canada, there was rush, my dad's being from Toronto, Her Grace played his breastplate, his high school, high school dance. He's been over 30 Rush shows over the years. And I was lucky enough to see Russia with my dad multiple times as well and get to see the professor. Do what he does. Oh, yeah. Bless them. Yep. And for those that don't know who that is, that's the one and only museum here. And yeah, I started, you know, I'd started on paint cans. I'd set up these paint cans, my my dad was painting painting the basement in the walls and stuff. At one point, I was about 10 years old. 1011 years old, and I set up the paint cans, just like Neil's kit and played. I get home from school and literally get them out of the closet, set them all up. And I remember to right in front of the furnace place, furnace room, and I would play moving pictures pretty much front to back at 11 years old. And then that's when my parents decided I think we got to get them a drum kit and my dad taught me the basic rudiments, singles. Double five flam. paradiddle. And from there, I just listened to Neal peered in pace a deep purple. Yeah, you know, and then that got into you know, of course, Grand Funk, Donnie Brewer. Those guys and then I kind of expanded once I got to you know, 15 years old by 15 I was playing you know, Dream Theater and all that kind of stuff. So it just kind of expanded and my dad you know, it was my dad that that actually believe or not had those records. You know, I think he knew that I would like it just because of the musicality and rhythm and melodies of these bands obviously grown up to rush all those all those bands, you know, grew up listening to Rush so they just kind of explored that literature and that's what I did.

Randy Hulsey  14:45

Well, you can't be you can't be Canadian and not no a who rushes and not be a rush fan. And I was going to also say that, I mean, you didn't waste any time you just said you know I'm gonna learn to play the drums let me just mimic Neil Pierrot. Right like Most people like graduate to not start with him learning right? So hats off to you for picking probably one of the toughest to try to try to replicate. I remember

Cory Marks  15:11

coming home from school and my dad got me the Sabian Sabian tape, and it was all these drummers, his little clips of these drummers and their setups but you know, that's a that's a new thought like you can actually make a living do drum solos. As you get older you realize that's just that's just part of it. Right be part of a pretty cool band and make a living. Exactly. Yeah. But I you know, would watch the Mike Portnoy thing the Neal peered thing got into Buddy Rich, a lot of Dennis chambers. Of course, you know, so many so many drummers, Virgil Donati, so many different styles and techniques, I would kind of look at one one week and then watch the video, go to my kit, be like, oh, wait a minute, gotta watch the video again and go back for cell phones. Right? Sure. And Amazon and I was on a VHS so I would study one drummer per week kind of thing. And just switch back and forth. And then I think eventually, I just created my own my own style and, and stuff. And then I just kind of got, you know, just got got into all kinds of different genres and styles and music.

Randy Hulsey  16:10

How long after the drums did the guitar follow? Like, did you get interested in the guitar right away? Or did that come years down the line?

Cory Marks  16:19

I might have felt like the the kids in high school that played guitar and sang definitely got a lot more chicks than I did.

Randy Hulsey  16:27

The truth comes out.

Cory Marks  16:29

Pretty cool. But I remember being fascinated just by two great friends of mine, Billy and Mary Lynn Martin, our I was drumming for the high school band and they're just incredible, incredible singers and musicians and talents. And I remember just being so envious of them. Because they it was just so natural. Sure, and I want I wanted that so bad. But you know, started looking up looking up to them and wanting to be able to do that. So I just behind the scenes dad taught me some basic chords and stuff like that. And pretty, like a lot of my friends that I was we're all guitar players. Here. I was playing Smoke on the Water while they're doing fucking, you know, you know, Zakk Wylde solos.

17:10

Yeah,

Cory Marks  17:11

I'm studying and I'm fuckin playing Smoke on the Water. Right. But you got to start somewhere. Absolutely. So that kind of came around, I'd say Ross, you know, 1718 started doing like, just a Facebook video. in my parents basement, just see kind of what kind of reactions I'd have. And then I, you know, friends would kind of bust out a guitar and say play that song. Little gatherings. And Billy merrily always told me since I was 14, like, you gotta you got to start singing what are you doing? Because I would often I started singing, I'd sing harmonies to everything. So I do all the harmonies, for the most part, all my records. And I really do love singing harmony. So in the bands that I was in, and always singers would struggle, finding notes or harmonies. And then I remember one time, Billy was the music director at our high school band, and he kind of stopped was like, who's seeing that? Who's and I'm thinking like, oh, shit, I'm in trouble. And then and then one of the girls goes like, and he looked right at me. He's like, I knew it was you was I don't have a mic. And then after that practice, and it was like, listen, we got to consider UCS. Like hell. I'm singing in front of anybody. Right? I'm fine behind my I'll play in front of 10,000 people behind that kit, but I have not stepped behind a mic. Then here I am

Randy Hulsey  18:23

today. Oh, funny. Never Say Never is what they say. Right?

Cory Marks  18:26

That's right. They said exactly in the first time for everything to guess, for sure.

Randy Hulsey  18:30

And when did you decide? Oh, well, one thing you know, we talked earlier about we're kind of poured out of the same mold. And it's funny that you said that about the, the the guitar that you know, you could pick up chicks with the guitar and I tell the same story. I was I was right, exactly. Right. When did you decide that music would be a living for you? At what age? Did you finally come to the realization that you know all things considered, I don't think I'm going to be a fighter pilot. I'm not going to make a living playing hockey. You know, I think music is going to be it for me. When did you decide that?

Cory Marks  19:12

I think it was right around that time I left the Royal Military College I you know, I just caught the bug and it was a lot of fun in my 20s You know, playing bars and you know, really being being the life of the party. I think I was always kind of gets attracted to that since I was a little kid. There's pictures of me with sunglasses on and I wouldn't guitar when I'm like three years old or I grabbed my uncle's cowboy boots and rip around the house and these you know, cowboy boots that were way too big for me but they made my grandma laugh and people laugh and think I've always just been a natural Natural Born entertainer. I love to do that. And you know, that's why every band I was in I had a drum solo, but you know and have fun with it and make make sure people were going nuts. Yep. And I think it was just when I caught that bug and started you know At 21 years old, making a couple 100 bucks a week still living with mom and dad was was pretty, you know, pretty decent. And, you know, you start you start getting more and more gigs and then all sudden, you know, you're, you get to you have enough money you can move out, pay groceries and a cell phone bill, basically, you know, my dad always said like, you know, do what you love, love what you do? I'm not rich, but, you know, it's it's something I love doing. And I don't I don't dread, Dread, you know, doing? Yeah, especially when it's a big party. So Well, I mean, as you get older, this turns into like, a living, you know, obviously, there's a big business aspect of it too, which takes the fun away a little bit at times. But you know, there's, there's, there's always there's ups and downs and everything you do. And now looking back, I got lots of buddies that are fighter pilots. And you look at all the paperwork and the studying, they have to do it. Oh, yeah, not, not Tom Cruise, we give a couple high fives and hop in a $30 million jet wrapped around it and pull seven G's and chase MiGs. It's just not like that. So right. I just, you know, I think you end up where you're supposed to be, in a sense, and I hope that's it. And, you know, I always told myself, I hope to the main thing is I wanted to do music that I love, writing and performing, but also that other people are gonna love all different genres. And just make people feel good. Yeah, for sure. It feels something with my music. And hopefully that's good enough to, to, you know, to afford something cool, like an old warbird that I could fly around. And yep, now that I have my pilot license, you know, fly around and have some fun with that to my biggest dream is to mix concerts and air shows again, because that's what I grew up on. And no one's done that yet. Yeah, there you go. Sir. Air Show tour. So that's something can be an innovator. Right? That's That's it, man. Yeah, that'd be cool thing.

Randy Hulsey  21:50

Very cool. Well, one of my early guests, her name is Cindy Alexander. And she's out of Big Sur, Big Sur, California. And I asked her kind of what what is your definition of success? Because I think you mentioned it earlier. You know, I'm not rich. And I think she would probably ma'am, maybe she is rich. But I mean, she would probably humbly tell you that, you know, I'm not rich either. But success to me. This is her talking is touching people with the music. Like you don't have to make millions of dollars to be successful. You have to love what you're doing and and do what you love. And if you're touching people, and if Yeah, oh, no, I get it. I mean, the bills have to be paid, right? Don't get me wrong. Money is a great byproduct of the fun that we have doing what we love. But that doesn't always define success is my point. You mean you can make $100,000 a year or have somebody that makes $50,000 And they think I'm just as successful as he is. I'm happy my family's taking care of me. I don't make as much money. But I've got everything that I need. So it's I think it's all relative. Yeah, you know, you you have an album that is out which is actually I think and please fact check me on the the chronological order and the music that you have out, but I think it's your second full length record and it's called who I am. Is that correct? That's the second LP that you put out. Okay, but you also had three EPS out. One was outlaws and outsiders. One was Nashville mornings, and one was Nashville nights. Correct. Okay, good. So I haven't fucked that all up yet. So explain to the listeners kind of why an artist would release an EP versus that of an LP or a full length record.

Cory Marks  23:45

Well, in my situation the outlaws and outsiders EP was came out around the time I had my first hit, which was outlaws and outsiders featuring Travis tritt, McMartin Motley Crue and either moody of Five Finger Death Punch. That was a US Top 10 Rock rock radio US Top 10 hit for me, and I'm the first ever Canadian country act to do that. So that was that was a really exciting time for me. At that time, I was also going across the United States with a band called Breaking Benjamin on 36 amphitheater dates. I had some dates up there with Alice Cooper as well in the US, and we're breaking into the UK and Australia. So the fact that the album wasn't out yet, we did the outlaws EP, which featured outlaws and outsiders with the features and the original outlaws outsiders before the features came on. But it also featured three other tracks that are on the record that being I believe, better off i whiskey or wine, and I forget the other one, but it's just something to give to the fans I had I didn't really have merch, so you got to have something to sell. And so we made that EP, to sell at at venues and so on. And then COVID happened so that we released the full length album who I am and then what what happened This since I wasn't touring it because a COVID we still wanted to give that that album some life before releasing new music so this these EPS are different kind of different versions of the song so the national morning's EP again these are all available everywhere on all streaming platforms these the EPS we didn't make hard copies of so okay only available for streaming. But Nashville mornings was more like more Sunday mornings coming down. It's more the more related to the country side of the alum who I am. Okay, so the kind of you know, my whiskey or wine I believe better off kind of this country countryside of who I am and then Nashville nights. The national mourning story also included a cover of one of my favorite songs by my favorite artists, Merle Haggard if I can only fly I did a little live off the floor acoustic version of that, which is on that EP national mornings. And the National Nights is the more rock side of my album. But it also includes my newest release, which is a song called me I trust and that's definitely more on The Edgy rock side. Yeah, for me, so that's why we release those those EPS after the after the debut album brand.

Randy Hulsey  26:09

Are they properly named like Nashville mornings, because it's more mellow like a morning time song? Okay, exactly. I didn't know if that was

Cory Marks  26:17

morning, Sunday mornings coming down and then Nashville Nights is you get it on the double. Yeah, get it on the throne. And have a good weekend. Yep,

Randy Hulsey  26:24

for sure. Now, the LP who I am, was produced. We talked a little bit earlier about award winning producer Kevin churko out of Las Vegas, and for those that don't know, or don't have a clue who Kevin churko is Kevin, I guess was groomed under the watchful eye of the of the famous Mutt Lange. Right. Who produced geez, who did who didn't they produce right Def Leppard Lady Gaga, Huey Lewis Brian, I mean, the list goes on and on and on. Between Shania Twain. And you had also mentioned that you were the first Canadian oil, I guess. You're the first ever to have a country song on the American rock radio top 10

Cory Marks  27:08

I'm the first Canadian country artists, Canadian country artists to have a US a rock. US Top 10

Randy Hulsey  27:14

Okay, rock. That's like a mouthful, like, you got to think about that, like I'm doing. What does that mean to an artist to not only just chart but to chart in the top 10 to have that accolade of, you know, anybody can say well, I had a song it was like number 173 on the charts. And that's cool. But when you say man, I was like I had top 10 Do you know what I'm saying? Like, what does that mean to you? As an artist? Do you feel like you've arrived when you you've kind of got that accolade or do you feel like there's still so much more to do?

Cory Marks  27:52

Oh, there's there's so much more to do. You got to take a zero off that 10 And then you know and then have have a have a couple more of those right? That's that's the ultimate goal in the dream. But you know, I had a great conversation with my buddy Travis tritt few weeks ago, we talked for a couple hours actually just catching up and talking business and all this stuff and making sure we're we're all good and you know, he just wanted to let me know that you know that's it's a really huge thing that I did and said you know, I hope you realize that like you know you got a top 10 at us rock radio and that's a huge thing. Not only just in general but as a country act he did it and he says and you gave me my first top 10 hit rock rock radios Yeah, so that's a pretty cool it's definitely a huge compliment but a pretty cool thought if you will. And you know it's it's definitely you know, I'm very thankful and incredibly proud of that that moment but you know that the fact that US rock radio took a chance on me and right out of the gates my debut single we're all over and obviously haven't either moody of Five Finger Death Punch and Mick Mars a motley crew and of course Travis tritt on there did did a lot for me and I'm very thankful for those features as well and those those guys they've been they've been really really amazing people and friends since then and

Randy Hulsey  29:13

and probably mentors to a certain degree right salutely Yeah, I

Cory Marks  29:17

grew up on Motley Crue and Travis and man you know of course crushing workouts to to Five Finger Death Punch and not only Ivan and Sultana those guys but you know, the new guitar player and he but you know, I'm really good friends with Jason hook now to like, that was the that's where I stayed the first night here in Vegas on Sunday. And they just been like, they just been great to me and kind of take me under their wing. But to have to have that hit outlaws outsiders and seeing how it the reaction not only in North America, but globally. Yeah, I think the biggest thing as an artist for me and a songwriters to have fans, not only list the music but in love it but connect to your music show or connect with your music doesn't matter. If your country rock or whatever you are, they love it and no matter what they're into, whether that's country rock or metal, they're loving it too. And I think that, that says a

Randy Hulsey  30:09

whole lot of things. Well, I think it's mega special when you get to the point where you're writing these songs, and kind of case in point I was watching a YouTube video one evening of Adele and she was back home and sing in I think it was what do they call it the Royal Albert Hall or whatever it is in England, you know, this famous venue, and she's singing one of her hit songs and all of a sudden the crowd just takes over the sing. Yeah, and she stops and she just gets into the moment and lets them sing to her. And she literally breaks down on stage like it was so meaningful like to hear 10,000 feet or however many people are in this arena, right? That are singing your songs like that is so

Cory Marks  30:52

happy to bawl my eyes out front of 10,000 Apples

Randy Hulsey  30:56

there's no shame in that. Yeah, there's no shame in that. Exactly. Exactly. Well, that's a great segue I want to share a clip of the song outlaws and outsiders off the who I am release and we'll come back after we listen to the a little piece of that and chat about the song Fair enough.

Cory Marks  31:17

Sounds good brother thank you

31:34

hands just saying what you want to say in this angle power outlaws an outsider in the dog with a fearless heart and he's told he was crazy as kid all the shit I did I'm amazed that change with a little bit of age which takes too much time too long string a donor call me ready to throw your hands ain't no power

Randy Hulsey  32:59

that's a great edgy tune there. Korea I enjoy the song is kind of interesting because being a musician myself and play in shows, you know, I play every thing kind of all over the map cover wise, but historically, I was never a Travis tritt fan up until I saw him on YouTube doing like his acoustic shows. And I happen to stumble across one of those and I'm like, holy shit. This guy's legit. He's legit, legit. And probably to preface that, because that that sounds kind of like, well, you didn't like Travis trip. But I was never historically a country fan. I was always the rock pig. I was a rock guy, right? And it wasn't until later I became a solo artist, a duo artist and started covering multiple genres because you have to do that when you're that kind of artist. Man. I'm like, I saw him play in the song anymore. And then several of his and I'm like, Whoa, this guy has got an amazing voice. He's a great guitar picker. So I had this, I developed this whole new love for Travis tritt. And then, you know, when I saw the video, I'm like, wow, you're collaborating with Travis. This is pretty cool here, right? So

Cory Marks  34:14

very, very blessed to have him. You know, as part of my career, big part of my career and better yet to call him a friend. So I'm absolutely and toured with him up here in Canada. We did a number of dates here. And that was one of my favorite parts of the show. He sits down in his chair and he just picks that that acoustic guitar but it's just it's bare. It's raw. It's and it's on key. Yes, sure. You don't really see that much those days. So it's just it's it he's an incredible talent and a great guy and yeah, man. I think he like I said he's he's just he's the real deal. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  34:49

And this This song is now certified gold and Canada. Am I correct? Sir, what does sir tell the listeners what that means to have a certified gold Single, what does that mean? Well,

Cory Marks  35:02

well to me, I mean, it's a huge honor to have a gold record here in Canada and my first and hopefully not my last. And, you know, it's just for me, especially lets me know that people are listening and people are loving, loving what we're doing, and loving the sound and I think it's just something different. I'm, like I said, I've always said I, I think, you know, I'd like to give country music a different lane. I mean, it's really up that I guess, bro country if you will, and in pop, you know, there's not really there's no one really doing it like this country or in rock. So I hope to change the game a little bit that way. And, you know, gold record, especially in Canada has proof that, you know, people are loving the sound Yes. Oh,

Randy Hulsey  35:42

I dig the kind of the grid of the country like I'm, I'm a I consider myself a newly a new fan of country just because of the path that my music has taken. But I like the harder edge stuff to like your your stuff sounds real, it's it's edgy, it's gritty. And it's just something that you can kind of pump your fist to in fact, my wife Terry and I were watching the video the other night, the one that has Travis, Ivan and MC Anna. And she said, Man, I just feel like going and break and shit after watching that, you know, like, like, what? Well, what can we get a little mosh pit? Go in here, you know, kind of thing, right? Yeah. So your style? Yeah. So this song now is fast approaching 23 million downloads on Spotify. And the record has I think I didn't like use a calculator. But I just quickly looked and I think this thing is approaching somewhere around 100 million downloads. And this is just Spotify.

Cory Marks  36:46

Yeah, well, Spotify, I believe around the the album itself is around 35 million streams. But through all platforms. We're right around that 100 billion mark now. Yeah. Between 400 million streams between Apple Music and Amazon, Spotify, all that good stuff, YouTube. So again, that's just proved to me that people are listening. People are loving it. And, you know, we're not going anywhere.

Randy Hulsey  37:12

Absolutely not. Did you have a feeling about the who I am release, like, before it was released? And that it would be say more successful than the first? I mean, what what kind of feeling? Did you have a you know, after it was done? Did you feel really good about it?

Cory Marks  37:29

I mean, I felt really good about it. Because there my story is, it's my life. But I think a lot of folks can relate to it, guys and girls, and you know, it's just it's just, it's the good, it's bad and the ugly of life. Really? Absolutely. What kind of goes through it? I'm not the only one, you know, breakups, and breakups and hookups and

37:47

all that I Yeah. All the UPS. Yeah. All the UPS. Yeah,

Cory Marks  37:51

all the ups. But, you know, I think, you know, COVID really messed that up, because I think, you know, if I would have had the close to 100 dates on a global global scale that was supposed to have, you know, definitely def those numbers would have been a lot higher. But absolutely, I'm forever grateful for what did happen, I think I think having 100,000 Plus dreams during a pandemic is still a great achievement for VBIED artists. So I'm just, I'm just blown away by the reaction, again, not only here in North America and Canada in the US, but just just globally like I can't believe the the fans from Brazil and Russia. I mean, UAE, you know, Germany, UK, you name it, man. Like, I remember when I would go alive during the pandemic when I first started, right? You know, I'd go live on Instagram every Wednesday, I think Facebook was Friday, but on both those platforms, I would always count well over 20 Different nations today. That's awesome. Which is just incredible. That is

Randy Hulsey  38:51

cool. That is cool. And to your point, you know, my show is just in the first season, but I'm looking at some of the statistics on it. And when I see that I'm I'm listened to in 20 countries. That's to me, that's pretty badass, because I had no expectations of what the right what the show would do. And I you know, in the grand scheme of things when we start talking about guys like the Eddie trunks and the Joe Rogan's who have probably been heard and you know, 73 million different places, like but but that's, that's to me, that's a big thing, right? And kind of like to you I mean, we always strive for the next level, you always have to take that zero off the tin, like you said, like if you're not first you're last is kind of the mentality, Bobby. Absolutely, exactly. Now there's another song from the record that's making a splash. And it's a song called blame it on the double and I wanted to give the listeners a little peek of that and we'll come back and chat a little bit about that one as well. Cool.

Cory Marks  39:49

Let's do All right.

39:52

Last call back Jack's, not six feet tall. the wrong side of town drunk ex boyfriend is now home drunk it's about to go down looking for a man by the hour Bradley he's gonna bring up the man the man

Randy Hulsey  40:41

another anthem song, man, I dig that one as well. And what's your what is? Yeah, that tell me what inspired the writing of that song.

Cory Marks  40:52

I think it's just kind of just kind of, you know, how was it just, you know, growing up in a blue collar town and blue collar city and, you know, just, you know, a lot, you know, a lot of a lot of us just just kind of Living for the Weekend, you know, and, you know, I'm a Jack Daniels guy myself. I've been, I've been lots of ice hockey fights and quite a bit of street fights, too. So it's just kind of reminiscing on my past and my heydays, you know, my 20s, early, early 20s I should say, you know, and just, you know, just just having a good time, let loose and just enjoy it. And you know, if you get a little bit of get a little bit of trouble, I mean, that's, that's awful, but I just, you know, I had that doubler that extra shot, but you know, it's all in good fun. It's all about having a good time.

Randy Hulsey  41:40

They actually fight in hockey. That's amazing. They actually fight in hockey. I didn't know that. Or they stage Are they real?

Cory Marks  41:53

Well just just look at the amount of hockey players that smile on the bench.

Randy Hulsey  41:56

Exactly. Exactly. No, you can't you can't be light hearted and be a hockey player, not an effective hockey player anyway, there's got to be a rough side to you for sure.

Cory Marks  42:08

Now as always that that saying you know what happens on the ice stays stays on the ice. You know, I've definitely gotten some scraps on the ice and go up and have a beer after

Randy Hulsey  42:15

absolutely, absolutely all weekend. I tell people again I tell people that all the time I said what a what a great sport where you can have a difference or not like something about the person you're playing against smash him in the face and then have a beer in the parking lot with him afterwards. Right? I mean, I mean, how much better does it get the mat right go out again in the park. Absolutely. And then then fry some fish up in the parking lot and have a little fish fry so they now Tommy Lee from Motley Crue I think made an appearance in that video as well as I think it was Jason hook from Five Finger Death Punch was in that now. Did both of the guys play on the song or did they make cameos in the video talk to me a little bit about the musicianship BEHIND THE SONG. Yeah, so

Cory Marks  43:02

it also features Tyler Connolly of the dead man. He's a guest vocalist on there and Jason Hook does the beautiful kick ass guitar solos and guitar riffs. Tommy Lee that's actually a part of the movie The retaliate Er So my label better noise. I was just recently in LA for the red carpet and premiere of that movie, The retaliated and blame it on the double is featured in that movie and I'm also featured in the movie as Jimmy the bartender so I make an appearance on screen appearance. But that's that that video specifically has clips of it is Jason Tyler and I rocking out and you know crushes some whiskey having a good time of the song but those other clips are little Okay, captions of the movie, The retaliates

Randy Hulsey  43:42

that that makes sense, but I think that Tommy or you know, like Motley Crue. 6am they're all tied to better noise, right?

Cory Marks  43:51

Yes, those those are my labelmates and I'm the first and only country artists on that label. So I'm labelmates with motley crew 6am Five Finger Death Punch. Papa Roach believe in flames is on there to babbles that's pretty cool.

Randy Hulsey  44:05

Jesus. Did they haze you at all? I mean, did you get hazed because you were the country? Not too bad. I hear

Cory Marks  44:11

it now. I'm a I'm a country guy. But you know, I live

Randy Hulsey  44:17

with a rock hard right? Yeah, you're in by default is what they say. Yeah, you're in by default because you like you are an Ozzy fan, right? Yeah, exactly. There was another song off the record that that I'd like to share with the listeners and it's called Better off let's let's treat him to that. We'll come back and chat about that one for just a second.

44:38

around trying to clear my head a bit my phones don't turn around. I know you let me down you call me. Here we go again. call you on the rise last time

Randy Hulsey  45:50

probably hands down my favorite song on the on the record. I like all of them. But you know, there's always one that just pops for, for somebody for one reason or another. I think that's the one for me. That's why I picked it. You know, the other two certainly had a lot of airplay and a lot of downloads. But I think this one's probably close to 2 million downloads now.

Cory Marks  46:15

But it's now on Spotify. Yeah, yeah, the songwriting

Randy Hulsey  46:19

come easy for you, or is it something that you got to work at?

Cory Marks  46:26

That depends, I mean, some of my friends would say, because it's easy because of, I don't know how many times during a performance out of, you know, if a girl comes on stage or whatever, something in the crowd, and I just, I'll just start randomly, I'll just make up a song on the spot. I do that quite often. And I think it's just fun. It's kind of comedic. And like I said, I like making people laugh, and I can feel good. So but it's, it's usually, it's typically easy when you're when you're writing from the heart and writing from, you know, real experiences. You know, I like to think I've lived a pretty, pretty blessed pretty wild life so far. So there's a lot to talk about. There's, there's, there's love, there's loss, there's yeah, there's all kinds of things. So song like that really is, you know, but based on it's definitely a personal song to me. And that one was fairly easy to write just based on what I was going through, but I know there's a lot of people you know, whether it's your girlfriend, your boyfriend, family member, a friend of best friends, sometimes you realize you're just better off without them. And that's that's the unfortunate truth. Kind of sad but true. But you know, that's really what that song

Randy Hulsey  47:33

is about. Sometimes you have to cut the losses right and say it and move on at the loss to win. Absolutely better off. Talk to me about the band. Who are the players? Where are they from? Where'd you find them?

Cory Marks  47:45

Um, I found them on Kijiji. That's probably a Canadian thing. Yeah. It's like you know, you can find stuff online. Okay. People are giving shit away is by phone. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  48:09

The scrap yard. I thought I'm on Amazon. Right.

Cory Marks  48:13

Now I just just just reconnections and right now my fiddle player the beautiful the awesome Julian Chad Burns is from my neck of the woods. Her her husband used to used to play bass for me but he plays for another Canadian band here. Chris Jericho is my bass player is a Canadian boy but he's down in Nashville. And again my my bass players brother used to play for me as well. He plays in the same band as a fiddle players husband so it's kind of funny

Randy Hulsey  48:46

to do it's kind of inset incestual later.

Cory Marks  48:49

Yeah, exactly. They came over join the wild side. A little too crazy for but Greg Greg Keyes is also national. It's an all Canadian band, but a lot of them are out of Nashville. And Carlos on drums. Think that was just through a connection in Toronto and he's he's been with me for last four years. And then of course the newest member of the the awesome the kid Alex walls. He's from Sioux Sainte Marie and he from the SU Yong Soo but he's been he's been in Nashville for a couple years now but he's a he's a big metal head like like all of us. You know, loves Panthera loves Van Halen and loves kiss so he's just a great great guitar player and a great dude. We're just we're just a bunch of you know, basically Metal

Randy Hulsey  49:36

Head rockers. Hillbilly rockers, right.

Cory Marks  49:40

love country music still and, and like mixing that up? Yeah. And I think the sound that we've created, you know, myself, Kevin Kane and just doing our thing. It gives those country players and country lovers a chance to really to really rock out. Absolutely. That's that's

Randy Hulsey  49:58

been a lot of fun. Absolutely. Now is there a current tour that's planned for you? I know you know you're trying to get back out from COVID I don't know what you have lined up or if you have anything lined up what can you talk to the listeners about as far as upcoming to Well, we

Cory Marks  50:13

were we were just we were just in Arizona playing the big sting music festival. And a month before that we were we went across we did a several dates with hailstorm across the US and there was a lot of fun to get back out there and right now we're just we're that's that's exactly we're doing we're trying to get on a US tour here hopefully in the first or second quarter of 2022 with that would come new music so that's that's the whole plan we're trying to get it locked some dates and earlier on like I said first or second quarter and then and then better yet. Big Summer Tour. Good come 2022 And that will definitely include new music and a new album.

Randy Hulsey  50:52

You talked a little bit you know you're out in Vegas, you're recording and I don't want you to divulge any more about that project than you then you want to but is there anything about that new project that you can talk about?

Cory Marks  51:05

Absolutely. Yeah, it's uh I definitely think it's in some some cases or some songs rather it's it's definitely more more country. I like to say it's still got that stank though there's still like the songs we wrote and cut this week are definitely on the rock side and I think they're gonna be great for you know rock radio hard rock but we got some we got some in my opinion some some country hits on this records are undeniable so and they're real there's songs from the heart and and then we have those kind of fun country country songs. You know that lean a little they're a little different for me because I don't like that. I don't like to use the term pop because people think you know, pop Yeah, well, you know, it's catchy, catchy and a lot of hooky and still got those driving guitars though so it's I'm really excited for this this this album because it really is perfect mix of country and rock and hard rock so I'm I'm definitely excited about this

Randy Hulsey  52:06

one. That's good I mean, because you're not you're not pigeon holing yourself into a genre you know you can you could float over into to rock easily you know you can go on the countryside you're and that's great from a from a business standpoint to that you're not pigeon holed and

Cory Marks  52:24

I'm just I'm just doing like I said I'm writing and making music that I love and that I hope people are gonna love and like I said make people feel good or make make people feel something but most of us make them feel great and that's that's and you know, make them make them think make them reminisce and make them want more and you know just just make them feel and most of all just you know get those country fans rock fans hard rock fans, any genre fan you know any any any kind of fan whether that whatever they like I just hope they said and I quote marks is pretty kick ass. Oh shit. Yeah, that's, that's absolutely we'll go and give, give give people something different.

Randy Hulsey  53:00

Absolutely. Now, where can the listeners find you on social media?

Cory Marks  53:04

Well, I'm really big on Instagram. Like I'm checking that every day I write to my fans whenever I get messages so it's it's me. I know there's there's been so many fake accounts, but my accounts are at Corey marks music and that's Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and look for the blue checkmarks especially on Instagram certified. That's the one and only account that I have. And that's me talking to you and commenting. And so please do follow me. And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Randy Hulsey  53:33

Yeah, well, Cory marks and then you also have a website. Corey marks.com. Correct. Corey

Cory Marks  53:39

marks.com Yeah, it has. There's a merch store on there. There's some all the CDs and EPS I do sign personally. And if you'd like your hat signed as well, there's hats online, as well. And I sign a sign all that stuff, sometimes write letters to fans and all that. So there's a merch store on there. tour dates are available music, all that good stuff at Corey marks.com.

Randy Hulsey  54:00

Awesome. Couple of quickfire questions for you. If you had had a choice to live somewhere, would it be Nashville or North Bay? That's a tough one. All the quickfire questions? Yeah. All the quickfire. Everybody says okay, you you asked me all these questions, and they were all pretty easy. Then you get to these quickfire questions, which are supposed to be fun. And they're the hardest questions, right? Because there's really no definitive answer.

Cory Marks  54:26

I would say Nashville simply because I wouldn't have to shovel snow and I know my parents would love to go there. I'd love that place. So for my parents sake, I can say Nashville.

Randy Hulsey  54:35

There you go. TV or radio, TV. Perfect vacation for Corey marks.

Cory Marks  54:42

I would say just because I haven't been and the weather is great. I'd say like a Florida like an air show. Somewhere in Florida somewhere hot.

Randy Hulsey  54:50

Right now. Something like that. acoustic or electric

Cory Marks  54:53

is that's that's hard. Because I love them both. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  54:57

They're both unique, right?

Cory Marks  54:59

Yeah, I'll say awesome. acoustics simply because you can just pick it up and Sing Sing to a party if you want

Randy Hulsey  55:03

to. Absolutely. Early Bird or night owl

Cory Marks  55:07

depends on what whiskey I drink

Randy Hulsey  55:10

there's a dependency on that answer as exactly maybe either wet the bed Exactly. Favorite place to play now you can plead the fifth on that I you know, some people don't like to, you know, show preferential like I like this place better than that place. But is there a room that you've played over the years that you're like, Man, the sound was just like badass in there like it was just the room.

Cory Marks  55:35

Favorite place to play? Is the the place with the biggest and loudest crowd

Randy Hulsey  55:40

How about that? Fair enough favorite song to play live?

Cory Marks  55:45

As I go out laws and outsiders because the majority of people know that one.

Randy Hulsey  55:51

Formal training or play by ear play by ear. Do you have a number one influential musician, individual musician or band?

Cory Marks  56:03

Well, it's that's also tough just because I have I do have a lot and I come from a crazy background in music, you know, with with what I listened to, but I'd say overall singer songwriter, just because I admire him so much. He's one of those writers that that wrote from the heart. He's I think he's one of a kind. And you know, I think he is country music and that's the great Blake Great. Merle Haggard.

Randy Hulsey  56:23

Yeah, I thought you're gonna say Gordon Lightfoot there for a minute. Everybody's got like Gordy from the from the great white north.

Cory Marks  56:32

Like Gordy but Merle Haggard the king.

Randy Hulsey  56:34

There you go. greatest song of all time for Corey Mark.

Cory Marks  56:38

I'm gonna say time standstill by rush. Interesting.

Randy Hulsey  56:42

I never would have thought that. Yeah.

Cory Marks  56:43

Yeah, I just, that's a special moment for me. Because the last time I saw I saw rush, and it was with my dad. And obviously he's a huge inspiration. I mean, they opened with time stands still. And I remember his emotion. I can't even explain it. I felt if I were to say something to my dad, I would just break out bawling and it was just this you know, I'm all these years of listening to Rush with my dad driving the hockey and from hockey and picking up from school and all that kind of stuff. Get to see and the lyric if it for everyone listening and of course yourself. You know, if you listen to the lyrics, I mean time stands still just that line, freeze this moment a little bit longer, make each sensation a little bit stronger, a little bit stronger. I'll never get that back. But I'll always remember that feeling with my dad. And it was funny when we're on we're on the train back to the hotel. We were just complete. We didn't say anything and then all sudden, it's like, Hey, Dad, I gotta you know, when they started with timestamps, the only bolts just started laughing because turns out he was feeling the same way as other even though we're two feet apart. Yeah, you know, it was just a crazy Maggini. So, timestamps.

Randy Hulsey  57:50

So it's funny that you say that because as your age you started as soon as you said that, the first thing that came to my mind was freeze this moment a little bit longer, make each sensation a little bit stronger. It's like the new.

Cory Marks  58:03

Yeah, I mean, there's just really cool production there. And of course, Neil being Neil, and if you listen to Gettys bass playing when he's singing, it's fucking insane. You know, it's crazy what he's actually playing when you and I saw alive, he plays that. While he's singing. He does these crazy Bass Licks and then Alex doing his thing is just, they're just an incredible band. And it was an incredible moment for me. And before I answer the next question, if there is one, I must say, just because of you asked a formal training or by ear, I gotta tell you, everything I've learned and everything I've done by ear has been done by ear. I can't read or write music. Except for lyrics obviously. And the only thing I ever failed was grade 10 music. Wow. So hope my music teachers listening.

Randy Hulsey  58:51

Hey, Cory, listen, thanks for joining the show. I wish you guys continued success. I'm glad that we were able to connect. I know there was some challenges there just with schedules being crazy and whatnot. But we persevered and we got through this thing. So I thank you for being on. You guys. Make sure you go out on Spotify and iTunes and listen to Corys music. I think it needs to be listened to. For sure he has some great stuff out there. Also, make sure you go and visit Cory marks.com Corey has a lot of great merch out there for sale. So go get it while the getting's good. As always, I ask the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. Make sure to follow Cory on all the social media outlets. As always, you can find backstage pass radio on Facebook, at backstage radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio, on Twitter at backstage pass PC and on the website at backstage pass. radio.com You guys make sure to take care of yourselves and each other and we'll see you right back here on the next episode of backstage pass radio.

Adam Gordon  59:57

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed Today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Hulsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also, make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio