Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: July 2010

Brian Rademacher: Hey Rob "The Machine" welcome to RockEyez….

Rob DeForge: Hi Brian Great to be here!

Brian Rademacher: We interviewed you back in 2005 and the COS camp was on a high note then everything kind of disappeared. What Happened?

Rob DeForge: Basically, I think we just hit a wall...It was like, ok, where the fuck do we go from here? Do we just play locally, keep writing new material and hope something happens? How do we take what we have and get it out to the masses? It was frustrating to say the least...I felt we had a good CD and a good band and we needed to get on a tour and bring our stuff to the people and see if they liked it, but that just never happened and the whole thing just kind of stalled.

Brian Rademacher: We are in 2010 what did you do during that long hiatus?

Rob DeForge: Well, I had a beautiful baby girl for one...musically I played in a few cover bands; one that played 3 to 4 times a week for a year or more. I’ve never played guitar to be a rock star, I play because I love guitar and music in general so I play pretty much every day even if I’m not playing in a band.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel New Jersey has basically a poor state of music?

Rob DeForge: I don’t think NJ has any music industry.

Brian Rademacher: Give me a list of 5 NJ clubs that let original bands play?

Rob DeForge: Hmm… Dingbatz, Starland Ballroom... that’s all I can think of at the moment.

Brian Rademacher: COS had a great image and songs so why do you feel you never got signed?

Rob DeForge: Good question. I really don’t know. My feeling about COS has always been, if we were exposed to enough people, many would like it. Not everyone of course but there are millions of METALLICA fans for example, who I think would like us, especially if they saw us live. I guess most bands feel that way though.

Brian Rademacher: You guys are in a competition right now to open for KISS in Holmdel, NJ and you’re currently over 3,000 votes more than the next band and in first place. What would it mean to you playing a show at PNC with legends like KISS?

Rob DeForge: Well I was a huge KISS fan as a kid. I’m still a huge fan… especially of the early stuff. Opening for KISS would be a bit of a dream gig. If someone had told me at 13 years old that all these years later I’d open for KISS I probably wouldn’t have believed it... plus to play on that big stage with the big PA and all is an awesome feeling I’ve only experienced a few times so it would be great.

Brian Rademacher: Will COS play some shows besides the upcoming benefit show at the Williamson Theater in Staten Island on October 9th and can you give us more info on that show?

Rob DeForge: Hopefully this show will just be a new beginning for the band and we will keep playing, working on new material and doing shows...Those are my hopes anyway.

Brian Rademacher: Gene Hunter mentioned he is working on new material that you will be featured more on. Can you give us any details?

Rob DeForge: Yea, basically I mentioned to Gene that I wished the CD we recorded had a little more guitar-solo shred-y stuff. He agreed that next time around there will be no holding back… more solos, more experimental stuff. I love bands like AVENGED SEVENFOLD because they aren’t afraid to write 6-minute songs or have tons of shred guitar stuff, so that’s where I’d like us to go musically.

Brian Rademacher: So what is it like working a day job when you know you have the chops to make an impact in music?

Rob DeForge: We all have to pay the bills, ya know? So I don’t get down on the fact that we’re not doing music full-time. There are thousands of great musicians out there. They are chefs, garbage men, whatever pays the bills. Music is art and artists usually die broke.

Brian Rademacher: Have you added any guitars to your collection?

Rob DeForge: Yes, I just bought a new Gibson Les Paul Studio in a color called "Blue Mist". It’s beautiful. I put a Duncan distortion pickup in it, which is different for me, I usually use EMG’s but it sounds great.

Brian Rademacher: What are some of the new artists you listen to now?

Rob DeForge: Hmm, no one I can really call "new" has caught my ear lately, but I really don’t have the time to research and check out new bands. I like BUCKCHERRY and PAPA ROACH. I’ll listen to DISTURBED to see what they are doing. One band I like is called ENDEVERAFTER... cool band, great guitar playing and great songs. I’m surprised they are not bigger. I mostly go back and listen to my old RAINBOW, Michael Schenker, UFO and old AEROSMITH stuff I grew up on. All that shit still kicks ass to me.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel it’s better at this time to release your own material than going with an indie label or even major label?

Rob DeForge: It seems that’s the way to go, yea… do it all yourself.

Brian Rademacher: Will COS release a disc for the fans this year?

Rob DeForge: I friggin’ hope so! People always ask where they can get the CD. I just say "you can’t"… We’re underground… so underground you can’t find us!

Brian Rademacher: Let’s get into the feelings of the "The Machine". Do you feel President Obama will make the US any better?

Rob DeForge: No, socialism will not make us better. More federal government intervention in our lives will not make us better. How anyone with a brain could think that our government will "take care of us" is beyond me. The mentality of Americans today is so ass-backwards. The whole entitlement mentality, I don’t need the government to be my dad, I already had one but people want the government to "take care of them". Whether its healthcare or whatever. I just want freedom and to keep more of the money I make. I hate when these politicians get up and tell me how they are going to help me. I don’t need their help… leave me the fuck alone Obama. That’s what I feel like telling him. As far as the whole healthcare issue; I’m amazed that anyone could believe putting the Federal Government in charge of our healthcare is a good idea. I always ask anyone who thinks this is great, "What does our Federal Government run well?" The Post Office? They are bankrupt. They can’t even run OTB and you trust them to give quality healthcare to every American? And for free no less?? Ok… good luck.

Brian Rademacher: What are your feelings about the BP oil disaster?

Rob DeForge: It’s fucked up. And I think Obama’s getting a pass. He’s playing fuckin’ golf and partying. I hated Bush as much as the next guy but can you imagine if Bush was president and he was doing what Obama is? The media would be all over his ass and rightfully so. And don’t say he can’t do anything, we can put a man on the moon, but we can’t plug a fuckin’ hole?? I know its BP’s responsibility but it’s affecting us so we should have done something by now. Obama just doesn’t seem that concerned, which is fucked up. Then again he doesn’t seem concerned about a lot of things.

Brian Rademacher: You said you now have a daughter. What is your biggest fear that bothers you about her future?

Rob DeForge: Lack of freedom… period. What made this country the greatest in history is the ability to dream…to work hard and achieve anything. We can’t all be millionaires, but we can try and in most countries you can’t even do that. The government keeps the people down and that’s where we are headed. I believe that a government big enough to give you everything you need is powerful enough to take everything you have away from you.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel record labels are just about finished? I mean you can’t even find a record store anymore it seems.

Rob DeForge: It seems that way, yea, everyone just downloads everything nowadays.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel our government is putting too many restrictions on our fellow US citizens just for their greed?

Rob DeForge: The government is getting out of fuckin’ control. They seem to just have their hand in every fuckin’ thing including my pocket. Is it just me? I feel like I’m being strangled by our government right now. They own the banks, the car companies; they want to tell me what doctor I can go to, how much money I can keep. I watch Pelosi, Reid and all these liberal do-gooders talking about how they are going to take care of "the people". Who the fuck are they? Where do they get the balls to say what’s "good" for me?? It’s sickening.

Brian Rademacher: What is your feeling towards organized religion?

Rob DeForge: It serves a purpose for many people. People need to believe there is something after this. It probably helps them get through life. The idea that this is it and when we die we just don’t exist is a scary thought. My feeling is I hope there is an afterlife, I don’t know and neither do you... you can say you believe 100% there is, but no one knows for sure. And no one knows for sure there aren’t a "heaven" and a "God". I think Atheism is kind of a sad way to live though. The idea that this is all there is? That kind of sucks, no?

Brian Rademacher: Do you believe there is a God?

Rob DeForge: Like I said, I hope so but I don’t have 100% faith that there is. I’m not sure how anyone does. It must be a nice feeling if you really truly believe there is, but I need proof. Some would say just look around at the earth and that only a God could create something like the universe and Earth but that’s not enough for me. I believe if there is a God he/she will judge me on how I lived my life, not whether or not I believed in him while I was here.

Brian Rademacher: What are your thoughts when you die….what happens then?

Rob DeForge: I don’t know, no one does...Those people who die for a few seconds and see "the light" …sorry, that’s not proof to me. Die for a week or so then come back and tell me…

Brian Rademacher: Do you have any objective on illegal immigrants that are in the US getting grants and welfare when U.S born people are struggling themselves?

Rob DeForge: It’s disgusting. Illegal’s get treated better than US citizens. It’s fucked up. There’s just so much shit that makes no sense. I read that something like 20% of the people in prison are illegal. What the hell is wrong with sending them back to wherever they came from? At the very least we need to secure our borders. Again, we put a man on the moon, but we can’t find a way to secure our borders? That’s complete bullshit.

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel that just about every entity in the US is corrupt in some way?

Rob DeForge: Probably… power corrupts.

Brian Rademacher: What does the future look like for Rob DeForge?

Rob DeForge: Great. I have a great life, a great wife and a beautiful daughter. I’m still able to play my guitar every day, and that’s all I can ask for.

Brian Rademacher: Rob, It’s been great…a little different interview for RockEyez but I wanted to see if there is actually a person out there that will tell their true feelings instead of bull-shit answers to make others happy. You rock!

Rob DeForge: Thank you Brian. I answered as honestly as possible and I hope I didn’t offend anyone who has different views. I may not agree with someone’s political views but this is still America and people are entitled to be stupid if they wish (LOL).