Today we’d like to introduce you to Rip Knickers.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I discovered my local music scene in high school, became infatuated with the whole aesthetic, and decided to start a band so I could participate. Although I could sing a little bit and knew how to read music, I had never really written music before so I had to figure that out along the way. Initially my goal was just to be one of those local guys I admired that had the privilege of being put on shows in front of an audience, which, to my surprise, was pretty easy to accomplish. All you have to do is email the venue, book the date, and show up. My first band was terrible, and, after a few shows, I quickly changed my goal to being in a band that could draw an audience with good songs and exceptional stage presence. It turns out this is easier said than done, but my writing and performing soon improved to the point of getting my new band promoted to the headliner at local shows and we started traveling on weekends to other regional locations outside of the city in hopes to spread our name and music. In short, we played a couple of record label showcases and enjoyed our time, but soon different members moved away and the band fell apart. I still love music a lot, and have never stopped writing. I recently decided that I would like to put a band together to perform the new songs that I have written, and the project is called Cougar Magnum. It is currently a studio project but the intention is to play the songs on the album we have released called Full Mag to live audiences.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not. Where to start? In my teens and early adulthood, I felt very physically uncomfortable on my own skin. This meant that I was often irritated and distracted. Very over-sensitive and impatient. I developed a very warped and selfish view of reality because of this, always tending to my ailments and anxieties. Alcohol and drugs helped remove these surface level stresses so I could access what I would describe as my “true self,” which was much different than who I thought I was. When using alcohol and drugs, I could think clearly and be more genuine to myself and to those around me, speaking from my heart and not from my usually negative brain, as the sensitivity and annoyances mostly gone. Unfortunately this is not a good long-term strategy and I struggled with the distraction of addiction for much of my early twenties. Miraculously I found my way out of that mire and am much healthier today, living a sober life. I never forgot what I experienced though, and have found a way to access my aforementioned “true self” in a sober headspace. I was also fortunate that I did not give up my art during these challenges early in my adulthood, and all of this time that I have put into my craft has ultimately given me the confidence to start Cougar Magnum.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I play guitar and sing in an alternative rock style currently consisting of guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and some production sounds. I struggle to get more specific than that when describing the music I create… I think that’s because I have really taken the time to develop my own voice so that exists only to express myself. My voice isn’t an attempt to stand in the shadow of my favorite legendary performer, although I hope that I honor them. I am also not mimicking a zeitgeist so that I fit in, although I hope I get to participate. I write to express the emotions I feel, and my sound grows each year with the new emotions and experiences I encounter. I serve each song without regard to future genre or prior work, letting it become what it tells me it wants to be. I have zero expectations but I show up every day to play, write, and rehearse. I am most proud of my discipline to the craft. As far as bodies of work, I am most proud of the Cougar Magnum album “Full Mag” I recently put out. I produced the whole thing myself at my home studio, writing all of the songs and playing almost all of the sounds you hear on it. It is likely that I will be most proud of the next one when I put that out too, and then the one after that, and so on… assuming I do my job correctly.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My wife Amanda and my brother Stephen have both been an unbelievable source of strength and inspiration on my journey and I would not be here without their support. Amanda has held me accountable for my words, reminding my of my promises to her and myself, and guiding me towards my goals when I get lost or discouraged. Stephen is my younger brother and I put pressure on myself to be the person he believes me to be, and I never want to let him down.
Pricing:
- My album Full Mag (artist name Cougar Magnum) is available on all streaming services, it doesn’t cost anything if you have one!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougarmag/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/cougarmagband
- Other: TikTok @cougarmagband
