Louder AAA
French guitarist and singer Laura Cox started her YouTube channel in 2006. Driven by a teenage obsession with Slash, Mark Knopfler and Angus Young, she started posting cover versions of their songs, shot in her bedroom on a basic webcam.
Two decades later, now aged 35, she has recently released album number four, Trouble Coming, written entirely by herself and recorded with hot French production duo No Money Kids.
Throughout the summer, she's on the road in Europe with her regular four-piece touring band – in which Cox is the sole guitarist – bringing songs of her own that pack an equally heavyweight punch.
Does Trouble Coming mark a shift for you?
Yes, because it’s really different from what I’ve done in the past. No Money Kids have a modern approach to blues music, and I liked their tones. The recording and writing felt really different. I had more freedom.
What changed in the writing?
When I wrote my first albums, everything started from a guitar riff or solo. Now the vocal melody comes at the same time as the chords. It feels more balanced and fluid. I don’t articulate the songs around the guitar any more.
It took eight years before you began writing your own material. Why so long?
At the beginning, I just had fun covering things. I had no inspiration to write. My goal was to recreate solos I was dreaming about. It took me a long time before I asked myself: “Do you want to create something?” Maybe it was maturity. I was introverted and just wanted to hide in my bedroom. At some point, you don’t want to copy other people any more. You want to create something people can identify with.
The album explores heavy themes: depression, paranoia, even suicide. Where does that come from?
It’s weird because I was in a really good place when I wrote this album. But I’m always inspired by the dark side of the mind. It’s hard to write about positive things. I write about mental health, especially musicians on tour who struggle with addiction, depression and loneliness. There’s usually a starting point from my own experience, and then I make it bigger so more people can identify with it.
You began on YouTube with no strategy and no proper equipment. How important was the timing?
Very important. I wasn’t looking for views or likes, I just wanted to share my music and get feedback. I think that’s why it worked. I was here at the right time. If I started now, it wouldn’t be the same. I learned everything from forums and watching other YouTubers. It was just passion.
You’re French and yet you write entirely in English.
My father is English, but he never taught me, so I learned at school and through TV shows and music. I was born in Paris and always lived in France, and I consider myself fully French. But all the music I listen to is in English, so it felt natural. I love coming to play [in the UK], even though it’s really harsh conditions compared to what we have in France or Germany. You arrive at an English rock’n’roll club and there’s nothing backstage. It’s a challenge, and I really like this total rock atmosphere.
Trouble Coming is out now via earMUSIC. For tour dates, visit the Laura Cox website.
