Welcome to Gaia! ::

Fear not!

We’ve been getting some emails and been reading some comments from kids who are scared that all the exposure we are getting on MTV this week will change who we are and ruin us. I just want to take a minute to put all your worries at ease: No matter what, we will not change, and we will not forget about our fans—especially the ones that have been there from the start. Yes, we may get busier, yes more people may start to know us, but the thing that makes us who we are—being grounded, being real, and being connected to our fans, will not change (nor will our self-deprecating sense of humor). I’ve been touring since I was 17. I’ve seen the ups and downs, and I’m neither impressed by success, nor discouraged by failure. I play music because I love it, and it’s amazing to be able to have people be excited about our music. But it is not lost on me for even a second that the only reason I am able to do this for a living is because of the support I get from you guys. I never forget and I am eternally grateful. That is why I stand out in the cold for hours after our shows to make sure that I meet every single person who came to our show and wants to say hi, that’s why we booked a tour at tiny intimate venues instead of bigger ones with barricades and huge, far-away stages, and that is why we kept our ticket prices so low. (of course however, good intentions often yield regrettable, negative consequences: for example, because the venues were small and the tickets were cheap, a lot of the shows sold out quickly. But all we can do in these situations is try our best to do right by our fans).

It’s amazing to get some recognition after making music for 10 years, but I know that recognition comes and goes real quick. And for me, the most important thing is to stay who I am, not only for the sake of the people who have supported me, but for my own sake: because after all this is done, if I don’t have myself to go back to--if I am solely defined by my (ephemeral) status and success, and am not connected to my true self—then I’m ******** know what it’s like to watch a band that was my little secret, and with whom I felt a personal connection, get bigger and become the flavor of the week for people who I thought didn’t TRULY understand the band, and thus didn’t deserve to be a fan. But then I realized that it wasn’t fair of me to judge the new fans . . . because I was a new fan once too. And just because someone was younger, didn’t mean that he didn’t have the right to be a fan and to understand the band in his own way.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if we get bigger, it’s only because you guys have been supporting us and telling all your friends about us. And if word about us spreads to beyond your friends, and Cobra becomes huge, you should take pride in that. Because in truth, it’s you who made that happen. Lots of bands have great songs. Very few bands have great fans. And we are lucky enough to be one of them. So thank you guys for all you’ve given us.

To an amazing New Year with joy health and cobra love to all!

Cobra Bless,
Gabe