Stereoshock Helps Me Get A Date, Explains The Tissues On His Desk & More

Posted by Mel on September 29, 2013

April 19th, 2012, the day started just like any other. I had woken up a few minutes later than usual and after doing the math, figured that I would miss about five minutes of my first class. I then decided to skip the whole day and stay home. As per usual when I don’t go to class, I bump it up to twice a day. Two girls were texting me at the time so I was just super busy, the time that had been allocated for me to study and do the work that I was missing was pushed aside in order to make room to mow the lawn, like my dad had asked me to days prior. I didn’t mow the lawn and instead went to Best Buy to get some Beats by Dre Studio’s. I got them, in black for some reason, came home and bumped it up once again to three times a day. After my third Klondike bar of the day, making my bi-hourly visit to Soundcloud seemed like the next obvious choice.

It was then that I became acquainted with 20 year old, New York based producer Stereoshock, or as his mother calls him Josh Cohen. I was eating some leftover chilli at the time and accidentally spilled some on my shirt but it didn’t matter, because the song I was listening to was just so good. It wasn’t an original, but it sure sounded like it. At that point forward I was aware that an edit or mashup could be more than vocals thrown over an instrumental or simply interchanging two songs drops. Stereoshock has a level of sophistication in both his edits and originals that is not seen very often. Over time we’ve become friends, and he expressed interest in an interview, so I obliged. Be warned that this interview is extremely serious. We talk about only the most important topics that other artists refuse to.

 

FNT: I have seen what your desk looks like and clearly remember you having a box of tissues on it. What would you say are the primary and secondary uses for those tissues?

 

Stereoshock: When sending you previews, I never thought it would come back to haunt me through an interview haha. For the record, I have seasonal allergies, and therefore the primary usage would be for the obvious. Mel, you know the life of an upcoming producer. You don’t leave your desk; and things get hard at times (so to speak haha). You’re in the middle of promoting a new release; you stumble upon a video of a war-veteran surprising his family at home…and all of a sudden you’re crying like a 14-year old at a One Direction Concert. By the end of the video, I’ve plowed through half a box, and begin working vigorously to suppress the lump in my throat. Kleenex is there for those moments haha.

 

 

FNT: In Canada, when a boy and a girl had been chillen for like two weeks they become bf & gf. Do you think the social norm of men paying for their partners things is proper?

 

Stereoshock: I’ve had this debate with people on numerous occasions. Everyone has a different opinion, and there are so many scenarios in which change the outcome of the discussion. Personally, I believe that the guy should always pay for the dates, at least until you are in an official relationship. Once you’re in a relationship for some time, this could change, and the girl could start chipping in if you are a couple that enjoys doing expensive things together. Personally, I enjoy paying for the girl, and think that some “old-fashioned” norms add some romanticism to the relationship. In addition to that, if she’s having a good time, and smiling, that’s worth the money anyway. However, if this isn’t your style, it is important to be communicative and avoid the awkward moments that can kill the mood.

 

 

FNT: Would you feel more comfortable being a nude model in an amateur drawing class consisting of only extremely attractive women and one gay guy who keeps seductively swirling a Tic Tac around in his mouth whilst looking at you, or leaning onto the hood of your mustang in the parking lot of your old high school during lunch, trying to get at least five girls to put their hands into a brown paper bag that is placed on your lap, and why?

 

Stereoshock: I have some high school friends that are still some of the most important people in my life, but aside from that, high school was pretty brutal (I was 4’11’’ freshman year, and didn’t grow significantly until senior year). Having said that, I would much rather become a nude model in an amateur drawing class. I would say that I am comfortable with my body image, and therefore it wouldn’t be that difficult to be the model, regardless of their sex or preference. In addition, as an artist, I am aware of the clear distinction between art, and reality. If you view your body (and other people’s as well) as art, then your perception on human anatomy changes. It doesn’t hurt to be pretty comfortable in front of a camera or audience as well! haha

 

 

FNT: Last year was my first year of University. The prof in one of my classes was a fairly attractive (7.5/10) late thirty year old women. Whenever she handed back assignments or tests there would always be a smiley face on mine and mine alone. That’s really nothing out of the ordinary seeing as how girls have been doing that to me since high school, I do quite well if you know what I mean hahaha but seriously she even said one time, in front of the entire class, that I “saved her day”. Do you think she liked me and if so, orchestrate a series of events I could put into action to win her heart back and get her to chill for a night.

 

Stereoshock: I’ve received a few smileys in my past, and I’d like to think that it was just because I did well. However, one time in high school AP Economics, I got thrown out 5 days in a row for talking. It became so frequent that people would walk into class, excited about seeing what happened. I remember telling the teacher one time, that I “had my music”, and that he wouldn’t ruin my day by throwing me out. This was in front of the entire class, so needless to say, the teacher never gave me any smileys.

Anyway, back to the question. Assuming that she did like you, there are two ways you can go about this. You can begin doing worse in class, and ask her for extra 1-on-1-review time. This is not optimal for your college career, but an easy excuse. If you do poorly and she still gives you the smiley, then I think its safe to say she wants to give you a chance to earn some extra credit. The other option is to write her a poem on the white board before she walks into class. Then you leave a trail of rose petals leading to her desk, where a dozen roses are left along with a note that has a smiley face.  The key to this is getting there before anyone else in the class, so only she will know you were the one that pulled off this detailed plan. Assuming she’s into a little romance, you should be chilling with her in no time. Haha

 

FNT: Which of the following people would you be the most interested in spending a day with and why:

A)  The guy who sold me a fake Ed Hardy shirt for $20 when I was 14.
B)  The Biebs.
C)  Mr. Feeny.
D)  The first non-family male to see your penis.
E)  A cute 20 year old girl willing to try anything.

 

Stereoshock: I would rather spend a day with anyone on this list, instead of Justin Bieber. His arrogance is extremely off putting, and no amount of “swag” can make up for the way he’s been acting as of recent. According to my younger cousin, he is now being replaced by Austin Mahone in the teen pop demographic, and isn’t “cute” anymore. Sorry Justin, the children have spoken.
Now the obvious answer for most guys reading this would of course be, “E”, but part of me is saying “C”. Aside from my parents and brother, Mr. Feeny taught me so many valuable lessons as a kid. The show ended, and I feel like we never had a proper goodbye. I didn’t even get to do one last “Feeny Call” in front of my television. Sometimes when I’m up in the late hours of the night, I see the re-runs of Boy Meets World, and scroll past it to the latest reality show that has caught my attention. Some things are better left in the past (Yes I know about Girl Meets World, but it won’t be the same). Topanga, Cory, Eric, Shawn, Minkus, Mr. Feeny; you were the ones who got away. I guess that means, the answer to this question, is “E”.

 

FNT: Tell me about your first romantic hug. (Who it was with, where you were, how long it lasted, did you enjoy it, etc.)

Stereoshock: My first romantic hug…that’s a tough one. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic, so I was falling in love in the first grade. I was supposed to get married to this girl on the playground, and then she ran away during the ceremony, and left me alone during recess. All I wanted to do was play some foursquare and wall ball, but it was time to grow up. I fell off the wagon for a bit, binge drinking chocolate milks and eating dunkaroos under the glow of my N64. Mid-way through the year, I got involved with a local gang called MMPR…people knew us as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. 2^nd grade came, and I pulled my life around. Really quite tragic haha.

 

Now, if we are being serious, my first romantic hug occurred during a travel camp in the 6^th Grade.  I haven’t spoken to her since the 7^th grade, but I definitely remember feeling something stronger then I had in the past. We were on a greyhound type bus, on the way back from Kings Dominion Amusement Park in Virginia. I remember she wasn’t feeling very well (as she was coming down with a fever), so I decided to cuddle with her on the bus. I was trying to keep her warm, and make her feel as best as I could. It definitely had an impact on me, because if I close my eyes, I can remember it so vividly. I think it was the first time I cared for someone in that way and probably the first time I tried to comfort someone that I “loved” (aside from family). She looked at me with these eyes, as If I was making everything better, and it was a very powerful thing. Unfortunately, she gave me the flu, and I got sick on our trip next week (which she felt bad about). To this day, I’ve never felt the way I had when she looked at me that day, and I don’t know if it was because of youth or because of legitimate feelings.  One day I’m sure I will find out!

 

 

FNT: Would you say the remixes you’ve done were the best remixes of each respective track?

 

Stereoshock: I never like to use the word “best” when describing music. Music is subjective to tastes, moods, perceptions, and so many other factors. Everything I remix, and produce; I put my heart into. I don’t rush my projects, and release something every few weeks in order to stay relevant. In addition, I don’t follow production trends and look for the “hot” artist to remix in order to get hits. When I release something, I want it to be unique and to tell a story in which is meaningful to the listener. I’ve spent a great deal of time developing my sound (Cinematic Style, Big Room Sound) as an artist, and it’s something that I am extremely passionate about. I like to take risks with my music and make people feel sad, happy, excited, scared, and a full range of emotions on each release. Each of my remixes and productions has contrast and paints a picture in the mind of the listener using the imagery that I create.

 

The fans/listeners really understand the emotion that I put into my music, and it allows us all to connect on another level. Each piece of work let’s you learn a little more about who I am as a person, and that is the most meaningful thing to me as an artist.

 

 

FNT: Enough about music, back to the important stuff. I sometimes get a slight stinging sensation when I pee. Is this normal and what would you say is the best place to go for fast food?

 

Stereoshock: Haha yes this is normal on rare occasions, but if it is persistent, you should probably see a doctor!

 

I love fast food, even though I don’t eat it too often. My favorite things to eat are Chinese Food, Tuna Fish, Jewish Deli and BBQ food (Steak, Chicken, Burgers, Ribs, Pulled Pork, Etc.). Unfortunately I’m lactose intolerant, so that significantly puts a damper on what I can eat. If I had to choose one restaurant, my favorite fast food spot would probably be, Burger King (Longhorn Steakhouse or Chilis if you’re looking for a bit more upscale of a franchise).

 

 

FNT: The first time a girl asked me to drive her home I told her no because the new Call Of Duty had just come out and I was more interested in playing that than whatever she had to offer, while walking my dog this one time I tripped and fell but quickly looked around and nobody saw so I kept on walking while trying to hold back the tears, I have been playing hockey since I was 7 and have therefore seen a lot of male genitalia, I do not stack up well.

 

Those are three facts about me. What are three interesting facts about you?

 

1) When I was younger, I did Karate and MMA for 6 years, and went to the National Championships on numerous occasions. I did everything from board breaking to grappling, and can still use Nunchakus well even in the current day.

 

2) I was 4’ 11” as a freshman in high school, until I grew around Senior Year. My nickname in the 8^th grade was Smurf, because I always wore blue. As you can imagine, these weren’t the best years for me.

 

3) After my first semester of college in Burlington, Vermont (Champlain College), I dropped out in order to pursue music full time. The BYOB (Bring Your Own Business) program was enthusiastic enough about my music, that they gave me a lockable office where I could produce and keep all my equipment permanently. If it weren’t for the program giving me the office, I would still be in college, studying PR and Marketing (Shout out to Robert Bloch who runs the program there and who put up with me producing all day next to his office).

 

4) *Bonus*- When I’m not producing music, I enjoy action sports! I love to skate, snowboard, and skimboard avidly!

 

FNT: You are walking down the street late one night and decide to stop into your local 7-11 to see what it smells like today and possibly buy some chocolate milk. You walk out five minutes later with a bag of weed and some expired girl scout cookies that a guy forcibly sold to you in the fridge section when you were checking out the milk. Scared for your life, because the guy is now staring at you through the window, you decide to roll the dice and call into your local top 40 radio station to tell them about this event. The guy sees you on the phone, thinking you’re calling the cops, exits the store and starts running at you. You of course start running as well but since tonight was the night that you were finally going to finish that semi-nude drawing of Judge Judy you started two months ago, you had forgotten to take the finely sharpened pencils out of the right pocket of your jean shorts. They stab into your leg with each stride, causing different levels of discomfort each time.

 

Finally, you’ve reached the point where you can run no longer and must face the consequences. You find yourself at the dead end of an alley and the guy at the other end. He pulls out a gun, and you pull out your pencils. You know that it’s over for yourself and that you shouldn’t have tempted fate by wearing jean shorts and an “I <3 getting shot” shirt to a 7-11 late at night. Ready for your inevitable demise, you prepare to close your eyes and fade into darkness, your one sided bromance with your best friend is about to come to an end before you even told him how you really feel. But, before you do, you see someone appear at the other end of the alley, behind the guy about to shoot you. It’s impossible to make them out, but you can just tell by their silhouette that they are an extraordinarily beautiful individual.

 

The guy about to shoot you then gets a call on his phone. He answers it on his bluetooth earpiece and talks to whoever it is, all while keeping the gun pointed at you. You can see the person behind him fumbling around back there but you don’t say anything because you don’t want to alert the killer of his presence. “Just wake me up when it’s all over” you hear the shooter say before he hangs up his phone. Finally realizing that this is it and you have to speak up now or you will never find out if the girl who asked to borrow your favorite hoodie in the eleventh grade still plans on giving it back, you begin to scream for help.

 

The alley is suddenly illuminated by bright lights, revealing an extensive sound system set up, your erection is gone, and both you and the shooter look back to see who the mysterious person is.

 

It’s Avicii.

 

He then proceeds to play a set consisting of only songs from his next album that are just totally inappropriate for this alley. You and the shooter both reminisce on how his earlier stuff was better and how this new thing is absolute garbage. You then sell the weed to Avicii for a $2 profit and go to a movie with the shooter. The shooter then asks where you went on your first date and if it was a success (did you get a kiss on the cheek?). How do you reply?

 

Stereoshock: Haha I don’t even know how you come up with a story like this…you must have had a great creative writing teacher. Just for the record, I do not smoke/sell weed, and live a pretty straight lifestyle! I do like drawing Judge Judy in the nude though and wearing jean shorts (just kidding).

 

My first date occurred sometime around the 6^th or 7^th grade.  I went to a fair with another girl I met at camp (different then the one I mentioned before…I peaked at a young age haha). We had a great time, and whoever was watching us gave a good amount of space. I don’t remember if it was her parents, or just a babysitter. The date was very successful, and we actually maintained a “serious” relationship for a while after that. It lasted into the school year, so at the time, I remember feeling what would resemble “young love”.

 

 

The next portion of this interview is short, easy answers.

Long and Hard with Mel:

 

FNT: Would you consider me your best friend?

 

Stereoshock: If you lived close to me, we could be best friends! We talk all the time as it is!

 

FNT: If a girl asks you for a pen and then doesn’t give it back to you at the end of class, you’re pretty much in there right?

 

Stereoshock: I wish; she probably just forgot. Who wants back a chewed pen anyway haha

 

FNT: Does owning an Escalade make you cool?

 

Stereoshock: No, but as a kid I owned a remote control Escalade that played music! #gangster

 

 FNT: There is a weird, clear-ish, somewhat white stain on the back of my laptop. What do you think it is?

 

Stereoshock: If you have a Mac, it’s fingerprints. Happens all the time!

Wrong! A thorough taste test revealed that is indeed cream from a banana cream pie that I ate at some dudes bar mitzvah two years ago.

FNT: What is your favorite thing to do past 11pm that does not involve you using those tissues on your desk?

 

Stereoshock: Haha too many to choose! Chilling with friends, an occasional game of COD/FIFA, but mostly, performing my music!!

 

Bonus Question: Do you regret wanting to do this interview?

 

Stereoshock: Not at all…It was so much fun! Thanks for all the support guys! 🙂

Tags: 2012, Beats, dad, date, fnt, guy, Josh Cohen, music, New York, night, reason, school, so good, Stereoshock, time, vocals