Hello everybody, we’re here today with Pete and Coosh from Who On Earth. How are you guys doing?
Pete & Coosh — Great! How are you?


I’m doing great, thank you.
So we’re here to talk about your upcoming album It Takes the Village, which will be released on May 8th. First of all, can you tell me more about the title? Why It Takes the Village?
Coosh — Well, Pete loves telling this story.
Pete — Oh yeah. We really love dual meanings. We like being a little clever with things and this title is one of our favourites for that reason. Usually, people know the expression “It takes a village”, like when you say “it takes a village to raise a child” or to accomplish something difficult. But we chose It Takes the Village because it carries two meanings.

The first meaning is connected to the themes we write about a lot: deception. Whether it’s government deception, corporate deception, or even personal deception. With this album, we wanted the artwork to represent these forces that are slowly taking over the silent majority all around the world. The elite, the people in power, the ones who hold all the money and influence; we’re all victims, in one way or another, of what’s happening around us.

So in that sense, these forces literally “take the village.” They destroy it, tear it down, and overpower ordinary people. But the second meaning is much more hopeful. It takes the village also means that it takes all of us coming together, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or any other division, to actually face what’s happening right in front of us.

Because the powers in place want to keep us distracted. They want us fighting amongst ourselves. They want to keep pushing us down. So this album is kind of our rebel cry, in a way. But without making it overly obvious or aggressive. Not a violent rebellion or anything like that, but more a call for people to unite and simply say: enough is enough.

Thank you for that.
I saw that the album was self-released. Is that correct? Can you tell us more about that?
Pete — Correct. We’re independent. So far, none of the major record labels have knocked down our doors, so we’re continuing to do everything ourselves and honestly, we’re having a great time doing it.

Being independent gives us full control over every aspect of the band: the branding, the music, the artwork, the social media, everything. Of course, it’s a lot of work, and we have to invest in ourselves, but at the same time, we have complete creative freedom. We’re basically our own client. It’s just us, and that’s the way we approach things.

Right now, it’s working. We’re building a following on our own, step by step. Obviously, as we try to expand into Europe, South America and across the United States, it would be great to eventually have support from a label or a bigger management company. But for now, we’re going to keep grinding, and things will happen when they’re supposed to happen.

Coosh — I think we genuinely like the way things are right now. We enjoy being independent. We don’t want to give up our freedom or be told: “You have to go here,” or “You have to do this.” Being independent means we can make our own choices and move at our own pace.

And honestly, Pete handles the majority of all of this behind the scenes and puts everything together. So when you see everything that’s been accomplished, it’s really fulfilling to watch our frontman build all of this without relying on anyone else.
That’s a huge achievement.


Yes, it is. How do you work in the studio? What does your creative process look like? And how do you manage to keep up with everybody’s ideas?
Coosh — It’s actually pretty straightforward. Pete writes all the music, and usually he already has a feeling or a direction in mind for the song. Most of the time, there’s already a subject or a concept attached to the music, and then we build from there.

Pete — Once the music is finished, we send it over to Coosh in a solid demo format. Then Coosh and I sit down together and work on the lyrics. We really like writing songs that carry meaning, whether they come from personal experiences or from this recurring theme of deception that seems to run through almost everything we do. But it’s not just about deception itself, it’s also about uniting against it.

Up until now, most -if not all- of the creative process has mainly involved Coosh and me, so we haven’t really had too many chefs in the kitchen. That might change on the next album, though, because now we’ve got a band that’s been together for a while and everyone is eager to contribute more ideas. That’s going to be something new for us, and honestly, we’re excited about it. The more ideas, the better. But so far, creatively speaking, it’s mostly been Coosh and me leading the process.


That’s great to hear.
This is your second album. We’re still discovering different sides of the band, new aspects of your music and even new sounds. How do you feel this album represents who Who On Earth is today?
Coosh — Like we always say: it’s all about diversity. Our goal is simply to write great songs. We don’t feel the need for every track to sound exactly the same, and that also applies to the topics we talk about. We want our music to be something people can connect with emotionally, something they can truly relate to and feel. Like I always say, you can enjoy music just because it sounds good, but when you become emotionally invested in it, because it reflects a path you may have gone through yourself, then the music becomes so much more meaningful and fulfilling.

Pete — I’d also say that this album really shows the confidence Coosh has developed as a singer. The first album and the EP were already phenomenal, but now I think the level of comfort we have in the studio really comes through in the music. We didn’t always walk into the studio being 100% prepared; we intentionally left room to stay open and spontaneous in the moment. And honestly, some really cool things on the album came from that approach.

Also, the guitar work evolved a lot. We now have two guitarists in the band, and that allowed us to bring in more harmonies and some really tasteful melodic guitar parts throughout the record, along with fresh drum ideas as well. I think every individual part of the band improved, and collectively, as we became more comfortable and grew as songwriters, all of that naturally came together on this album.

Even our producer, Mike Orlando, is constantly experimenting with new engineering techniques and sounds, developing his own methods and tools. All of that really shines through on this record.


I was actually about to bring up Mike Orlando, because I saw he produced the first album as well. You actually already answered part of my question but how do you feel he influenced the way this album turned out?
Coosh — He had a much bigger influence on this record, especially in the sense that he really allowed us more space to breathe creatively. When we made the first album, we were still learning how to write original material together and figuring out who we were musically. But this time, it was more about letting things flow naturally and allowing the music to come out organically.

He also helped us develop certain ideas further and expand parts of songs when it made sense. But never in a way that pushed us away from our artistic identity. He always respected what he felt was authentic to the band. So honestly, it’s always been great working with him.

Pete — Yeah, and one thing we did differently this time compared to the past was involving Mike much earlier in the process. Usually, we would come to him once all the songs were already finished, and then he’d suggest small tweaks here and there. But this time, before fully finalising everything, we actually sat down with him and asked: “What do you think about this? What about that?”

We had a few sessions where we were just sitting together in the studio talking through arrangements and ideas. He’d say things like: “Maybe you could do this here,” or “I’d make this a double chorus.” Sometimes he’d even point out: “That doesn’t really sound like the chorus… This part should be the chorus instead.” And because of that, we ended up restructuring and rearranging several songs very early in the process. That was honestly a really productive and valuable addition to the way we work, which is something we hadn’t really done before.


And I saw he was also featured on one of your bonus tracks, Vigilance (Extended). Why did you choose to do that version with him and with Jason Bittner?
Pete — That’s a great question. Well, Mike is actually all over this album. He’s on Vigilance, but also on several other tracks. He plays on Oh, Set Me Free, on Monster!, and he performs the solo on Any Other Way. Actually, Mike played all the guitar parts on our very first album, it was entirely him. So on this record, he’s not only involved as producer, mixer, engineer and mastering engineer, but his rhythm guitars and solos are also spread throughout the album.

As for Jason Bittner, it was really cool because originally I had Jason record the drums for that version, and then Mike handled the guitars. But afterwards, we realised we really wanted Vigilance to be the first single from the album, and I wanted that first single to feature the actual members of the band.

So we decided to release the main version with our current lineup on it. But the version with Mike Orlando and Jason Bittner was just too good not to share. Plus, it was longer and had a different energy, so we thought it would make a perfect bonus track. Those guys are absolute virtuosos on their instruments.

Coosh — Yeah, they’re monsters, for sure.


So the album contains twelve tracks and three bonus tracks. I’m going to go little by little through it. You already told us why Vigilance was chosen as the first single, but why did you also choose it to open the album?
Pete — Honestly, for both the first single and the opening track, it just felt obvious to us. It’s such a strong way to kick off the record. It’s almost like that battle cry we were talking about earlier. The idea is: “Stay vigilant.” Let’s stand together. All for one, one for all. It’s us against the machine.

And the way the song starts, immediately hitting you with Coosh’s voice and that anthem-like energy, it just grabs you by the shirt and drags you through the verses into this really powerful chorus. We wanted people to hear that track and immediately understand: this is how we're coming out swinging. That felt like the perfect way to open the album.


Sounds good.
A little later on the album, we have Closer, which is only about a minute long, right before the song Too Close. I was wondering if those two tracks were meant to go together, and if Closer was kind of an interlude or a way to separate different parts of the album.
Coosh — Yeah, that’s exactly what it is.

Closer was originally intended to be the intro to the full song. But because of how streaming platforms like Spotify work today, you can’t really release a single that starts with a minute and a half of atmosphere before the actual song kicks in ; people just won’t wait that long anymore.

But we felt that the intro was too good not to include somewhere, so we wanted it to live on the album so people could still experience it properly. The same thing actually happened with Ascension and Unbeaten. Ascension is also meant to be the introductory part leading into that song. So yeah, we really wanted those pieces to remain part of the album experience.

Pete — It’s something you’ve seen bands do for years; even Iron Maiden with The Ides of March leading into another track. Those little musical passages are meant to flow perfectly into the full song. But we live in a very ADHD, attention-deficit kind of world now, where people immediately think: “Okay, just get to the point already.”

That’s not really what we grew up with. We were perfectly happy listening to six, seven, eight-minute songs. So this was kind of our compromise with the current way people consume music: keeping those atmospheric moments on the album while still adapting to modern listening habits. Because honestly, we loved those intros and wanted them to remain part of the record.

Coosh — They’re already trying to get rid of guitar solos. Maybe next they’ll get rid of verses too and just keep choruses everywhere.
(laughs)

Pete — And honestly, you were absolutely right with your interpretation earlier. We also placed it there as a way to create a little breathing space in the middle of the album, almost like a pause in the action. So yes, there was definitely a lot of thought behind it.


And you were talking about Ascension earlier. I’m going to get to Unbeaten right after, but Ascension itself feels incredibly cinematic. It really has that movie-like atmosphere. How important do you think the cinematic aspect of a band or an album is today?
Pete — Well, first of all, that piece was actually created by Michael Romeo from Symphony X. He composed that intro for us. We originally had Unbeaten as a full studio version on the first album, but this time we really wanted to reinterpret it acoustically. So we asked Mike Romeo to create the introduction for it.

And honestly, we basically just told him: “Go with what you feel.” Then he sent it back to us, and we were just staring at each other like: “Oh my God… are we watching Star Wars or something?” It immediately felt cinematic, exactly like you said. It felt like sitting in a theatre with a bucket of popcorn watching an epic movie unfold. The way he took our music and transformed it into something like that… the guy is just brilliant. And honestly, that’s part of what we wanted with this album overall: to give listeners a little bit of everything. A taste of different atmospheres and emotions.

You still have the heart and soul of Who On Earth throughout the record, but then you also have electronic elements, extended versions, acoustic passages, cinematic intros, heavier tracks… all these different dimensions. We wanted people to listen and think: “Who are these guys?” because there are so many different layers to the band. And honestly, that was the goal.


I think showing the different faces of the band and everything you’re capable of doing is really important today.
Coosh — Exactly. The thing with Ascension is that we basically told Mike Romeo we wanted it to feel like the beginning of an adventure leading into the next song. And I remember Pete saying to me: “How do you even critique something like that?” We wouldn’t even know where to begin.

When someone delivers a piece of music like that -and we loved it immediately from the very first listen- what are you even supposed to say? “Could you edit this?” There was nothing to change. Like Pete said, it felt like Star Wars mixed with Lord of the Rings.
You wanted an adventure? There it was.

Honestly, we’ve been really lucky to experience moments like that in the studio. We’ve had a lot of situations where things just naturally came together in a really positive way. Someone else actually asked us recently if we had encountered any major problems while making the album, and honestly… not really. For us, it’s mostly been positive energy and great creative moments all the way through. It’s been amazing.

Well, that’s really good to hear. And following Ascension, we get The Unbeaten, which -if I heard it correctly- features a second uncredited vocalist. So I was wondering who she was ?
Pete — Right, yeah. Her name is Jillian. At the time, her name was Jillian Weiss Lieder… I think she’s since gotten married. I actually got in touch with her through a friend of mine. She was pretty young back then and she was just incredible.

She agreed to do the track, so we sent her an Uber from New York City out to Mike Orlando’s studio in another part of New York. She came in, sat down, listened to the track… and absolutely nailed it. Honestly, she was such a professional.

And to go back to what Coosh was saying earlier, sometimes it almost feels like the universe helps you out. Like certain people or moments are simply meant to happen. Jillian was one of those moments. Mike Romeo was another one.

There were so many little things like that that eventually became huge parts of this album, and Jillian was definitely one of them. I don’t even think the session lasted that long. Maybe 40 minutes or something like that. She came in, crushed it, and was basically like: “Alright guys, see you later.” We paid for the Uber, bought her a couple slices of pizza… and that was it.

Coosh — Yeah, exactly. Just pizza and she was happy. But honestly, it was such a memorable moment. Even Mike Orlando was blown away by her performance. He kept saying: “Man, I could totally use her on some projects too.”

Pete — Oh yeah, absolutely. He even wanted to write an entire album for her at some point. She genuinely impressed everybody in the room.


That’s really good. And why did you choose this track as the closing song of the album (if we don’t count the bonus tracks)?
Pete — I think it’s just a really uplifting song. It felt like the perfect way to bring the whole album home emotionally. With all the rebellion themes and battle cries throughout the record, The Unbeaten ultimately carries a message that says: “Let’s help each other. Let’s lift each other up.”

If someone’s struggling or going through hard times, it’s not over. You can still move forward. You can still succeed. You just have to dust yourself off and keep going. And maybe lend each other a helping hand along the way. So it felt like a really positive note to end the album on. Something warmer and more human after all the intensity. It just felt like a cool, friendly way to close the record.


That’s really beautiful.
And if this album were the soundtrack to a movie, what kind of movie would it be?
Pete — Hmm… wow, that’s a great question. What do you think, Coosh? I guess it would be the kind of story where the underdog rises up. A sort of David versus Goliath story. Or really any movie about personal victory and overcoming adversity. Something triumphant. Any film that ends with that feeling of victory and emotional release.

Coosh — Yeah, honestly, that’s the first time anyone’s asked us something like that. For me, it would probably be a story about someone who completely lost themselves at some point in life… and then found their way back. Maybe someone who became disconnected from their family or from the people they loved, and eventually reconnects with them and realizes what life is really about. For me, The Unbeaten is a very emotional song. It’s one of those songs you genuinely feel in your heart. Even now, whenever it comes on, I still listen all the way to the end every single time.

Pete — Exactly. It’s about victory. Not victory in war or battle, but victory over life’s struggles. Over your inner demons, your past, your personal hardships.

Coosh — And also about being grateful to the people who let you back into their lives and helped you find your way again.

Pete — And the people who supported you along the way. Honestly, there are probably millions of movies about that exact feeling.


Is there a song you’re especially excited to play live?
Pete — Yeah, definitely. We’ve only played Vigilance live once so far, but honestly, it’s such a fun song to perform. Right now, for the upcoming tour, it’s somewhere around fourth in the setlist, but we’re actually thinking about turning it into the opening song for future shows.

Because when we play it live, the sheer power of that track really comes through. It’s just incredibly fun to play. Even in rehearsals, after playing it over and over again, it still hits hard every time. So yeah, I’m really excited for people to finally experience that one live.

Coosh — Yeah, he’s absolutely right. Even during rehearsals, when that song kicks in, you physically feel the energy running through you. It’s like it shoots straight through your legs and gives you that little adrenaline shake. You instantly think: “Yeah… this is the good stuff.”


That’s great to hear.
And finally, do you have a message for the people listening to your music?
Pete — More than anything, just a huge amount of gratitude and thanks. And honestly, if people enjoy the music, please share it around. Tell your friends about it. Give us a like, a follow, a thumbs up… all of those things genuinely matter. The people who book shows, festivals, tours… they pay attention to those kinds of numbers and interactions, and that’s what helps bands grow and move forward. So whether it’s sharing the music, leaving a comment, sending us a message or simply spreading the word, it all helps. And honestly, thank you for all of it.

Coosh — I’d also say: don’t hesitate to reach out to us. If the music connects with you, if you feel like it helped you somehow, or if you feel like we share common experiences or emotions, we’re always open to talking. We’re never above answering messages or interacting with people. We genuinely enjoy communicating with our fans, and some of them have even become real friends over time.

We’ve got a guy named Angelo who’s literally traveling all the way to Charlotte just to come see us live, and he’s incredibly excited about it. So yeah, that connection with people is honestly one of the most important things for me. If you’re a fan and you want to talk, we’re here.

Well, I’m out of questions. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Pete — We honestly can’t wait to come over to Europe and play. Hopefully next year; Germany, France, Spain… honestly, we’d love to do all of it. Because we know that the real, old-school, passionate metalheads are out there, and we know we’d have an amazing time playing for those crowds. So yeah, hopefully we’ll get to see some of you next year. We’re going to work really hard this year to make that happen.


And we hope to see you next year as well.
Both — Thank you!


Well, thank you for answering my questions today, and congratulations on the new album !
Both — Thank you for having us. It’s great to be here. Thank you very much.