It’s a very broad statement. It’s real simple… there’s a lot
to be said about things like the Golden Rule. That’s what
that song’s about. The life lessons shaping a young man,
being in the middle of a whirlwind at that age anyway…
that’s a difficult time for, you know, males in general. The
male mind’s not even fully developed till the late twenties.
“I didn’t start pulling my head out of my ass till I was
about 26-27 years old… I’m still pulling, but that’s when
things start really sinking in and… it is about that age, being a 24 year old kid… You’re not scared of dying, you’re
scared of failing… [It’s a] scary time for everyone but
certainly as a fledgling artist, because at that point you’re
not even really sure what you are.”
The fans that have followed him through this career have
also been able to grow as he grows. Cody remarks that
“it’s like we’re walking through this together.” They have
progressed with Cody from those lost stages of early
adulthood into parenthood, marriage, and responsibility.
“People love growing up with bands,” says Cody who, as
a self-proclaimed “music fanatic” can easily understands
the need on the part of the audience to connect with not
just the music being played but to engage in a dialogue
with the people who make it. Shared experiences can
mean the difference between a catchy song and a song
that really reaches out and grabs you.
Part of Cody’s success at grabbing his listens can perhaps
be attributed to how seriously he takes his craft. He was
19 years old when he knew that music is what he wanted
to do with his life. A sophomore in community college
with a metal band and a day job driving forklifts, he
realized that he was what they call “a lifer”. He wanted
to make music his career, an easy decision to make but
not an easy one to stick to. Cody’s father’s response to
the news of his son’s departure from school to cast his
lot with music was remarkably supportive, considering
that at just 19 his son was betting his future on what most
would consider a long shot.
“His response was you better not quit this, it doesn’t matter what this is, but if this is what you’re going to be doing
you better not quit this, then I’m gonna be disappointed.
The support of both of his parents during this period of
uncertainty has meant a lot to Cody. “It wasn’t a matter of
neither one of them having my back, they always have…
They’ve bailed me out of so much crap, getting basically
stuck in LA, having no money, helping out with projects
when they could, equipment when they could, they’ve
been awesome.”
44 | Acoustic Drive
Unsurprisingly the plans Cody made at 19 were not
exactly a mirror image of the way his life would turn out:
the metal band broke up. “I thought I was gonna be the
next James Hetfeild. I was sadly mistaken.” The decision
to stick with music— come what may— was never something Cody would be willing to reconsider. A scary and
uncertain time in any young person’s life, the period is
best expressed in Cody’s own words: