Cory Marks admitted that he’s wanted to work with Kevin Churko for a long time.
“Before even thinking that was a possibility, of working with him and writing and having him produce…when this was all starting out, one of my favorite records in high school was [Ozzy Osbourne’s] Black Rain,” Marks told Loudwire Nights‘ Chuck Armstrong on Tuesday (March 11).
Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.
“I remember my dad saying the producer is Kevin Churko and he’s Canadian and we just talked, saying how cool would it be to be a country artist with this kind of production?”
Churko and Marks eventually worked together in many different ways, including Churko producing his second studio album, Who I Am. Marks’ rock hit, “Outlaws & Outsiders” — which features Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody and Mick Mars — was co-written by Churko.
He then partnered with Marks for his latest full-length, Sorry For Nothing, which came out last year.
“Ozzy’s got such incredible ballads,” Marks said.
“One of my favorite songs was ‘Dreamer’ and it was just a different side of him. Seeing his career and how he was this rock god but also…[he can] make you want to party, make you want to kick ass, make you want to fall in love or cry because you’re heart’s broken. And I think that’s really important and cool with artists like Ozzy where you can really go either way. He’s got songs on his records for everything.”
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Ultimately, Marks was happy to simply pay respect to Ozzy for being such an inspiration to him as a singer, songwriter and artist.
“Going back to Black Rain, that was something for me. That’s why Ozzy is just a huge influence.”
What Else Did Cory Marks Discuss on Loudwire Nights?
- What it was like touring with Theory of a Deadman on their unplugged tour: “Just me and a guitar and the songs — that’s really how it all started for me.”
- Who he’d love to collaborate with one day: “I’d love to do a song with Bryan Adams…him also being Canadian and such an icon is very inspiring.”
- When fans can expect more new music from him: “We have 10 or 12 songs that are ready to be recorded, now we’re just going to have to figure out the remaining songs — the new ones and the ones that are in the vault, to complete another 12, 13-track record…I’m hoping maybe summer or fall 2025 we might have another 13 tracks ready to go.”
Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below
Cory Marks joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, March 11; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.
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Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner