Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: July 2010

Brian Rademacher: Hello Daniel and welcome to RockEyez.com. First off, let me say congratulations on the new release "White Collar Lies"?

Daniel Jordan: Thanks man, we feel really lucky, we worked hard and this is the end result. We all love it.

Brian Rademacher: Why do you think after being together for so many years with KOPEK now is the time for a debut release with "White Collar Lies"?

Daniel Jordan: To be honest KOPEK were ready to release a long time ago but couldn’t find a label with "BALLS". We'd play shows in front of people who could have helped us to take this important first step. But it seemed to never happen. We'd blow the heads off them at the gig and get immediate respect but just never the rest. Another reason could be we just weren’t good enough. I don’t think so!

Brian Rademacher: At home did you have any posters or anything on your walls in your room when growing up?

Daniel Jordan: Yeah, I had a big Hendrix poster, NIRVANA and a hot chick; the usual. I also had a giant flat map of the world on the back of the door, come to think of it now, Rock n’ Roll and traveling soon became reality to me. Weird!

Brian Rademacher: Do you recall the very first CD/cassette you ever bought and why you bought it?

Daniel Jordan: It was a BEATLES cassette. The one where they play all the American written Rock n’ Roll songs, "Long Tall Sally", "Rock n’ Roll music", "Roll over Beethoven"; it’s a classic. I think its most of the material they used to play in Hamburg. You can hear they’re early recordings and this is probably the reason for buying it. I was about 11 so the psychedelic ("Lucy in the Sky", etc.) later music from THE BEATLES didn’t interest me at that age.

Brian Rademacher: How about the first concert you attended?

Daniel Jordan: I'm really lucky on this one. When I was young (because of a little piano talent) my folks took me to see Jerry Lee Lewis play a midnight theatre show; "Great Balls of Fire" and all the rest! Class isn’t the word for it. He even set the piano on fire at the end, the place went nuts. I was about 11 and the show lasted till 2.45am, I'll never forget it.

Brian Rademacher: What kind of kid were you in school?

Daniel Jordan: I could try and be cool here and say I was a hell-raiser, but the truth is I was kind of in the middle of being quiet and crazy. School is tough and so a good way to get through it is NOT to rock the boat. No one really noticed I was there, including the teachers, and that was the plan.

Brian Rademacher: At this time what do you feel your parents are most proud of you for?

Daniel Jordan: It would have to be KOPEK. When we started out family and friends were so supportive and concerned at the same time. They would see us with regularity achieve feats with our music only to see it dwindle out a few months later due to the monster that is "The Music Business". Dealing with the extreme highs and lows and still sticking together, seeing it through, and getting it to this point. Our parents have seen ALL of our hard work, and to be honest besides music we've all done fuck with our lives. Rock n’ Roll!

Brian Rademacher: What was your first job?

Daniel Jordan: Selling newspapers on the motorway to cars stuck in traffic. I actually made a small fortune. I ended up buying my first CD player, this was a big deal. I nearly got killed once or twice when the traffic got moving. Those were the days!

Brian Rademacher: When you started playing music what where your hopes?

Daniel Jordan: All I wanted to do was gig. I can remember craving to play a show and when I finally did it... I wanted to do again and again and again… you get the picture. The same happened with writing and recording, all I wanted was to write and record a song and when I heard my first demo I just wanted to get straight back in and beat it.

Brian Rademacher: Have you ever experimented with drugs?

Daniel Jordan: No! I’ve taken them fully knowing what’s about to happen (ha-ha). Drugs are a sticky issue; let’s say we’ve done no more than ex-President Clinton and current President Obama when it comes to inhaling. Drugs are just as dead as love!

Brian Rademacher: Did you record any material before KOPEK

Daniel Jordan: NO. And thank god, early KOPEK recordings sound bad enough to me. I can’t imagine anything before that!

Brian Rademacher: Do you feel KOPEK is a political band?

Daniel Jordan: Good question. I think people’s reaction to us, in this world and what’s going on, with no one having the balls to say anything, and then along comes a band that are simply being honest. So yes, I think people will find us political but rest assured we are just as concerned about rising alcohol prices as oil prices!

Brian Rademacher: Any songs on the album you are not happy with how they turned out?

Daniel Jordan: To be honest no. During the recording process there would be a lot of different versions of the songs, then different mixes of them and sure we had a lot of fights about the final version but in the end having co produced the album along with Glenn Herlihy we actually had a lot of control for a first album. This means questions like these are easy because I can honestly say I'm happy from the first riff to the last note.

Brian Rademacher: Is it easier to state your feelings through song?

Daniel Jordan: Absolutely! If I just say something or if ANYONE just "says" something it’s one thing but if you grab a guitar and turn it up full, put a rocking beat and pumpin’ base line with it people have no choice but to listen. Politicians should debate with someone doing beat box. It sounds crazy don’t it, but people WOULD listen!

Brian Rademacher: Not many people can get away with stating their true feelings without the Machine getting revenge against you. Not only in the music world this is a worldwide problem where the evil empire can ruin a family and send a normal human over the edge. Many of the songs on "White Collar Lies" deal with these problems. Was it all intension when working on the CD that your lyrics would reach the mass and make an impact on others? Kind of like Wow, that guy thinks like me and he can sing about it. I can’t or I will be on the unemployment line.

Daniel Jordan: We as a band are simply being honest when it comes to lyrics, people can dress it up and say it’s THIS style with THAT intension but it’s just a band being honest. This honesty seems to be getting an incredible reaction and we think it’s down to everybody else lying there asses off. Politicians are lying, banks are lying, corporations are lying, TV is lying, magazines are lying, sports stars, movie stars, rock stars… the list is endless! The only people telling the truth are the same people who seem to have to pay for it all… All of us… the masses of poor--working class poor.

Brian Rademacher: Getting to the first single "Love Is Dead"; not only a killer song but a great video. The beat of the song shows the power of the band. Did you expect that track to be the first single since there are many tracks that could have?

Daniel Jordan: Kind of. There was a lot to choose from but from our point of view if you’re only going to get 20 seconds of someone’s time then the "Love Is Dead" hook kind of grabs you and intrigues you to listen on. Whether you’re in your car, on the subway, it doesn’t matter. It gets your attention. With so much advertising and logo blasting in the course of anyone’s day, getting the listeners attention is difficult; this is why we used "LOVE IS DEAD".

Brian Rademacher: Did you pick the chick out in the video and is there any chance you can ship her over to me for a night???

Daniel Jordan: We left it up to our director to choose. All who auditioned were extremely beautiful so we actually couldn’t choose, it was impossible. I’m sure we could sort out getting your number to her for a fee? Dublin hustle! (haha)

Brian Rademacher: Wow, now that’s a great soft-rocker with "Floridian". Did you ever have any vocal training?

Daniel Jordan: No vocal training, The guys (Shane and Brad) actually started me smoking when I met them, so the rough throat would get rougher, then as the years went on we found we were happy with the voice and so came the time to stop smoking. This is an ongoing battle to this day!

Brian Rademacher: Another one of my favorite tracks is "The Easy Way". When entering the studio to record could you give us a scenario of the atmosphere. I loved your vocals on this track!

Daniel Jordan: There were really good day’s atmosphere wise and really bad days. Either way we continued on, this kind of helps with spirit on any track. ANGER IS ENERGY! For "Easy Way" I can’t remember what the hell was going on but I know we got the take.

Brian Rademacher: I’m going to say a few words and can you give me a sentence or your feelings towards the word?

Brian Rademacher: Ireland

Daniel Jordan: This word can only be described as "Home"

Brian Rademacher: United States

Daniel Jordan: Our second home. America has been good to the band with every encounter

Brian Rademacher: BP Oil disaster

Daniel Jordan: An absolute FUCK UP! What the hell is going on? I need well more than a sentence on this one, maybe some other time.

Brian Rademacher: Organized religion

Daniel Jordan: Worse and much more dangerous than organized crime

Brian Rademacher: God

Daniel Jordan: Which one?

Brian Rademacher: Woman

Daniel Jordan: PAIN! Whether they love you or break your heart it’s intense.

Brian Rademacher: Wish

Daniel Jordan: 3 wishes, fairies, leprechauns etc. Well that’s what comes to mind.

Brian Rademacher: Hate

Daniel Jordan: a useless emotion that gets you nowhere, I know, I’ve tried this once

Brian Rademacher: Ego

Daniel Jordan: Something only held by people with the maturity of an eight year old, no… a 6 year old.

Brian Rademacher: Stardom

Daniel Jordan: Problems!

Brian Rademacher: Hey Man it’s been great and I hope you enjoyed some of the questions. RockEyez and I wish success to you and the band and I hope people will support this fantastic new release "White Collar Lies".

Daniel Jordan: Thanks.