Cobra Starship has landed

By Olivia Biagi
Collegian Staff
November 8, 2006

“I’m the mastermind behind it all,” said Gabe Saporta, lead singer of Cobra Starship, jokingly. But, he’s right. The fast-talking frontman formed the band after undergoing a “spiritual quest” following the last tour he did with his first band, Midtown.

“I didn’t know where I wanted to go, so I went on a spiritual retreat in the desert. I was bit by a cobra who was sent from the future,” Saporta told the Collegian with a completely straight face, as he neatly folded and packed his T-shirts. “He taught me that the most important thing was to have fun.”

Saporta’s mission was clear: create good, quality music, but have fun at the same time. The music he created with Midtown was more about facing problems, Saporta added. With Cobra Starship he had the chance to have fun and encourage others to do so as well. In 2004, Saporta began writing songs as a side project, and when one of the tracks titled “Bring It (Snakes On a Plane)” was accepted to appear on 2006’s Snakes on a Plane soundtrack, he decided to develop Cobra Starship as a band.

“They all didn’t know each other [before the band got together],” Saporta said of the other members. “It was just kind of, ‘Hey, what’s up?’”

Saporta, and the love of music, were the only common ground among the other four members when they formed Cobra Starship: Elisa Schwartz on keytar, Nate Navarro on drums, Alex Suarez on bass and Ryland Blackinton on guitar. This combination forms what Saporta described as “new, fresh. This band is about having fun. It’s spontaneous and new every night. We generally have a great time and that’s the goal.”

And with all that fun, came a good amount of success. “Bring It (Snakes On a Plane)” became a cult hit over the summer as the promotional song for the movie. It became especially popular on MySpace.

“Midtown used MySpace first before it was really a place for music,” Saporta said. “Before I got [Cobra Starship] together I recorded my version of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Hollaback Girl,’ um, ‘Hollaback Boy,’ and it got big on MySpace and got my name out there. I’m really thankful and grateful [for the success]. I hoped that I was putting effort to be rewarded. It’s great to see efforts rewarded.”

Cobra Starship is currently on MTV’s “$2 Bill Tour” with 30 Seconds to Mars. In January they will travel to the UK and in February, they start touring with Cartel.

“It’s awesome [touring with 30 Seconds to Mars],” said Saporta. “30 Seconds puts on a diverse tour. It’s really awesome to see kids who never heard of us before get exposed to us.”

And, for those who haven’t yet heard of Cobra Starship, Saporta would like them to know: “Cobra Starship is the only CD you’ll need to throw the best dance party ever.”

The energetic, polite and eccentric vocalist portrays two very important qualities that will help him go far: love of music and the desire to have a good time.

biagio1@lasalle.edu