Daily Inspiration: Meet Drew Kohl

Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Kohl.

Hi Drew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I moved to Nashville in 2014 from Athens Ga. I got a job teaching music and started working as a freelance guitar player, playing long gigs in bars downtown on Broadway but my goal has always been to write songs. Cold Equations is the moniker I used to release my first album of indie rock songs ‘Ghost Town’ in 2021. Ryan Dishen joined the band on drums and John O’Brien on Bass.

I met Ryan at a show and I started playing in his punk band Slump Test. I’ve worked with John teaching music at the School of Rock for years. Together we wrote, arranged, and recorded a new self-titled album ‘Cold Equations’ in 2022 which we plan to release this year. The record was recorded at Smokestack studios in Nashville TN with Paul Moak and Zack Zinck. The songs are influenced by a lot of 90s alternative bands like Dinosaur Jr. Radiohead and the Smashing Pumpkins.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It was very difficult adjusting to Nashville. I felt pressured to write music in a certain way. I picked up any gigs I could get which were mostly playing with country and bar bands.

I like country and American music but the subject matter and aesthetics never resonated with me as a writer and the genre felt very restrictive. It took me a long time to come back around to the influences that really inspire me and allowed me to find my own voice. With Cold Equations, I feel much more open to experimenting with different guitar tones, song forms, and lyrical themes.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a must-instrumentalist (Guitar, bass, and piano) and a songwriter. I’m most proud of the newest record I recorded with my band Cold Equations which we’re working on releasing this year. I’ve played many roles as a musician. My day job is as a guitar/bass/piano instructor. I love helping students grow as musicians and accomplish their musical goals.

I play in a punk band Slump Test. I also play with an American artist Kiely Connell. We recently opened up for Ray LaMontagne for a string of shows last year. We played at The Chicago Theater and The Louisville Palace which were great experiences.

How do you define success?
That’s really tricky. I’ve found that after every goal is achieved there’s always a new set of goals waiting.

So it’s easy to get lost and not appreciate what you’ve accomplished and never be satisfied with what you’ve done. I think success for me is a life where I’m spending my days with music, learning new things, reading, and writing new songs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://coldequations.bandcamp.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coldequations/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coldequationsmusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4fIegxPuKaihz_coRoBQcQ
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/coldequations
• Other: https://link.coldequationsmusic.com/GhostTown?fbclid=PAAabmreU_TdG6veQq_DbPjtduEa3xTLz5pqUTFfP1-RoC7moBqE8VmaouBJs

Image Credits:
Katie Dishen, Mary O’Brien, and Michael Gomez