Q&A Interview with Bat Leather

Q: What sparked everything?

Cory: I think it was when I sent the first instrumentations to Luke, and he thought it was great.

Q: Who’s all included in the band?

Cory: The band includes Luke on vocals, Cory on guitar, Rob on bass, and Ethan on drums.

Q: What’s one surprising fact about you that fans might not expect?

Cory: We had only all been in the same room together for the first time three days before our first little tour.

Q: How would you describe your sound or style to someone who’s never heard your work before?

Cory: Skronky? It's pretty noisy. Probably more than you're accustomed to.

Q: What artists, experiences, or moments shaped your current style?

Cory: Lots of bands... Cherubs, Drunkdriver, Rectal Hygienics, Drunk in Hell, Brainbombs, UNSANE, etc. Also, most of the ’90s AmRep scene.

Q: Can you walk us through your songwriting or production process?

Cory: I live on a farm in rural Alberta. I have a recording studio here, so it’s very easy for me to scratch something down the moment it hits me. I’m out here by myself a lot of the time, so there are very few distractions. Basically, when I have an idea for a guitar riff or whatever, I’ll go record it. If it seems workable, I’ll record the rest of the instruments. Then I’ll send it to our singer, Luke, who lives in Vancouver, to see if he can work with it.

Q: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Cory: Lee Ranaldo. (Guitarist and vocalist of alternative rock band Sonic Youth)

Q: What’s on your current playlist?

Cory: HISS, Buildings, Neurosis, and Ken Carson.

Q: What’s one piece of gear or software you can’t live without?

Cory: Probably my ’93 MIJ Fender Jazzmaster. I’m currently building a partsmaster as a backup.

Q: How much of your personal life makes it into your lyrics?

Luke: Not too much. My lyrics are generally based on combining several snatches of phrases that I amalgamate through listening to other people. I have about three notebooks going, and I’ll just combine the phrases I’ve collected into something that syllabically works with what Cory has sent me.

3 min read

Interviewing Cory, the guitarist, and Luke, the vocalist, of Bat Leather

Interview with Cory and Luke of Bat Leather, a noisy, abrasive, experimental noise-rock band from Alberta, Canada. Bat Leather is a noise rock duo hailing from Calgary, Alberta, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Known for overdriven vocals, raw feedback, and short-blast punk and noise structures, the group released Pageantry in December 2025 and followed it up with Dark Arts on September 4, 2026.

Four silhouetted people stand on grass at sunset, golden sun flaring behind them under a hazy sky. The band includes Luke on vocals, Cory on guitar, Rob on bass, and Ethan on drums.

Self-described as skronky, a raw, grating, discordant style where dissonance and clashing notes are intentional style choices. This direct interview with Bat Leather explores the band’s songwriting process, underground music influences, creative challenges, and the unpredictable experiences of making loud, unconventional music.

Check out the sound of Bat Leather

Bat Leather Q&A

What sparked everything?

Cory: I think it was when I sent the first instrumentations to Luke, and he thought it was great.

Who’s all included in the band?

Cory: The band includes Luke on vocals, Cory on guitar, Rob on bass, and Ethan on drums.

What’s one surprising fact about you that fans might not expect?

Cory: We had only all been in the same room together for the first time three days before our first little tour.

How would you describe your sound or style to someone who’s never heard your work before?

Cory: Skronky? It's pretty noisy. Probably more than you're accustomed to.

What artists, experiences, or moments shaped your current style?

Cory: Lots of bands... Cherubs, Drunkdriver, Rectal Hygienics, Drunk in Hell, Brainbombs, UNSANE, etc. Also, most of the ’90s AmRep scene.

Can you walk us through your songwriting or production process?

Cory: I live on a farm in rural Alberta. I have a recording studio here, so it’s very easy for me to scratch something down the moment it hits me. I’m out here by myself a lot of the time, so there are very few distractions.

Basically, when I have an idea for a guitar riff or whatever, I’ll go record it. If it seems workable, I’ll record the rest of the instruments. Then I’ll send it to our singer, Luke, who lives in Vancouver, to see if he can work with it.

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Cory: Lee Ranaldo. (Guitarist and vocalist of alternative rock band Sonic Youth)

What’s on your current playlist?

Cory: HISS, Buildings, Neurosis, and Ken Carson.

What’s one piece of gear or software you can’t live without?

Cory: Probably my ’93 MIJ Fender Jazzmaster. I’m currently building a partsmaster as a backup.

When do you know a song is finished?

Cory: When we name it.

How much of your personal life makes it into your lyrics?

Luke: Not too much. My lyrics are generally based on combining several snatches of phrases that I amalgamate through listening to other people. I have about three notebooks going, and I’ll just combine the phrases I’ve collected into something that syllabically works with what Cory has sent me.

How do you handle creative block when it happens?

Cory: Just walk away. Don’t think about what you’re trying to do. Go do something else. It will come back.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced early in your career?

Cory: Finding a place to jam!

What’s been your most memorable show so far — good or bad?

Cory: Not Bat Leather, but I used to be in a band called Helvis. One time, we deep-fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches on stage while we played. Our bass player, Denis, pulled them out of the deep fryer with a pair of rusty pliers he stole from the gas station where he worked. People ate ’em, though. That was for sure the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done on stage.

What changes have you noticed in the music industry since you started?

Cory: Well, there was no such thing as an MP3 for starters. Also, it’s a lot about business now. More than it was even for a band just starting out. There was also no such thing as “clicks, likes, followers, content.”

What’s a stereotype about your genre or scene that you’re tired of explaining?

Cory: It’s “supposed” to sound like that.

What advice would you give to emerging musicians?

Cory: You don’t have to have amazing gear. Just get some cheap stuff and start playing.

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations we can be excited for?

Cory: I’ve got some ideas for another batch of songs, so maybe we’ll do something weird with ’em.

Is there anything we didn’t ask that you wanted to mention?

Cory: We have a new 7-inch out, Dark Arts, on No List Records. You can buy/listen to it here:

batleather.bandcamp.com/.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sCkFqZc8fQ&list=RD3sCkFqZc8fQ&start_radio=1

Learn more about Bat Leather by following them on their socials.

Two Bat Leather album covers with white and black vinyl records on gray background, featuring a cat sculpture cleaning it's butt.