Cocksure

Cocksure is an industrial and electro-industrial group from Chicago, active from 2014 and made up of Chris Connelly, Jason Novak and Trent McNamara. The project begins in 2014 with Connelly and Novak, both established figures in industrial music: Connelly is also associated with Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface and The Damage Manual, while Novak is linked to Acumen Nation, DJ? Acucrack and Iron Lung Corp.

Sound and style

The group works in the area between Wax Trax! era industrial dance music and a harder, futurist style of noise and rhythm. Its catalogue is described as combining mechanised rhythms, abrasive electronics and confrontational vocals, with material that sits close to industrial rock, ebm and related forms. The name is also associated with a deliberately harsh, irreverent approach to lyrics and presentation.

Releases

Cocksure issues its first EP, KKEP, on CrackNation. Later in 2014 it releases the single TKO Mindfuck on Wax Trax! Records, followed by its debut album TVMALSV on Metropolis. A second album, Corporate Sting, is also part of the group’s discography on Metropolis Records. The discography listed for the group also includes the 2014 releases KKEP, TKO Mindfuck and TVMALSV.

Live activity

The group’s first live appearance takes place at the release show for TKO Mindfuck in Chicago, billed as the return of Wax Trax!. It later opens for Front 242 at a New York date on that group’s U.S. tour and also appears at Cold Waves 3 Music Festival and Bimfest XIII.

Line-up and contributions

Current members are listed as Chris Connelly and Jason Novak, with Trent McNamara also part of the group. Guest vocals on TKO Mindfuck come from Richard 23 of Front 242 and Revolting Cocks, and Diamond Dave Simpson plays guitars on Guilt, Speed & Carbon.