In a new, career-spanning video interview with music journalist Joel Gausten, former Corrosion of Conformity (C.O.C.) singer Karl Agell discusses his time in the band and shares some thoughts on late C.O.C. drummer Reed Mullen, who passed away in 2020.
Regarding C.O.C.’s controversial move from hardcore to metal during the Blind era, Agell says, “There was definitely some blowback, but at the time we kind of knew we were on to something. I was trying to find my identity vocally and just also who I was and what I was into. I always loved Motörhead and Thin Lizzy, but I also loved Black Flag and the Bad Brains, Discharge, and Circle Jerks. It wasn’t a contest for me; it was just like finding the best impulses. Something just woke up inside of me, and I was like, ‘You know, I like the power of this’’ I remember going to see Prong when they were just destroying and bringing it and going, ‘Holy fucking shit! This is awesome!’ I was just blown away that you could be this punk rock art weirdo and then also embrace these weird metal impulses (or) hard rock impulses and blues-based stuff.”
Agell also comments on Mullen, a beloved figure in and out of the North Carolina underground music scene.
“He was just a natural talent. He was just an incredible person that was able to realize a lot of things for a lot of people. He was such an important person beyond that, going back in the hardcore/punk scene and then all through the other things he was touching. He had the ability to bring people together and was really pivotal in the North Carolina scene and so well respected from all the other scenes and all the bands that came though North Carolina. When The Descendents came to Raleigh, they had a ‘Milo meets the C.O.C. skull’ t-shirt, which was mind-blowing, like a tribute to Reed, because that’s how important he was and how vital he was to the scene in general.”
The complete video interview is available below.
Formerly of Seizure and School of Violence, Agell joined C.O.C. in 1989 and was in the band until 1993, appearing on its classic 1991 album, Blind. Years later, Agell and Mullen reunited in C.O.C. Blind, a band devoted to performing material from that album. Agell’s other post-C.O.C. groups include Leadfoot (with ex-C.O.C. bassist Phil Swisher) and King Hitter. Currently, he fronts the bands Lie Heavy, The Skull, and Legions Of Doom, and has contributed vocals to Patriarchs In Black, the project led by former Hades/Non-Fiction guitarist Dan Lorenzo and former Type O Negative drummer Johnny Kelly.