Ep 206 Kevin Cortez - Code Black’s Kevin Cortez: Punk Chaos, PetSmart Bans & Why Music Still Hurts

In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Cortez, frontman of New Orleans punk band Code Black — and the conversation is absolute chaos in the best way.

Kevin talks about everything:
• starting Code Black to impress e-girls
• getting banned from PetSmart
• why he chugged a whole bottle of Belvedere on stage
• the New Orleans punk scene
• obsession with guitars, drumming, and stage presence
• introversion, identity, and breaking “character”
• how AI is transforming art
• the dark side of the music industry
• why country + classical + punk actually works
• politics, hemp laws, accountability, and why government is broken
• creating meaningful art while staying chaotic and real

We also get deep into creativity, fear, stage fright, relationships with technology, and why so many bands fall apart before they even start.

If you’re into punk, emo, NOLA music, Code Black, authentic artists, underground scenes, or brutally honest conversations, this episode is for you.

Enjoy the ride!


Kevin Cortez IG:
  / official.kevincortez  

Check out Code Black on all streaming platforms.


🎥 Recorded at Another Bar – New Orleans, LA


Chapters:
00:00 – Sunday drinks, Grey Goose & getting started
02:00 – Rock band class, guitar obsession & early music life
05:00 – Performance, stage presence & overcoming stage fright
08:30 – Introversion, personality & breaking character
11:30 – The PetSmart ban story (absolute chaos)
16:00 – Playing every venue in NOLA & the Belvedere bottle incident
20:30 – What genre is Code Black? Emo, punk & controlled chaos
23:30 – Starting the band to impress e-girls (the origin story)
27:00 – Timeless music, Alice in Chains & addiction in the industry
33:00 – NFTs, streaming royalties & fixing the music business
36:00 – AI, creativity, editing & the future of work
40:00 – Band drama, gatekeeping & supporting the NOLA scene
55:00 – Rebellion, politics, hemp laws & rethinking government
1:03:00 – Where to find Kevin Cortez & Code Black

#CodeBlack, #KevinCortez, #NewOrleansMusic, #NOLA, #PunkRock, #EmoMusic, #AnotherPodcast, #NewOrleansPodcast, #UndergroundMusic, #IndieBands, #RockMusic, #BandLife, #MusicianLife, #PunkScene, #MusicInterview, #CreativeProcess, #AIandArt, #BarCulture, #AnotherBarNOLA