CLUAS Interviews

Yes Cadets

webmaster@cluas.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I recently caught up with up and coming Belfast electro pop foursome Yes Cadets prior to their performance at the HWCH festival in Dublin. Yes Cadets were only formed last summer but in a short space of time have been causing quite a stir. A single, EP and an Oxygen performance later as well as wide spread airplay sees their star in the ascendance. Here is what they had to say.

You guys formed over last year, were you friends before? How did you come up with the concept of the band?
We’ve all known each other for a good while, meeting initially a couple of years ago in the murky underbelly of the Belfast music scene. It was only last year that we decided to form the band that we always wanted to be in and to play the music we always wanted to play.

Why the obsession with Canada?
Well, it’s only really an obsession when it comes to Canadian rock music. Bands like Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire and Tokyo Police Club were very high on the Yes Cadets play list in the early days of the band and it seemed at that time the best music in the world was coming out of Canada. Don’t get me started on Rufus Wainwright either! As far as ‘Canada’ the single goes, I’ll just say that I know a few Canadians…

Are you fearful that the market at the moment sort of swarmed with retrospective electro pop /rock groups? Or is it a good thing that there is so much interest in this area of music at the moment?
I can see how it would be easy to be lost in the crowd at the moment but I do think we cover more genres and have a broader appeal than a lot of contemporary electro-pop. The fact that we can be classified with music that’s en vogue at the moment can only be a good thing, but it’s not necessarily intentional. We’re just writing the stuff that comes most naturally to us.

Where did you record the EP? Was it a long process or was it just a case of get in, get out and get the record out?
We recorded the EP in Start Together studios in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, a great little studio packed to the rafters with awesome vintage equipment. We spent weeks recording, pouring over every synth sound and guitar track. We were never any less than totally focused but I guess when you have that kind of beautiful equipment at your disposal it’s easy to lose a lot of time.

I see the EP was self released, yet you seem to have admirers in the BBC and beyond, has there been much interest in signing?
The initial reaction to us has been really encouraging, both in the local media and further afield, but I think it would be easy to rest on our laurels. The trick now is to keep the momentum going. We’ve been chatting to a couple of great independent labels about recording an album soon and the wheels should start turning in the next month or so, fingers crossed.

How many songs have you in the can for an album? Or are you constantly writing?
The album material is being written pretty much from scratch and when we’ve finished touring the EP we’ll hunker down and really get stuck into the process. I think an album needs to have a fluid; cohesive feel to it and you can’t capture that from bits and pieces written and recorded here and there over time. It’s going to be a great pop record but definitely a little more experimental around the edges. No wizards hats yet though, we’re saving those for the sophomore!

Tell us about the plans for the tour in the winter, where will you be playing?
Everywhere really, there are shows booked all over England, Ireland and Scotland between now and the spring, peppered with a couple of exciting Belfast dates. We have a couple of great London shows coming up and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the scene there compares with what we’re used to up here.

If you could have one thing guaranteed for the band in 2010 what would it be?
The goal is to be touring an album with management and a label behind us by this time next year. I guess that’s more than one thing though! Either way, the coming year is fast becoming a really exciting prospect for us.

www.yescadets.com

Kevin Coleman

General Fiasco

webmaster@cluas.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

General Fiasco, consisting of brothers Owen and Enda Strathern and school friend Stephen "Leaky" Leacock, have been setting the Northern Irish music scene alight for the past twelve months. Having already toured with One Night Only and Snow Patrol, and a certain Gary Lightbody singing their praises, this band is destined for big things. Lead singer and bassist Owen answered a few questions for me..

Do you have a specific method for songwriting? Is it usually lyrics first then music or vice versa?
It usually happens all at once, I'll just sit with the bass or a guitar and start playing. The chords and melody come together and sometimes the lyrics too, they generally write themselves. Songs just come, when it works it's good and then at other times you cant squeeze out anything. I guess it's to do with mood or whatever, you need a little something driving the song - a stress or a worry.... or maybe something positive if you are that way inclined.

What are your plans as regards an album?
To make a great introduction to the band, to get across what we are about and also try and include where we are going, to stay true to what got people interested in the band in the first place and a little of where we might go with the next. We really want to stuff it with great tunes but I guess that's up to other people to decide. We've got a lot of material ready for it and we are happy but we've a little more time to make something special, so lets hope we do.

Having been support to both One Night Only and Snow Patrol you're certainly no strangers to the big stage, have you ever had a particularly nerve-wracking gig?
The Snow Patrol gig was insane, I can't really remember being on stage - I think I must have blacked out and went into auto-pilot! I was really nervous playing a festival back home called Glasgowbury, we were on second last and there were about 2,000 people there - a home crowd. I'm not really sure why it got to me but it did, I think it must just be the home crowd.

.... and what's been your best gig experience?
There's been loads - opening the John Peel stage at Glasto this year, playing with Placebo in London, the Snow Patrol gig. But nothing really beats a headline show when it's rammed and everyone is there for you and knows the words. That's exciting, that's when it really feels like it's working.

How would you best describe your live show?
It's energetic, fast and aggressive but good fun. It should be lively, we should give it as much as the crowd gives - it's only fair.

At present there is a burgeoning music scene in Northern Ireland, did you find it hard to 'break out' of the North?
I don't really think so, you can never really do these things yourself. I know everyone wants to believe that if you just work hard and push your band out there things will happen, but it still takes someone booking you to play somewhere else. People have to want to write about you and want to play your songs on the radio for things to start to break. We were really fortunate that some people really got into the band and wanted to help it happen, so it was kinda easy but it took other people getting behind it to make it happen.

Any ultimate goals? (i.e. magazine covers, playing with a specific band..)
We really would love the album to be well recieved, if people can get into it and come to our shows and pick up our record I guess that's what it's all about. Sure, it would be amazing to be on the front cover of every music magazine and tour with the Foo Fighters, but we just really want to do this for a long time.

And we hope you continue doing this for a long time..

* General Fiasco play the Ulster Hall in Belfast on the 31st of October.

Aideen O'Flaherty

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

webmaster@cluas.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Owen Ashworth began recording as Casiotone For The Painfully Alone in 1999. His unique songwriting has spawned 5 albums over those years and he has steadily grown in popularity. I caught up with him on his North American tour to ask him some questions.

Did you enjoy your brief stop off in Vancouver? Did you get any time for sight-seeing?
I never made it to Vancouver, unfortunately. I got in a car accident on I-5, just north of Seattle. My car was wrecked and I spent the night of the Vancouver show in a Travelodge in Everett, Washington. I walked to a 7-Eleven and bought a beer and some Sun Chips and then laid in bed listening to a Seattle talk radio program called Too Beautiful To Live on the motel clock radio.

You're about half way through your North American tour. How has it gone so far?
I'm home now, and other than the car accident, I think the tour went pretty well. I felt very good about most of the shows, and enjoyed playing solo more than I have in a while. I loved having the new songs to play. For a few weeks I was touring with a band called Cryptacize, and that was a great time. I really like their music and they are wonderful people to boot. For the last week or so I was touring with my brother Gordon, which is always a lot of fun. Gordon was playing solo sets as Concern. I like the new Concern album a lot and his sets were pretty awe inspiring. We've done a lot of touring together at this point.

Are you happy about how Vs Children turned out? The album yet again was received well by the press. Does it annoy you at times that commercial success and critical acclaim do not always go hand in hand?
I really like Vs. Children. I wish I'd mixed a few of the songs differently, and I regret a few word choices, but that always happens. Of all of the albums I've made, it's the one that I feel the most proud of, and it's the album that I feel the best represented by. There were some very nice reviews, which I definitely appreciated, but the album didn't really get the reaction that my label had really hoped for or expected. I guess it's been selling about as well as the last one, and that's just fine by me. I'm grateful that some people have been able to connect with the new songs. It makes me excited to get going on the next one. As long as I'm making music that I enjoy listening to, I'll keep on doing it.

In the past decade, what has been your proudest moment?
There has been a lot of pride talk in this interview, hasn't there? I don't know about a proudest moment. Moments are tough. I take some pride in looking back over months or even years of work and seeing the distance I've covered. There have been times when a new song is coming together where I suddenly realize the potential in what I'm working on, and those moments are really exciting. I think I tend to enjoy being in the middle of those experiences more than the stepping back and dusting my hands off, so to speak. Okay, no more being proud for a while, okay?

As Casiotone For The Painfully Alone you are very distinctive in both your music and lyrics, using cheap keyboards and frank lyrics. What inspired you to take this approach?
I have always responded to music that feels direct and vulnerable and maybe a little rough. I like things to feel kind of claustrophobic. Do you know that Harry Nilsson song, "Early In The Morning?" I just heard it for the first time a few years ago, but man do I like that song. My friend Tyson played it for me. It's just the right amount of uncomfortable, and it just lets you in this really personal kind of way. I like that. I wish I had heard that song before I started this band, because it would have been a really easy thing to point to as a direct line of inspiration.

Etiquette saw a slight departure from the direction previously shown from Casiotone, a direction that was continued on your latest record. What initiated this change?
I had used up most of my favorite Casio pre-sets, and it just felt like time for something new. Different challenges, new sounds, more expensive equipment.

Where did the name Casiotone For The Painfully Alone come from? It is a rather 'emo' sounding name. Have you had any trouble with misguided teenagers turning up at gigs?
Back when I was only letting my close friends hear my songs, before it occurred to me that my music was supposed to be called something, I made a tape for a friend who had requested some extra sad keyboard music. I had this little piece of music as my outgoing answering machine message, and she called and heard it and liked it and asked to hear some more of it. So I made her a tape, and I wrote Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on the tape, just to describe the music on it. She thought it would be a good idea if I started playing shows, so she put Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on the flyer of a show she was putting together, and the next thing I knew, my band had a name and I was supposed to play a show. Surprise surprise. I've had no trouble with misguided teenagers whatsoever. I am happy to welcome any anf all misguided teenagers to my shows.

You were doing a film making course before you turned to songwriting. Do you think that this has influenced your story-telling tendency in your music?
Maybe at first but I've been writing songs for a long time now. I don't know if anything influences my songwriting more than other songwriting. I hear John Prine and all I want to do is go write songs.

Finally, other than your own of course, what has been your favourite album of the year so far?
I like the new Mount Eerie album a lot. There are some unbelievable sounds happening on that album. Truth & Distance by Concern is another big big favorite. Little Brother drones hard.

Garrett Cleland

Pains of Being Pure At Heart

webmaster@cluas.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have being creating waves in the indie scene since they released their debut EP last year. Their fuzzy indie pop has proven infectious and their debut eponymous album is amongst my favourite records of the year. I chatted to them during their tour of North America to see how things have gone so far, and what plans they had for the future.

How are you doing? Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Did you enjoy your time in Vancouver?
Things are great! We had a pretty awesome time in Vancouver - there was a rowdy crowd, which made things extra fun.

How did the band get together?
We were all friends first, and would hang out a lot and geek out about music. We formed to play at Peggy's birthday party, though at the time it was just me, Alex and Peggy with an iPod on drums. We played about 5 songs with 4 chords in 10 minutes. It may have been really bad, but we had so much fun we didn't notice.

When you were beginning in New York it must have been difficult. It is a city full of bands and musicians. Was it difficult to prove yourself to be better than your peers or did it drive competition to make you better?
Well, we're not really competitive or anything-- sort of the opposite, actually. We genuinely love so many bands that live around here, like Crystal Stilts, caUSE co-Motion, Vivian Girls, My Teenage Stride, Zaza, The Beets, Chairlift, etc. To us, we just found it inspiring to be in a city with so much going on creatively, and that made us want to do the best we could.

Many people have commented that TPOBPAH's sound reminds them of bands such as The Jesus And The Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and the C86 scene. Were bands such as these your influences or are these reference points off the mark?
It's super flattering to get compared to those iconic bands, but we're not really that cool. I watch videos of JAMC, and they're just so cool - we're not really as awesome as that. But it never bothers us if people want to associate us with such amazing artists from the past.

The band name is quite prosaic. Where did it come from? Did anybody try to pressurise you into changing it into something more marketable?
The band name is taken from the title of a short children's story written by a friend of mine in Portland, OR. He's a bit of a character, but means well. We had the name before we really even had songs - it seems to fit us very well.

You played Whelan's in Dublin when you supported The Wedding Present last year, didn't you? How did you find playing Ireland as an experience?
We REALLY liked Ireland. It's a place we'd never traveled to before, and it was just so welcoming and nice. All the people were so supportive and cool and would take us out for drinks after the shows. We definitely want to come back!

Are you planning to play Ireland again anytime soon?
I'd really like to, but i don't think we'll have any Irish dates for a while.

How did the tour with The Wedding Present come about? How was it?
We were pretty flattered that we got asked to support them, it was super amazing to be able to tour with such a deservedly legendary band. I have no rock'n'roll antics to report - they were very down to earth, kind and dedicated to what they do. They had no shortage of good songs to choose from in their set. It was a great time all around. Their fans were amazing too.

Your debut album has garnered a lot of critical praise. Did this come as a surprise to you?
Yes, it was definitely quite the surprise. Most of the bands we loved growing up were never all that well known-- it was a shock that anyone besides a handful of people were into this kind of music. We're pretty grateful for that, and realize it's kind of illogical - but awesome.

Has the 'buzz' around the band affected anyone in the band yet? How have you handled it?
Haha, no. I really haven't noticed anything weird or different - our VH1 Behind the Music episode is going to be pretty boring.

You are currently touring the debut album in North America. How has your tour gone so far?
We've done a about 6 week of touring in the US this year up to now, but we have our first month long national tour this September. America is huge, and we're playing 30 more dates and still not going everywhere. We're really excited about it, though Arizona and Texas can be pretty hot in the summer time... I guess we'll have to eat a lot of ice cream. My grandma, realizing this, got the band some Dairy Queen gift cards. Basically, my Grandma rules a lot!!!

What does the rest of 2009 have in store for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart?
We have a national US tour to support the release of our new EP, Higher Than the Stars. Then we're coming back to Spain, France, England and Scotland for a few more dates in November and December. When that's all through we'll start working on our next album, which we're all really looking forward to.

Garrett Cleland

Gaggle

webmaster@cluas.com — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Gaggle, a 22-piece London based female choir, creatively infuse powerful, fast paced evocative music with an almost intimidating air. Though Gaggle are only new on the scene, fronted by Coughlin formerly of 586, these girls definitely know what they’re doing, and it's not to be missed...

Where’d the idea for Gaggle originally come from?
People who know me well know that Gaggle is the only logical outcome of my interests and talents. There's more music than ever, more bands, more myspace, everyone is in a band but most of them are just boring, ineffectual, limp splutters into space. I wanted my next music project to be powerful, warrior style burst of excitement, strangeness and something to annoy people who dream of being Johnny Borrell. I couldn't think of anything more powerful than 22 scary, smart women in evil monk-hoodies stomping and chanting about what it's like being a drunk, or being lied to, or the disappointment of being politically apathetic.

You all seem to be quite a diverse bunch of people, how did you get to meeting each other?
Some of us have been friends since childhood, some of us have worked for others, snogged each other, got drunk in the George Tavern - our spiritual home. Every gaggle is unique and brilliant, each with their own super power. No one was auditioned for Gaggle. In fact I found out the other day that Kumari had practiced some audition pieces, she hadn't imagined she would walk into a strange theatre, be greeted by a dozen women oh oh-ing and me grabbing her arm, pulling her into the middle of them all and shouting "just do the oh-ohs". I don't think we even said hello. It was obvious form the beginning she was a Gaggle - and that's the same with all of them.

Does it ever get difficult having such a large amount of people?
We have a large number of people because it's difficult with a small number. We can do gigs if 3 people are in bed with swine flu, hardly any other act can do that!

Surely there must be some tension?
Yep. I would be worried if there wasn't.

Coughlin, while you were in 586 you shared a stage with 4 other people. How does it compare to sharing a stage with 21 others?
I conduct and direct Gaggle in live shows. I have my back to the audience most of the time. It's amazing - it's like playing the biggest, wildest, loudest instrument in the the world... one with 21 minds of its own and 21 voices. They are a force to be reckoned with.

Will there ever be a 23rd member? Will Gaggle be ever-growing or is it now settled?
For now we are settled, but we have an ever growing waiting list. We will do something about this. We have plans - good ones.

You wear some alternative clothing, where’d the idea for that come from?
Gaggle isn't about women competing on normal levels, it is the opposite of ego-manic vanity. And a place to change the way in which people can judge us. We have a uniform like any army, religion or postman -- we are Gaggle and we are different, together.

Who are your main influences?
Too long to list. There's a lot of creativity and culture and learnedness in Gaggle. Other all-girl projects we love and have loved include Iceland's Wunderbrass and Weird Girls, Wunderbrass first toured as Bjork's army of brass and the latter is a brilliant visual/video arts cult lead by Kitty Von Sometime. Then there's everything from Spare Rib magazine to the Slits, to Jazz Domino's Shoreditch Sisters WI. If you want to know about the music that has influenced our sound I write lots of it with a chap called Simon Dempsey (also from 586) and we range in tastes from Micachu to Dizee Rascal to slave songs to minimal house. Gaggle love a bit of Spotify and if you were to leave us alone with it we will get through Bavarian Choirs, La Lupe, Courtney Love, Take That and Selfish Cunt in the first 20mins.

What can we expect from Gaggle in the future?
More. Much more. Gaggle gigs. Gaggle records. Gaggle blogs. Gaggle clothes. Gaggle books. Gaggle schools. Gaggle dance. Gaggle ready meals. Gaggle driving schools. Gaggle cocktail. Ronald McGaggle. Cirque de Gaggle. War on Gaggle... stuff like that.

If you could describe your music in three words, what’d they be?
Come and listen.

* You can listen to Gaggle's music at www.myspace.com/gagglespace

Aideen O'Flaherty

Pocket Promise

webmaster@cluas.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Being play-listed on BBC Radio One, an album recorded in France with a top class producer (David Odlum- The Frames, Gemma Hayes), glowing critical praise; after eight years together Pocket Promise are starting to realise some of their promise. Cluas.com caught up with Belfast based indie ban on the week they released their debut album I’ve been here for ages.

Firstly, congratulations on the album release. The band has been together a long time, were you nervous about finally getting the record out there?

Thanks! Yeah, definitely there's always going to be a certain amount of apprehension and nerves when releasing something, but it's completely overshadowed by the sense of achievement, pride and relief at getting the finished product finished and out into the public. We've been working so hard with promoting the album and letting everyone know what we're doing that we haven't had a chance to enter into any kind of feelings of fear. We feel like this was the right time to do this and we're very pleased that it's been well received.

Is the record a collection of entirely new material, or a balance between
songs you’ve had for a while and new stuff?

The record has a bit of a balance of both. We finished the recording process of the album around the end of September 2007, so even since then we've developed a lot of 'newer' songs. A lot of material on the album was written right before we went to record so the songs are still new to us and most of our followers. The recording process itself really influenced the style of music we have created since and it also helped to develop more avenues with the older songs. We've a few songs which we've written in the last few months that we are already thinking about recording. We'll leave it a month or two yet though - the focus right now is ...Ages.

Pocket Promise have been together almost eight years, have you had moments where you all think, “Is this going to go anywhere?”

Constantly! It's natural that we would have highs and lows throughout our time together and 8 years is a long time for anyone. We've worked so hard at trying to achieve a career in music as a band because we truly believe in what we're doing. We love making music and we love that a lot of people like what we do. We'd be foolish to pretend we don't get doubts. We're lucky that our faith in what we're doing has kept us together and we're thankful for the support we've received from those around us. We're still just cracking the surface at the minute. There are so many people out there who have yet to hear about us and what we do - we have faith that it is all going somewhere and that we can get the music to the ears of those people.

You moved to London for a period a number of years ago. Did you as a band find the environment much different?

Yes, definitely London was different. It's a self sustaining world of it's own. It's incredibly vast in so many respects especially in the artistic scenes that exist there. When we moved there, we came in on the whole Libertines boom (Pete Doherty himself was actually at our first London gig in the Dublin Castle) so the mood at the time in the music scene was one of Pete lookalikes and doomed, poetic mishaps with top hats and pointy shoes. It was very difficult to be seen above that whole movement. We were a million miles away with our big-to-small sounds, all heartfelt and warm. But, in saying that, we stuck at it for two years and managed to play in some of the best venues in the city. We were lucky to meet other bands who we grouped with and created our own little movement! We really enjoyed it and plan on getting back soon to play some of those venues again.

A lot of groups head over and get overawed by the sheer size difference in the music “scene”, is it an easy place to get swallowed up without notice? Do you feel the experience benefited you as a band and a group of mates who play in a band?

I think the experience really did us the world of good. In so many respects it influenced our album very heavily and it made us a better live band. Dragging a stage piano in and out of a packed tube on a working day, only to play to four people at a gig and then get home to bed in the small hours can be deflating at best - but as with everything that requires sticking power, it was worth it. The experience brought us closer as a band and as friends. We all lived together over there so we learned to get on with what we went over there to do and we enjoyed socialising together as well. Maybe a little too much at times! It would be very easy to get swallowed without notice because of the size of London and not knowing where to start. There is a lot of trial and error involved with becoming part of the scene there. There are a lot of venues which just aren't worth playing, a lot of promoters who aren't worth knowing and a lot of bands who really aren't
in it for the same reasons you are. But then, when you want to be seen and heard, you can't really afford to turn down gigs. It's a double edged sword; we learned a lot from that experience.

At what point did you decide, “Ok, its all or nothing”, and focus full time on the band?

When we came back from recording in France we decided to dedicate our time one hundred percent to the band. It was a brave move and again one which definitely involved a lot of 'trial and error'. It was very difficult trying to get good gigs back in Ireland because we'd been gone for so long, but we've stuck at it and we're really starting to break through into a band to take notice of. Financially though we've still had to drop in and out of other employment to allow us to continue to fund the music.

I’ve Been Here for Ages was recorded in France, with producer David Odlum (Frames, Gemma Hayes). Did the exotic venue and quality of the producer add some spice to recording and inspire you?

Yes, the location was incredible. Blackbox Studios has been built and developed with the artist in mind. The area is absolutely beautiful, with truly magical scenery and a very distant serenity that allows you to totally remove yourself from the real world. We loved every minute. David himself is a great person to work with. He challenged our thoughts on the songs and made great suggestions which often changed timescales and tempos, lengths of songs, arrangements and sounds - ultimately improving everything we recorded with him.

The record is being released on your own label, Stop: Go Music. Are you fearful of the difficulty in gaining exposure through independent release?

It's a very tough area, in that - on one hand you have the freedom to do with your recording as you please. You have one hundred percent control. You also remain in possession of all your own material and can make the choices in regard costs and profits associated. On the other hand you've funded the album from your own pocket and taken a gamble on whether or not it will sell. We only have a certain amount of power when it comes to exposure but working with the right people has really helped us to gain further exposure. Jeff Robinson, who looks after our PR, has been instrumental in helping us to promote our release. The advantage of working with a label would be that you have on board a large number of people who have years of experience, who have built many contacts and have a much larger budget to work with. In reality we're doing this on a
smaller scale, all being well one that will grow!

With the imploding global economy, do you see it as a much more challenging environment to sell music and entice people to listen than, say, in the last number of years?

Well, again it's a tough call. At this level, a lot depends on luck - whether or not people will listen up and start buying your music. It is definitely challenging for bands to release music, especially by themselves. But there are tools out there that can really help artists reach audiences and ultimately sell their music, particularly with respect to the ever growing number of websites people use. We can only keep working within that environment and try and discover new ways of promoting ourselves and selling our music. If we were in it for the the money though, we would have given up long ago...!

It’s been an exciting year, with two single releases, the album and appearances nationwide. What’s the plan for the immediate future for Pocket Promise?

It has been an exciting year and we're very happy to have come this far. Our main focus for the next while will definitely still be the album. It's our biggest achievement to date and we're hoping to keep pushing it out there. We're really hoping to record a few newly written tracks as soon as possible. We'll maybe just pop the songs on a CD and distribute them as a little EP at gigs or maybe just give the songs away via our website. We'll have to see! But that's definitely the way we would like to see the future of Pocket Promise - being productive on our own terms and getting the music to the ears of our listeners as soon as possible!

Pocket Promise play Dublin at the Purty Loft in Dun Laoghaire on 14th August.

Kevin Coleman

Adam and Darcie

webmaster@cluas.com — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Adam and Darcie are a husband and wife team from Provo, Utah. Having released their debut The Valley Where I'm From, a couple of years ago, they recently signed to Irish record label Indiecater Records. Their new album California Trail is out on July 24th.

The new album is out next week. How do you feel in relation to it and, perhaps, the public reacton to it? Confident? Nervous? A bit of both?

Adam: The process of writing, recording, and producing the album was a wonderful yet demanding journey, so having it done and ready for people to hear (and hopefully enjoy) is a good place to be. I guess I'm also cautiously optimistic. These are some of the more personal songs we've released, but I hope they will resonate with others in a way that is unique and personal to them.

Darcie: We've put a lot of time and emotion into the album and I'm indeed proud of it. That doesn't mean I think everyone is going to listen to it exclusively for the rest of their lives. I just have no reservations about it. I'm proud of it start to finish.

How would you compare the two albums? Are you more proud of this than your first, or do you just see it as a separate entity to The Valley Where I'm From?

A: They both have there own merits, but to compare them I'd say that The Valley Where I'm From was more of a collection of songs whereas I think California Trail is more of an album in the traditional sense of the word, with overarching themes and interwoven stories going on. I would also say that The Valley Where I'm From was more minimalist while California Trail was given more time in regards to production and arrangements.

D: The Valley has some definite personal highlights for me, but as an album I feel like California Trail is a more complete creature. And it's certainly a clearer reflection of where we are now in our lives. I hope as we continue to produce music, I feel the most connected to the recent project.

You seem to have a revolving stage of supporting musicians. Does this ever get confusing or do they all slot seamlessly in?

A: It's actually really nice in that everyone who plays with us is also a dear friend. And musically they're all very gifted so it's makes the changes fairly seamless. Sometimes the transience contributes to an energy that we'd consider a good thing.
D: Anyone who has played in the band is like family, so I love the time we get to spend working with the different individuals. Most of us are still in transitional phases of life (finishing degrees, having children, pursuing careers) so no one is completely permanent, but they are all incredibly quick and intuitive musicians so the only challenge I see is not having enough parts to go around.

You're being promoted in Ireland by Indiecater Records. Tell us something about the label and how your connection with them came about?

A: We found out about Indiecater through our friends The Very Most. We came to find that the other bands on the label were also great and the support from Indiecater was sincere and enthusiastic. In speaking with Kevin we found that we were on the same page. He believes in the music he promotes and his the process from there is undiluted. It's also very much in line with Village Ten Collective, our label in the U.S. who share a similar approach and musical values.
D: Indiecater has been really supportive of us and I feel so comfortable with Kevin on our side. His is the response I want everyone to have with the album.

Indiecater are an unusual record label in that all of their releases are digital. Is this something you approve of, or do you still hanker for the days of vinyl and cassette tapes?

A: Digital releases are great in how rapidly they can broaden the reach of the music, and in that way we love it. I still appreciate physical copies, especially in regards to the artwork and the whole album experience. But I see them as options that are different and equally valid.

D: I love that with a hard copy, if that's how people listen to it, they experience the album as a complete work. But the reality is, few people still use their hard copy; they just digitize it immediately and typically end up picking which songs they hear. While I hope people enjoy the songs as a related collection, I feel like digital is a beautifully practical way to do that.

Being a husband and wife team while on the road, is there times where it gets slightly,(ahem), claustrophobic?

A: A lot of great bands that we've had the privilege of playing with (Johan the Angel, Canoe, Drew Danburry, etc.) are actually in similar situations, with families and the like so we help each other out.

D: Adam and I are pretty chill so the husband and wife dynamic never suffers but it's not always easy with kids. They deserve their space and routine. But as Adam said, it's the best when we're working with other artists who genuinely get that. And surprisingly, most do.

You seem to have taken, if I may say so, a rather low budget approach to recording by committing almost everything to a laptop. In the future may you decide to go for a big studio production?

A: Yeah, that's true. We also record in the spaces we live (living room, bedroom, etc.). And you can even hear our son a few times in the background on this album... it's very subtle but we don't mind its presence. I also remember the circumstances of most of the parts we recorded, and doing it in our home adds some additional meaning for me.
I can see the advantages to a bigger studio production, but for now I really appreciate the creative opportunities that are afforded when you do things without major scheduling and budgeting restraints.

D: For me, the main draw to a big studio production is allowing us to focus on our performances rather than the intricate art of producing. I prefer a slightly lo-fi sound to a polished one, but producing and engineering an album is its own art and it'd be brilliant to see what another mind could bring to our music.

I was just wondering Darcie, if there was ever a time you got upset at the band being monikored Adam and Darcie? Did you ever throw a Paul Mcartney-esque strop and shout, "It should be called Darcie and Adam!"?

D: Quite the opposite! I'm not shy, but I can get embarrassed if the focus is put on me. When I'm just singing on stage, I wish I had an instrument to hide behind. I've suggested a name with more anonymity but Adam and Darcie stuck. I truly do love to talk about our music and get to know people who like it, but I've always said I want people to love the music not me!

Is there any plans to tour the album internationally?

A: If the opportunity presents itself we would be ecstatic.

D: As the ever worried mother, I'd really want it to be well planned so we're not crashing on the floor of someone's flat last minute. But again, as a mother I'd love nothing more than to experience Europe through our music as a family. And all our friends who've toured across the Atlantic have said that most Europeans are so warm to the music in comparison with our furrowed-browed countrymen.

What would you describe as the highlight of your career so far? What are the other ambitions you have left to fulfill?

A: The highlight to me has been the reaction of the people I really care about and respect. Like when an artist I really admire praised our music. Friends and family I respect have also reacted in ways that have meant the world to me.

D: The one ambition I'm holding out for is to provide a life for our family through Adam and Darcie. But it's already so rewarding that even if our fan base never grew beyond what it is, we'd keep doing it for years to come. Releasing this album is the highlight for me. I'm just happy that this part of me will be out there for other peeps to experience.

Mark Townsend

Mark Kozelek

webmaster@cluas.com — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Aloof as ever, Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon and previously Red House Painters, had a very quick word with Anna Murray ahead of his Andrew’s Lane gig this Thursday.

Do you regret the demise of Red House Painters?
I never saw it as a demise. Sounds a bit dramatic. Those guys are some of my best friends, and all of them are involved in Sun Kil Moon. Jerry and Phil play and travel with me on the SKM tours, and Anthony plays drums on the records.

You are famous as much for rearranging other peoples' songs as for writing your own. 'Cover versions' are so often derided as being uncreative and unoriginal - what do you think of that attitude?
I've talked too much on the covers thing, beat it to death. People think whatever they think about it, what can you do?

You have been involved in quite a broad range of collaborations (with other musicians, labels etc) than most artists. Do you think it's important to the development of your musicianship to be involved in so many things?
It doesn't really affect me as I don't involve my self in other projects in a very big way. I won't commit to anything if it’s going to eat into my own space.

Has your close working relationship with Alan Sparhawk of Low and his unique aesthetic had any influence over your own work?
Not in any way really. But it’s interesting to see how another artist works. Alan has a pretty hardcore work ethic, and it’s kind of fascinating for me to watch.

What made you re-issue Nights of Passed Over?
Long story, but the deal went sour with my book in Portugal. I wanted to put out a newer, updated version that I had some control over, that fans could find easily.

Have you any interest in publishing more of your writing?
Not at the moment.

Most of your Sun Kil Moon albums have had a thread of narrative links. Do you think concept is important to the creation of an album?
I don't really think about all that. I just record songs until there are enough for an album. Many of the songs are spread over a few years, if not more - so I’d say that I’ve never really made a concept album from a to z the way a band like Pink Floyd would go about it.

Of all the records you have been involved in (writing, playing or production), do you have a favourite to listen to?
Whatever the current one is. I never listen to the older records, unless I have to for some reference or something, like to remember what key the song was in.

Will there be a linking thread to your live show or do you go with the flow?
Usually go with the flow, which I think upsets people!

Anna Murray

Lisa Hannigan

webmaster@cluas.com — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

2009 sees the third year of one of Ireland's fastest growing and most interesting music festivals: Cork X Southwest. The August bank holiday will see picturesque Skibbereen awash with music-lovers as The Waterboys, Lisa Hannigan and Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club among many others take to the stage. Sig Doherty catches up with Lisa Hannigan.

Hello Lisa, where are you this Irish summer’s morning?

Currently in Galway, we had a gig in the Roisin Dubh last night and have another one tonight, so waking up in rainy Galway

Now the shackles have been discarded, how are you revelling in your new found freedom as a solo performer?

Great! I have a really amazing band around me who are also my friends. It’s an absolute pleasure travelling around with these people, and the tour manager (Una Molloy) is my best mate. It just has been amazing! And we have been writing songs on the road as well, and slowly getting better at that! It’s going really grand.

Sea Sew, studio wise, was put together in two weeks. How much of this would have been put down to the familiarity of working and playing with your band?

We put in quite a bit of work prior to going into the studio so we were very prepared, and hadn’t really slept at all. Plus, we only really had the money for 2 weeks in the studio. So it was a case of doing quite a bit of work before the recording sessions so we were at a point where we could record in 2 weeks, which is a short space of time.

There is a wide range of instruments at play on Sea Sew which adds to the depth and beauty.....

Yeah, well I wanted to use slightly different instrumentation. I wanted it to sound 'crooky', and well, a bit kind of ‘rusty’, and we hopefully managed that by using old squeaky, broken down instruments a lot of the time!

When-ever you are originally penning the songs, would have an overall sound of how you want the song to progress or does that happen later during the arranging in the studio?

The songs all take a kind of different approach. Sometimes they start with a simple drum pattern, a two chord progression. So each one is kinda different from the outset and we'll let them percolate for a while, and the arrangements then get fleshed out. I try to break it down to the most basic of components and then add its back in which to me is the easiest way of constructing a song and trying to keep as much space as possible in the arrangements. It’s working fantastically well.

You have just finished Glastonbury 09. With its lack of rain, and heavy weight performances from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave and Neil Young will go down as one of the great festivals of recent times. How was the experience for your good self?

Ah, it was amazing! The rain was there on the Thursday night; we arrived on the Friday and missed it! We saw a little bit of Neil Young, which was great but we caught most of Bruce Springsteen which was just amazing, he is such an incredible performer! He was jumping about and running like a kid, high fiving the front row as he went. Apart from his music and singing, he just has so much energy. Great to see!

Well, it gives everyone so much hope, as the Boss isn’t a kick in the ass off 60...

Ah yes! He's fitter than most people I know! He always gives so much to the audience energy and time wise. Just extraordinary.

You always look as though you are having such a great time on stage yourself, which in turn transcends to the audience. You see so many performers on stage, who frankly look like they’d be happier doing the ironing or unblocked the sink!

I'd be like 'go get a real' job. You know, I think this is the best job in the world, it’s just the best to be able to play music to people. We just finished a gig with Josh Ritter recently, and he is the most smiley person in the world! And its infectious, everyone there has such a wonderful gig experience, everyone ends up smiling! And in turn, you're be lifted by the audience’s reaction, its lovely

You have recently finished an extensive tour in the USA with Jason Mraz.

Yes we did an extensive tour with him in the autumn, which comprised of 44 dates in amazing venues. It was such an incredible tour to be on playing on with my band. You know, to be playing in venues like Radio City, so it really set the bar high for ourselves! We cannot wait to get back out there touring again.

What are the logistics of a tour like that for yourself and the band?

Well, you have to get to the next venue independently. You could do a localised tour in a van say, but if you are criss-crossing the country and have a gig every-night you really have to be in a tour bus. We ended up staying in the tour bus for the entire tour, didn’t see hotels or motels!

Physically and emotionally, an extensive tour of the states must take its toll?

It's two months long and you know it could have been, but really we were all so excited to be there, so glad to be touring that the excitement carried us through the whole trip. And we just had so much fun having never toured in that way before as a band.

With many long and arduous hours decamped in a tour bus, what box sets are currently on rotation to ease the boredom?

On the recent American tour, we all watched Deadwood, an amazing show during the prospecting times with a lot of colourful language! Amazing show. And as a result all of our language got pretty rough and ropey!! It actually affected all of our aesthetics, all the boys got the three piece suits and handle bar moustaches… it was just great. And we've been getting into the Wire as well.

You are back doing a mini-tour with the Swell Season in August...

Yeah! I cannot wait to see them play again. I'm really looking forward to those gigs.

You're just backed from Glastonbury and you are booked to play the electric Picnic, have you any other festivals lined up this year?

We are playing Latitude and Guildfest next week which are going to be a lot of fun. [and Cork X Southwest in August]

Do you have a favourite festival?

I think it would have to be the 'Picnic! I've been there every year, with the exception of the first year, and it’s just got the best atmosphere! It’s the perfect size for wandering around without thinking you have spent you whole day traipsing through mud! They put a huge effort into make it an 'other-worldly' experience, where you're leaving your normal life and going to a tiny town for a few days and really do make it a special trip as opposed to just going to see gigs. And it’s nice that’s it’s just down the road!!

Hemming-stitch or back-stitch?

[much laughing later]

I wouldn’t know! I'm not very good at sewing at all, I've learned very roughly and shabbily. The album stitching, it’s certainly not a beautiful piece of work by any stretch of the imagination [to which we agree to disagree! Sig]

Thanks Lisa for the time and we’d all like to wish you all the good luck and fortune in the future, and then some!

Sig Doherty

Katie Kim

webmaster@cluas.com — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Interview with Waterford's Katie Kim

Katie Kim is one of the many fine acts to emerge from Waterford in recent times. Her album last year, Twelve, met with a warm critical reception with Donal Dineen championing ‘Radio’ on his show and Jim Carroll dubbing it a “subtle, slow-burring magic”. Earlier this year she jetted off to Toronto, but she returned recently. She talked to Cluas to discuss Canada, the ups and downs of her career to date, and the future.

So, Katie, you have been in Canada a few months at this stage. How has it been treating you?

Well I was there for around 3 months. I'm back now. There’s still a big question mark looming over my head about why I went at the particular time I did. Twelve had just been released, I adored my band, I was starting to get used to the live situation and the album just started getting some really good attention. But I had been living in Ireland for a long, long time and as excited as I was about Irish music and Waterford (where I live) at the time, I needed to get out and see, experience, wake up, write, record somewhere else. So I did and I had an amazing time. But I had to be there to realise that it was like starting over all over again, which I wasn’t ready to do. I missed my band too much and the amazing people in it.

I’m actually headed over to Vancouver in a couple of months. Are there any cultural quirks that a fellow Irish traveller should be aware of?

I really don’t want to generalise here but oh god yes!! The sense of humour is quite different. I've been reared in a country where taking the piss out of each other is the norm and if you can’t hack it; close the door as you leave! But I discovered this isn’t the Canadian way! Also I had to get used to fragile Canadian male emotion! The guys over there are so open about their feelings! Very Dr. Phil-like, but as I said I don’t want to generalise. They are also one of the nicest most accommodating bunch of people I've been lucky enough to encounter.

Was there anything you missed most about Ireland? Musically or otherwise?

When I was there I spoke to lots of promoters and journalists who were so shocked I left Europe to come to Toronto. They just couldn’t get it! It was all:" Why did you come here?? Europe is amazing! We’ve sent all our bands over there to make money" But I suppose it’s the same wherever you go. I was too busy being wide-eyed to really miss anything to be honest. Except, of course, again, my band.

When did your first love of music bloom, and musically, who or what has been the biggest influence on your music?

First? Hmmmm... I would say, clichéd as it is, always: from a memory of standing on a piano in a hotel at my sister's confirmation singing 'Frère Jacques' when I was 3 to my obsession with the Sound of Music and learning every word of every musical that came out around that time to the Queen obsession, when I was 7 years old. When Freddie Mercury died, I can remember being inconsolable. Just terrible, and on and on. All of these things and all of the other things that came after influenced me and still do. Music influences me. People influence me. Art influences me. I couldn’t possible try to pin-point one biggest influence.

Have you played many gigs there yet? How does it compare to Ireland?

I played 3 gigs in Toronto; one in a vintage clothing store, one in a Goth club and one with a whole heap of amazing Irish bands for Canadian Music Week. Then we went on down to New York and played down there. Everyone seemed to really enjoy them. I got amazing feedback and made a lot of new friends. But comparison-wise, it really didn’t differ much. The Irish tag was a bit more impressive over there though. As it is here with bands from abroad.

In 2005 you released an album with your previous band Dae Kim on Matador. Why did we hear no more from them?

I don't know. They are a seriously talented bunch of people. I believe Dae Kim is no more now. But Ian Chestnut (the guitarist) and Ellie (drummer) is now Percolator. Who are awesome! Check them out - http://www.myspace.com/percolators! Dave Grimes (original member and guitar genius) is now The Bear People, he is a one of a kind talent. Tommy Farrell (bass player) is now in a band called Fighting Spiders, and Terry Cullen is now running his own PR company called Pier 13. Terry was in the game for a long time and I suppose he needed a break. Being in that band taught me nearly everything though. I had a f*cking amazing time in Dae Kim.

You released your debut solo album last year. Were you happy with the reception it received?

I'm still a bit shocked about it, because it was such a small little release. I didn’t make it awfully accessible. It being only released on vinyl and really no press except on Myspace and one or two reviews. Donal Dineen started playing ‘Radio’ regularly and people started talking from there, so I have a lot to thank him for. He’s also hero of mine, so you can imagine.

Disaster struck when you were recording the album. For those not in the know, do you want to tell them what happened?

I left a fantastic music course in Cork, used the money to buy my first computer so I could start home recording. I recorded around 40 - 50 tracks, it got a bug after a year - an internet bug may I add, nothing to do with the recording software, so I asked the guy who built it for me to fix the small bug. He did so by simply wiping everything on the hard drive. So! Gone! Forever! Like I’ve said before, they were hazy days. I went through a lot of wine during that period. A lot of wine.

What made you decide to only release Twelve on vinyl?

I worked in record store for nearly 5 years. I saw how beat up CDs get. They’re so fragile but at the same time, sometimes so throwaway. I love vinyl - the smell, the way people look after them and look up to them and the sound of the needle if it gets a bit dusty is like morphine to me. So it was an easy decision. I’ve had to make up a few CDs though, as a lot of people have got on to me about it, so there'll be 200 made, but that’s it.

You have collaborated with numerous artists over here, such as Ten Past Seven, David Kitt and Cars In Walls. Have you any plans to hook up with some Canadian artists?

I'm going to be working with Milosh (an ambient electro producer). Dineen introduced us, which I was elated about. He makes beautiful music. I met so many great people over there, that I'm still in touch with and we all send tunes through e-mails to other and do bits and bobs for each other when we need it.

If you had to pick one moment, what has been the best moment of your career to date?

Hearing Radio being played on Small Hours for the first time.

What is your next step from here?

Lock myself away with everyone for a while, write, record, play, travel and buy a Tenori-on.

Garrett Cleland

You can check out Katie Kim’s Myspace at www.myspace.com/dancekatiekimdance.