Im Vorfeld ihrer Tour durch die USA und den Impericon Festivals in Europa haben wir mit Tom von der britischen Band Casey über ihr neues Album „How to Disappear“ gesprochen. Das Album, als ihr bisher ambitioniertestes Projekt beschrieben, erkundet klanglich neue Wege und thematisiert Existenz, Tod und Trauer. Tom teilt Einblicke in die emotionale Intensität ihrer Live-Auftritte und betont, dass die Musik vor allem für die Band selbst geschrieben wird. Nach ihrer Auflösung 2018 erlebt Casey nun ihr Comeback und Tom erklärt, wie es sich anfühlt, wieder zusammenzuarbeiten.
Frontstage Magazine: „How to Disappear“ marks your third album and has been described as your most ambitious project to date. Could you tell us more about the artistic development and thematic focus of this album?
Tom: Sonically we wanted to build on the foundational elements that we felt were key to the band, while being conscious to not recycle or repeat what we’ve done previously. It’s a cliche sentiment, but we wanted the dreamy sections to be dreamier, the cathartic to be more uplifting, to somber to be more subdued. That then played into the lyrical themes. I felt the need to largely move away from spaces I’d touched on previously, and break new ground (for me at least). Those piques and troughs of catharticism and melancholy naturally bled into themes of life and death; which mirrored my own experiences and headspace through the pandemic.
Frontstage Magazine: Your music explores the intersection between existence and grief. How did you attempt to express these challenging themes on ‚How to Disappear,‘ and what message do you hope to convey to your listeners?
Tom: I’d say the lyrics on this record are less open to interpretation than they have been previously. I’ve tried, wherever possible, to write as truly to the sentiment as I can. And as I’ve always done until this point, everything is written from personal experience. The bulk of the material on How To Disappear stems from an existential crisis during lockdown, which in turn started to alter my perception of death and grief. By and large though music will always be what the listener makes of it, so whatever my intention and hope, there will be listeners who don’t receive the new record in the way I’d imagine they would.
Frontstage Magazine: After announcing the dissolution of Casey in 2018, you are now making a comeback. How does it feel to collaborate again after this hiatus, and what motivated you to continue working together?
Tom: Our reconvening was coincidental in a way. Just right time, right place, Liam reaching out to me and asking if I’d listen through a demo the guys had been working on. From that point, we had a few pragmatic discussions about what our expectations for the band were, realistically what we’d be able to commit to, and above all making sure we’d be working on a healthy and sustainable way. Once we were back in a practice room though it was like nothing had changed and no time had passed, it all felt very organic.
Frontstage Magazine: The upcoming tour takes you through the UK, Europe, and North America. What can fans expect from your live performances, especially regarding the presentation of the new songs from ‚How to Disappear‘?
Tom: We’re out with Holding Absence in the US at the moment; and we’re really trying to showcase our new material. Half of our set is dedicated to songs we’ve released since returning from hiatus. For the headliner the split might not be that dramatic, because we have more time to play with, and obviously have more songs now than ever before.
Frontstage Magazine: Your music has often been described as emotionally intense. How do you translate that intensity into your live performance, and what do you hope your music influences in the audience?
Tom: I’ve never really had any desire to influence an audience in one way or another. We write and perform songs for ourselves first and foremost; and if the audience is courteous enough to give us a small amount of their time and attention then that’s gratifying enough for us. I don’t think our music requires any additional bravado or theatrics to bring it to life. We perform with an energy that’s appropriate to the music and subject matter, and how we’re feeling on a personal level too. I think placing that expectation on musicians to be larger than life and flamboyant at every show is unhealthy.
Frontstage Magazine: Your band philosophy emphasizes that music is a labor of love. How do you stay true to this philosophy, especially in the face of challenges and highs in your career?
Tom: My previous answer sort of circles around this point. We write and perform music because that’s what we love doing. I’ve no real aspiration or expectation that we’ll be an enormous, chart topping band. Obviously if that were to happen then great, but I’m not banking on it. When you’re low, music can be the hand that lifts you, and when you’re high, it can serve at the soundtrack to your fervour. We all feel that way in some regard.
Frontstage Magazine: With the successes of your previous albums, you have established yourselves as one of the most exciting bands in the British alternative scene. How has your approach to music production and songwriting changed on ‚How to Disappear,‘ compared to your previous releases?
Tom: We took on a far greater proportion of the production and recording weight ourselves this time round, Toby in particular having a huge part to play in that. We were also far more prepared in general, and spent a longer time putting the album together. There’s a lot of ear candy through the album, additional layers of percussion, pads, strings, synths, and so on. We wanted it to be as completely fleshed out as we could make it.
Fotocredit: Martyna Bannister
