Interview with Peter Kasen - formerly a local musician
May 31st 2011 07:50
When you turned away from music to concentrate on your life, I knew you would come back to singing some day - the music is in you - but what initially encouraged you to return?
I knew I needed a break from music, when it started to become about everything but writing songs and playing guitar. I was so involved in all aspects of running it like a business in order to financially stay afloat, that I lost touch with the passion behind the expression and creation that goes into the process of writing the songs themselves. Which is a special process, that is free of thinking about where you will stay on the next stop on the tour. I also needed to return to some financial stability, after working on a record in the UK in 2008 for the better part of four months, to than living a year and touring in Europe almost simultaneously. This 16 month career path in Europe both helped define the future of where my music will be focused and took flight, as well as led to me needing to take a break financially for the mere fact that it took its tole on me not being allowed to work while living in Europe.
When I decided to return, it had been about a year. I went through a personal situation that made me understand very quickly what was important to me and not important to me. This was the initial force that guided me back to Music full time and to what I do best which is both write and perform my music to whomever will listen.
I learned also that sometimes taking a step back, is good to prepare for a much more successful future. I plan to do things much differently this time, and when the time comes it will be clear what the plans are for the next release and its push into the mainstream media markets.
Has your music changed much from how it sounded before the year-long break?
Yes, both lyrically and instrumentally with these new songs. I am trying to focus on the song itself in every part, and piece of music and not focus on its complexity. I have some very pop oriented pieces which deal with the maturity between "Veer" in 2009 and today. I also have a less aggressive stance on the subject matter of the songs, as well as their lyrical and musical content. Vocally I want to show more range on this next record, with more high parts and backing vocals with harmonies. The subject matter has completely taken a shift to an even more personal state of thinking on "The Way We Were". I expect this to be even better than what has come before.
Tell me about the European tour and release
I am so excited about this tour, which I have gotten together very quickly. I have 13 shows now confirmed in nine countries over Europe. There is a focus on Western Europe in July and a bit of August, and Scandinavia into September. The tour begins July 5th in London, England and will run through September. I will be playing some key dates, around 16 to 18 shows when its all completed. I have been very fortunate to have been booked in some very good and well known venues around Europe as well as a Festival for an amazing cause in Vienna, Austria hosted by Vienna Folk Club.
As for the next record, "The Way We Were", this will be a 9 to 10 song full length release. My second official full length release but fifth studio release to date. I expect to record the record in the fall after the tour, the release will come before the end of 2011. The songs are the most personal ones I have written to date as I spoke of before, and I want to record the record in an almost live approach from beginning to end because this record is a story in itself. There will be minimal overdubs in the studio musically, other than added instrumentation, as well as an almost hollow transparent sound to the record. Stripping it back of over production is the key, and I want it to resemble an early Elton John record or Nick Drake album. The rest you will have to wait and hear for yourself. To the fans I will be giving some free downloads of studio demos and live songs from my Europe tour over the summer on my music Facebook page as well as website.
Whereabouts are you (online) these days - for those fans wishing to keep up to date?
I finally started a Facebook page, several years later than most people but better late than never. My Facebook music page is Really Long Link
I am a loyalist to Myspace still Really Long Link and my website which is being redone this summer with Bandcamp, for now is Really Long Link
Where do you see yourself heading with your music career over the next few years?
I am going to be starting some things to support my music's longevity for years to come. The next release will be pushed to many mainstream and indie media markets both in the US and Europe. I am focused on touring in Europe every summer, as well as releasing every year. The goal is to push the music through certain channels without doing all of the work on my own anymore. This allows a PR firm to handle the reviews and splash in the industry, while I focus on the Music first, then there will be another side to focus on the release, distribution, and tour plans for those projects in the future. Everything in good time, for now this tour of Europe, enjoying some down time purposely to vacation a little bit and see some areas of Europe I have yet to see, and meet some amazing people along the way in each country I tour through. The tour is also to focus the new songs on the fans and see the reaction of the crowd before I go in and record these next songs permanently on record. Of course Touring will be a constant for years and albums to come, as that is the only way the music gets heard and survives.
What do you miss the most and the least concerning San Francisco?
I knew this one was coming. I miss the amazingly eclectic yet talented music scene in the Bay area from where my solo career began back in 2005. This began in Berkeley, California and I was privileged to tour all over the Bay area. If you look from Santa Cruz to San Francisco and up through the North Bay down the East Bay to San Jose, you will find some amazing music stemming from Folk, Singer Songwriter, Indie, Rock all the way to Jazz, Ska, Punk, Hip Hop and so much more. Everyone is very nice about helping each other out, especially in towns like Berkeley and Santa Cruz, where I lived in both. I also miss the city itself, the feel of it, the opportunity there, the music venues and vibe, as well as SOMA and the studios down there where I recorded, "Veer" in 2009. I miss the hard cold windy weather sometimes because to me it makes me feel alive, and I also miss the reality of never needing a car in that city to get around. I feel San Francisco is the closest thing to Europe that America has to offer in how a city should operate. Oh did I mention the food?
I do not miss the cost of living, rent prices, and tourists! Nor do I miss the tenderloin, or nights when I couldn't find a cab back over the bay bridge. I also do not miss the fact that its a 9 mile city by 9 miles, and yet 4 million people a day go in and out of that city at times it can be a bit much for its walls to handle.
Thanks Peter - and now, for interested European fans - his upcoming tour schedule -
TOUR SCHEDULE - EUROPE
July 5th - London, England @ Elixir Bar
July 6th - Manchester, England @ Tiger Lounge
July 11th - Paris, France @ Le Cavern Club
July 27th - Berlin, Germany @ Joe's Bar
July 28th - Hamburg, Germany @ Hasenschaukel
July 30th - Vienna, Austria @ Charity Folk & Blues Festival @ Waterworld (Vienna Folk Club)
August 2nd - Vienna, Austria @ Weberknecht
August 5th - Brussels, Belgium @ Gallery Gabrichidze
August 9th - Amsterdam, Holland @ Jet Lounge
August 11th - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Klub Note @ Mice
August 19th - Goteborg, Sweden @ Dirty Records/Cafe Santa Domingo
August 23rd - Oslo, Norway @ The Dubliner
Sep 8th - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Klub Note @ Mice
| 33 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
