It's with album number three that Australia's own Kisschasy feel as if they've reached a mature point. After some not-so-wild times at Splendour in the Grass, the group are ready to hit the road and share material off Seizures with the rest of the country.
yourGigs (yG): Did you get up to any newsworthy antics at Splendour in the Grass?
Darren Cordeux (DC): It shows how un-rock'n'roll our band is that when I went into our band room to get a drink I discovered all these people I don't even know doing cocaine in there. I was like, "Okay that's really quite ironic seeing as we're the rock band and we're just drinking Powerade while there are people in their 40s in our band room doing blow."
yG: Did you handpick Sydney up-and-comers Regular John as your national tour supports?
DC: We always handpick our supports 'cause at the end of the day we're going to be playing with them for a month and half so we want to be able to watch them and enjoy them.
yG: Seizures is album number three. What have you learnt this time round in terms of the songwriting and recording process?
DC: I challenged myself to make a record that I would love and not let any outside influences and expectations get in the way of what I was writing. I just wanted to make a record that I was passionate about. I didn't think about radio songs or anything like that, just something that I knew I would love for a long time. Listening back, it really was the right thing to do because I love it more than anything I've ever done by a long shot.
It's very different from our previous releases. We're using angular chords and different rhythms and lots of percussion. We sound like a band that's been doing it for a while; it sounds older. We're pushing our own boundaries so it's not so immediate pop. It's a little bit quirky.
yG: Is there a story or theme behind it?
DC: It's basically a year in my life. I started writing it after my 23rd birthday when some s*** went down with our old management we won't go into. I thought, "This time around I want to write music that's more honest and straight to the point." In the past I used to use a lot of metaphors and make up these grandiose stories that were based on something true but I shied away from being honest by embellishing it a little bit. This time around I'm keeping it simple and real.
yG: It sounds very personal. Were you nervous about baring yourself so openly to the whole world, probably even more so your close friends and family?
DC: Of course. I was always scared with our other records and with this one I was petrified. It's so honest and real and talks about my everyday thoughts and moods. I'm basically showing people the inside of my head. It sounds cliched but it was therapeutic while being scary as hell.
yG: How did your parents react when you dropped out of school to make music? Do they feel as if it has been justified now that you've achieved so much success?
DC: They're very proud. My dad wanted me to play music but I don't think he wanted me to drop out of school. I think it was Roy Orbison who said, "If you've got something to fall back on, most likely you will." Meaning, unless you put yourself into something 100 percent then it won't work. School wasn't providing me with anything I wanted to do. I just wanted to focus on music.
yG: Are you advising other young aspiring artists to ditch school or their jobs and just go for it?
DC: I don't want to encourage people to do that! I was in a position where I couldn't mix school and music. My school didn't offer any musical education and I didn't have the funds to go to a music school so I made the decision based on that.
Hear that kids? Stay in school and check out the gig guide to see when Kisschasy hit your town.
Aimee-Lee Curran
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