The Interview: Kassidy

Signed to Vertigo, Glaswegian four piece band Kassidy have been hailed by the press as ‘The British Kings of Leon,’ so naturally as a big Kings of Leon fan, I was looking forward to their show at Hoxton Bar and Grill, East London. Also, I may have been a tad excited because Kassidy’s forthcoming album is produced by Jim Abiss, who has worked with Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian, amongst others. Chatting to the band beforehand, I realised they are incredibly down to earth and knew their shit when it comes to music (almost as impressive as their epic beards).

Which instruments do you guys play?
Barrie-James: We all play guitar and sing. Everyone is equal.

On behalf of our resident half Scot, Sheena, I have to ask the question, what’s your favourite Scottish venue?
Barrie-James: Barrowlands. I don’t think you’ll capture or get a better experience than that. It’s a similar experience that you get when you have sex or get drunk for the first time.

Was Barrowlands the first place you saw a gig?
Barrie-James: Yeah it was mine.
Lewis: Mine was an arena somewhere, it was The Rolling Stones.

The Stones is a pretty great band to see as your first ever gig. So can you tell me some of your musical influences?
Barrie-James: Mine are varied, [I like] Blues music from the 30s to 50s. So Muddy Waters meets Robert Johnson meets The Doors.
Lewis: Anything really, I like classical, hip hop, funk and rock.

Sheena also requested that I ask, do you believe the very active music scene in Glasgow was an influence on forming the band and getting in to music?
Lewis: I’m sorry Sheena, but no.

Do you have any guilty musical pleasures? For example, are you secret S Club 7 fans?
Barrie-James: In my teenage years I was a big Coldplay fan. Also, Bet Wetters [an Estonian pop funk band] was my guilty pleasure.
Lewis: I don’t have any guilty pleasures; I think if it’s an alright catchy song then it shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure. There are pop songs out there which people might not be so enthusiastic about, but I just like a good melody.

On a similar theme, do you think there are any artists out there at the moment who are underrated?
Barrie-James: The Howling Bells (an Australian Indie band).

Or overrated?
Barrie-James: I don’t want to name drop people, because a lot of people try really hard. As long as you are a nice person and you genuinely believe that you are doing something that is good then you should take a comment like ‘that band is overrated’ lightly, because you know you’re a good person and a hard worker. Not everyone is going to like your music, you know?

What are the top played tracks on your iPods or on the tour bus?
Lewis: Lots of Sly & the Family Stone. They’re an interesting funk band; they have amazing stories in their songs.
Barrie-James: Mostly Blues but also Ryan Adams.

I am a huge Ryan Adams fan; he’s on my top played tracks too. I fucking love him, ‘Firecracker’ is my favourite song.
[At this point, Barrie-James leant over, shook my hand and quoted ‘Firecracker’]
‘Well, everybody wants to go on forever/ I just wanna burn up hard and bright/ I just wanna be your firecracker.’

A huge cliché but I want to walk through New York listening to ‘New York, New York’
Barrie-James: He will never play that song straight for you live, or the version you want to hear.

Have you seen him live?
Barrie-James: Yeah, three times.

I am insanely jealous. Getting to know Kassidy, are your families supportive of your career choices? Do you come from musical families?
Barrie-James: Yeah my family is supportive.
Lewis: I think everyone in the band has music in their families.
Barrie-James: My Grandfather was a 1950s dance hall chaperon in Glasgow. He worked with Dean Martin. My Grandfather would chaperon the dance hall girls.

I wonder how much ‘chaperoning’ he actually did.
Barrie-James: Ah, he probably shagged the lot of them.

What are your favourite films?
Lewis: At the moment, I’m really into Paul Newman movies, like Cool Hand Luke. I like old films; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and black and white Hitchcock films. I’m waiting on This Is It coming out at the moment. It’s going to be amazing.

I was in the States when Michael Jackson died, it was pandemonium.
Lewis: Really? We were in a gig when he died. Everyone will remember where they were.
Barrie-James: Yeah like if the Queen died.

So this is the last stop on the tour, are you looking forward to getting back to Glasgow?
Barrie-James: Yeah I guess.

Okay last question, if you could play with any other musician who would it be?
Barrie-James: Robert Johnson.
Lewis: I’d take Beethoven.
Barrie-James: You fucking badass, Lewis.

Kassidy rock Americana; but add their own various influences; from folk to funk to provide their own perfected sound. It’s hard to set Kassidy in a genre, but their funky rhythms made me realise that they don’t need to be compared to anyone. It’s tough for new bands because sometimes we need to categorise and compare them, but Kassidy seriously don’t need to be; they rock their own sound and do it incredibly well. These Glaswegian boys clearly know their shit and they know how to bring this to their music.

For more, head over to Kassidy’s website or MySpace (or if you’re about London in May, check them out at the Camden Crawl).