Do or Die with @KassassinStreet
Do or Die with @KassassinStreet
by William Sutton for Southsea Lifestyle Oct 2016
If you haven’t heard of Kassassin Street, you soon will. These five Pompey boys have been jamming since they were at college. The band is named after a street near the Cellars at Eastney. Melodic pop hooks, a psychedelic edge, and the ability to get the crowd dancing have rocketed the band from local gigs to an international following.
I first them saw at Castle Road Record Store Day. As my wife and I debated whether to hang around, the bloke next to us said, “You haven’t seen Kassassin St? You can’t go now.”
Half an hour later, we were fans.
As they prepare to go out on tour, between Southsea Fest and selling out the Wedgewood Rooms, I asked singer Rowan Bastable and the band a few questions.
Tell us about the yellow jacket.
Rowan has developed a passion for all things yellow. Bananas, Marigolds (the washing up kind), Donald Trump’s comb-over…
Loved the new songs at Victorious. Is the band growing in confidence?
Playing mostly new tracks to a big crowd was daunting but we knew Victorious Festival would be up for a party.
What sacrifices does it require to be in the band?
I won’t go into specifics, but I apologise to and thank friends, family and loved ones that put up with us hermiting ourselves away. And those who put up with me after a home gig hangover.
Nathan’s a super-communicative drummer. What is going through his mind?
Nathan lives for drumming. But I have control over what he hears live: generally my words of comfort in a sexy French accent.
Is your song-writing process always the same?
Every song in the set has started somewhere different. From jamming together to acoustic guitar and vocal demos or arrangements recorded in a bedroom. Some come out like the initial idea. Others take weeks of development. It can be exciting, frustrating and hair-pullingly stressful, but great.
Tell us the secrets behind one song.
We have a new song called Do or Die. It’s a pick at people who complain about where they are without making an effort to change it. It’s also a guilty poke at myself, often a horrendous procrastinator!
Many people in our generation are stuck in rut, having trained for years to end up in minimum wage jobs, skills wasted. The lack of incentive can get you down. To quote Scroobius Pip, “The system might fail you but don’t fail yourself, just get better.”
It must be satisfying to ramp up the set till everyone’s dancing.
Getting people jumping about and losing themselves has been a goal from early days. Seeing it and hearing people sing along is an immense feeling. It spurs us on and lets you know you haven’t ****ed it up!
Influences?
Gigs and festivals. A great band whipping the crowd into a frenzy inspires you to get writing. Anyone who makes me think, ‘How did they make that noise?’
Worst moment?
Four grand’s worth of gear nicked half way through a tour. We finished the tour regardless and had a bloody good time doing it.
What do you think of the Pompey music scene?
Pompey is our home and we love playing here! I’ve seen killer line-ups announced at the Wedge and Pyramids, so hopefully a bigger wave of Pompey people will get excited about live music and new bands.
Best gig?
I can’t pick one. Secret Garden Party, where people were going nuts. SOS 4.8 in Spain, where we were treated like kings. Hometown shows at the Wedgewood Rooms or Victorious where you can let loose and know people are behind you all the way.
What’s next?
We’re back at the Wedgewood Rooms on 24th November, with a tour leading up. Also Southsea Fest is back, so we’ll see you at the Pyramids stage.
Ambitions?
Someone just told me you can batter and deep fry an avocado with bacon and an egg so all ambitions have been realised.
Visit kassassinstreet.com
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