Carve Caustic – Interview

Interview  with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)

PD:  How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?

CC: Old School. Definitely Old School. We record mostly analog. No drum replacement programs, modeling amps, or guitar plug-ins. Real tube amps. Real drum kit. Real microphones and preamps. Not to say  there aren’t musicians doing that, but music has veered off into this “fix it later in the computer”. We rehearse in a garage. Which in our opinion, is the best way to write music.

PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc. –

CC: Being a disappointment to your parents for not being good at sports usually leads to picking up drums or guitar. Back in the day of course. Not sure if that’s a current situation anymore. I bought my first guitar at a pawn shop for $100, and my best friend had to sneak it through my bedroom window after dark. Other neighborhood kids played guitar terribly, and I wanted to be better than that. Mike’s older cousin noticed him tapping out the rhythm to a Beatles tape when he was 7. So he told his parents that he needed to get into drumming.

PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?

CC: We write music we want to hear. Kind of like filling a void. Music that we would buy if we found it at the record store.

We’re also knee deep in recording gear, so not using it would be criminal. Lyrically we like to leave it up to an individual’s interpretation. A song might mean one thing to us, but to the listener, they may get a different feeling from it. That creates a  more personal experience other than jamming views down someone’s throat.

PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?

CC: Releasing content is emotional satisfying and motivating. Creating something, in any form, is the way to live and experience life. Of course a bit of monetary gain isn’t top on the list, but appreciated.

PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?

CC: Very few artists get to use the word “career” next to music. The day that happens, you’ve had your proudest moment.

PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms in the day of the home studio. How is that going?

CC: The internet is rough. The amount of content is insurmountable. Most company’s suppress content that isn’t trending or throwing in some big money. Record labels aren’t footing the bill for promoting or recording like they used to. It’s up to the artist to dip in their pockets on doing the foot work a label would have done. Cassette’s seem to be gaining a bit of popularity again. Maybe we get back to the day where kids are passing them around.

PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours?

CC: Any performances coming up? Unfortunately we are just a 2 piece at the moment. Hopefully we can get the music out there and recruit some talented musicians to get us to the stage.

PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify?

CC: We only use Bandcamp personally, but only after purchasing a physical copy. Mike has an insane CD collection, and I have a decent vinyl/cassette collection. Spotify works if you pay for it. It is infuriating otherwise and definitely done on purpose. Spotify’s payout to artists is abysmal and embarrassing. Fractions of a penny should be outlawed. It is the current way of the industry. So “deal with it” is the current model.

PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?

CC: Mike is going to take this one, cause I would pick something leaving everyone scratching their heads. Refuse/Resist by Sepultura off their Chaos A.D. record. It’s so unique for the era and its pure “pissed-at-the-world” energy.

PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?

CC: Getting kids back in the record store would be the best, but doubtful. The experience of thumbing through records and finding that hidden gem or first pressing, can not be recreated online.

PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?

CC: We are currently tracking guitars, bass, vocals for our second album. Drums were recorded a while back. I have an immense amount of leg work being the only other member.

PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?

CC: Bandcamp and Bandcamp. This company is doing it right. They push physical music and offer high quality downloads.