Hastings. I play keys/guitar/bass/drums and am learning the flute
Was any high school or other music training/projects especially important to you?
I studied music during the first course EIT offered in 2012, which broadened my musical horizons while cementing key performance traits.
Any other previous projects that you would like to mention?
I performed and recorded with sludge-metal band Heterodox for seven years. While I lived in Canada, I joined the band Crystal Kelly - check out the Sunday Night Insomnia EP I produced if you're after some indie/alt rock tunes.
How did you get started as an artist?
I started my first band back at the age of 12, playing Guns N' Roses covers and writing original songs. I was always around music as a child, which is fairly evident considering my father named me after his favourite band.
Is anyone else directly involved with your music?
I like to work to people's strengths, and I don't consider singing nor lyric writing a strength of mine. Because of that I appreciate collaborating with vocalists and lyricists.
How has your writing (or music) evolved from your beginnings in songwriting?
In the beginning I was mainly involved in writing rock and metal tunes within a band scenario. Over time, I've become more curious for exploring different genres and techniques. Cashek was basically a necessity of needing a musical outlet while travelling alone.
What do you like about being included on the HB compilation?
As a natural human instinct, it's nice to be considered worthy of inclusion.
Aside from this release, have you released music before?
Yep, 2010 was the first time I recorded and released a collection of average tracks that were half-finished. Since then, there's a mixed-bag of albums, EPs and singles I've helped come to life in some way.
What made you choose this song for the record?
It's one of my more easily-digestible tracks, when considering audience taste.
What's the story behind the song?
"Ciel d'amour" lived most of its life as an instrumental track (like majority of my work) until I went to Lorenzo and asked him to do something cool with it. I was a big fanboy of Lorenzo's prior musical outfit, Brockaflower, and it just so happened that Lorenzo and myself ended up working at the same institute. I knew I had to get a collaboration happening. The lyrical content is based around a hot topic:; love.
What's your favourite moment, musical or lyrical, of the single?
Lorenzo's chorus hook really sticks out as a key moment that gets stuck in my head a lot. I quite like the bridge also, where the song modulates to a different key. It reminds me of a watermelon with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
How do you generally work out what song makes a good single?
When a song gets to the point of being finished, which doesn't often happen.
Who produced your single?
Me, myself and I.
What other producers have you worked with?
I often bounce song ideas off mates. Rory Lee is who I often go to for an outside perspective on my mixes. We have studied, jammed and travelled together.
What music projects are you currently working on that we should keep an eye out for?
Just planning on releasing and performing via my Cashek alias for the time being.
Can you name three other NZ tunes that would fit well on a playlist alongside yours.
It'd be a relatively genre-fluid playlist, but I absolutely love these NZ artists/bands: Brockaflower - Conversations, Rhian Sheehan - Scene 2, Pacific Heights - Realms (feat. Deanne Krieg)
Have you applied for any funding for your music? Any advice for others on funding?
Have tried and failed in the past with Heterodox. I guess my advice would be to check out the criteria and make sure you cover the bases, you need a certain number of followers and streams to be eligible for NZ on Air funding.
Are there any musical blogs, Youtube channels or podcasts you're super into?
Bandcamp.com - I love their weekly radio show, it's incredibly diverse. Fantastic place to discover new music.
Are you earning a living from music alone – if not what else do you do?
I'm an educator at EIT - I teach a range of levels across the video and music production disciplines.
Any last words?
The Overstory (Richard Powers, 2018) is a fantastic novel, if you happen to be looking for a good book to sink your teeth into. If you prefer non-fiction, have a look at Chasing The Scream (Johann Hari, 2015).
