Hamish Cowan is the frontman for Cordrazine and heading back to Aussie shores for a visit. While he is here Cordrazine are playing a strictly one off show at the Northcote Social Club, and have finally released the video for Always Coming Down.
In the lead up to the show I was able to ask Hamish some questions about the band and their music, and what to expect from the live show.
How did you meet and form the band?
Well, it has been so long since we first met and started playing together, I can’t remember… Well not really. Nick and I met at school and started playing music together. We learnt to play our instruments together, played in our first bands together and we are still doing music together. I feel pretty lucky to be doing something I love with my closest friend.
The rest of us met through music and the band. Again our relationships are more social than based around music these days. We don’t really play that often, it is quite rare so if we didn’t keep in touch, we wouldn’t see each other.
How would you describe your sound?
I am not sure how to describe what it is we do, it is not a question a song writer or musician really enjoys thinking about. We just do whatever it is we do and it is for other people to decide what that is. I am never going to tell people what they should think about our songs. I love that with music it can become so personal to people. I never want someone to be disappointed if I say something is about something or is a style of music and they have decided it means something different to them. Our music is whatever the person listening to it decides it is.
Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the song ‘Always Coming Down’?
I suppose the title doesn’t fill you with optimism… It is not the most upbeat, haha. I am not sure if I want to give away the secrets of the song? For me it is probably the most simple and straight forward lyric I have written. There is nothing really veiled in it. The only thing I will say is the “you” in the song is not a person.
Where did the concept for the video come from?
The concept for the clip was conjured up by Nick and friends of his. Everyone had worked on other projects together, including some of Nick’s solo material. Nick also works in film and television, so we were lucky enough everyone worked on it as a pet project. I feel very lucky, it looks amazing.
What can you tell us about the filming of the clip?
I almost drowned!!!! We were filming the underwater scenes in a dive pool. I had to have diving scuba diving weights attached to my legs and in the pockets of my jeans so I would sink to the bottom. Well the depth of the pool was 10 metres, I dropped off the diving board into the pool and started sinking to the bottom very quickly. I got to the bottom with all of these weights on and realised I was a long way from the surface and being able to take my next breath. I swam as hard as I could for the surface. The film crew were all very concerned and dropped their cameras and swam for me to help me up as they thought I wasn’t going to get back with all of the weight dragging me down. I managed to get to the surface and saw a lot of relieved and scared faces.
It all ended ok, though, there were a few scary moments.
You are playing a one off show in Victoria this December, what can we expect from it?
We like the night to be fun. We get our friends to play with us. It is a good excuse to play some music and catch up with people. It is also a chance for people to see songs they like live. After the show we are happy to chat with people and have a drink.
As for the show, it is just us playing our songs. We don’t play that much so when we do we like to have fun. We usually play for as long as we can before getting kicked off and play songs from all of the EP’s and albums we have released. It is pretty fun. Hopefully if we play stuff from everything we have released everyone will leave happy, hearing the songs they came for.
This is your only live show of the last 2 years, have you kept in touch and played together as a band between shows?
Yeah we keep in touch, though it is not that easy as people head off to different parts of the globe. We all do different stuff, individually and together. I know Jethro, who has a new band with another friend of ours is going to play a set on the night, Nick and I have a new band called The Kings Of Cough Syrup, we are releasing an EP early next year… So we keep busy doing all different stuff.
Can you tell us what’s been happening for you since the release of the ‘Always Coming Down’ album?
What’s been happening since always coming down…? Lot’s, not really a lot musically. Though life seems really busy… I travel a lot and at the moment I am living with my girlfriend in Edinburgh. That’s the biggest thing for me. It is fantastic there, so much music to see and hear. We love it. Nick came over to visit and we all went to see The Stone Roses reunion show in Manchester which was amazing.
What’s next for Hamish Cowan and Cordrazine?
Who knows, we are all reasonably casual. We love playing music, though it has to fit into life. I will never play a show or record something for any reason other than I love what I am doing and want to do it. I have never been part of the business in that sense, I suppose that has also frustrated a lot of people. I want my music to remain honest and remain passionate about it. So, when I have something to say, I write songs and if not there won’t be anything. What will be next…. I don’t know. Nick and I have our new project to look forward to and with Cordrazine, it is something which will always be there for us because we love it.
Thanks for your time Hamish and have a great show on the 20th!
Thursday December 20th at the Northcote Social Club
Tickets $20 + booking fee from www.northcotesocialclub.com
Or $25 on the door (if available)
Doors open at 8.00pm
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