Casiokids
Casiokid front man Etil Kinden Endresen discusses the English language, playing for kindergartners and what makes Casiokids a live show you have to see.
I have no idea what Casiokids are talking about in their Norwegian-laced lyrics, but I have to immediately like a band that did a tour of kindergarten classes. Luckily liking Casiokids is pretty easy since they release catchy tune after catchy tune that more than just little kids dancing around. Casiokids will bring their “electro-dance” to the States in August.
HEAVE: Alright, I don’t know Norwegian. The music SOUNDS happy – but what the heck are you guys singing about?
Etil Kinden Endresen: In general there is a lot of humor. I’m very much inspired by authors such as Daniil Kharms, Ivor Cutler and Amos Tutuola, and I think to a lesser or greater extent that has been influential in my writing. So if one is to try and see some reoccurring themes and styles in my lyrics I think surrealism, a little bombastic simplicity and some existential thoughts are thrown in there quite often. At least that is often my intention. I’ve posted some of the lyrics in English on our webpage and intend to publish more soon.
HEAVE: Did you listen to a lot of English speaking music growing up?
Etil Kinden Endresen: Yes, and it is funny to see and hear people outside of Scandinavia singing along to the songs because its just the kind of language I was making up myself singing along to English songs when I was younger.
HEAVE: You’ve been around since 2005 and actually did a 12 date tour playing for kindergarteners. That’s pretty cool – what was the best compliment one of the little kids gave you guys?
Etil Kinden Endresen: A lot of kids in the kindergartens have given us drawings, and that is always very flattering! I always find it amazing when they sing along, especially to the track “Finn Bikkjen!” which has been a big hit with many kids in Norway.
HEAVE: Polyvinyl is a great label – how did that relationship come about?
Etil Kinden Endresen: After we did a two week tour in Europe in 2009 with of Montreal, the vocalist Kevin Barnes recommended us to Polyvinyl and we ended up signing to them which we are extremely happy about. We feel honored to share a label with so many extraordinary musicians and great people.
HEAVE: Since you sing in a different language – do you guys feel a little added pressure of getting people to like your music, or is it a “here we are, hope you like us” type thing? Would you ever release an English speaking album?
Etil Kinden Endresen: Well, when we started the band we actually intended to keep it instrumental and our first Norwegian release "Fück MIDI!" mostly included sampled voices. As we experimented more with vocal harmonies in the studio we decided to follow the idea of making something as true to our everyday lives and personal experiences as possible, hence using the Norwegian language. I truly believe one of our main goals as artists and musicians has to be to create something unique and original, and the Norwegian language was for us a natural way to achieve just that.
We have never felt any added pressure as such, and treat a kids audience in France with the same respect as a grown-up audience in Toronto or Luxembourg.
HEAVE: Your live show involves pogo sticks and crazy colored drum sticks. How important is a fun live show to you guys?
Etil Kinden Endresen: Ever since we started playing live with Casiokids in 2004 we've done a lot of different visual projects, both work-shops and collaborations with puppeteers and video animators.
I remember the first concert we did we created a little jungle in the venue Landmark in Bergen, and our designer Petri Henriksson put together a video that we had made from loads of safari films from the library in Bergen. And every gig after that would have a special theme, trying to engage audience, and also to mix the electronic element with improvised live playing. Then when Aslak Helgesen from the theatre troupe Digitalteateret came up with the idea of doing a shadow puppet theatre live on stage we did that for a couple of years.
During this time we developed very much as a band, and after a couple of years we started to do more visually stripped down shows without all the heavy visual imagery in addition to instruments, and now in 2010 the two live settings are for us more separated. When we do visual projects, we work closely with our collaborators to make the package focus on the visual, and when we do concerts as a band we try to add just the right amount of visual imagery and give more of ourselves on stage. Our current project that involves Digitalteateret is a children's theatre performance where we do the sound effects and songs for the play live on stage.
HEAVE: What is the most fun you’ve had at a show that wasn’t your own?
Etil Kinden Endresen: The first time I saw the Swedish band Bob Hund live at the Quart festival in Kristiansand in 2001 was a very special concert for me. I knew all the songs, and also it was my first festival I'd ever been to which made it double-legendary.
HEAVE: You’ll be playing a national tour here in the states starting in August. What are the plans after that?
Etil Kinden Endresen: I’m very much looking forward to playing in the US again, and meet our friends there! Although our Google calendars probably have notes about dates as far ahead as autumn 2011 I prefer to take one thing at a time.
Posted by Wes Soltis on Jun 15, 2010 @ 4:16 pm
