Founder of cult reissue label Whatmusic and early pioneer of online music in mid 90s, Gary Corben, who’s debut album released after 25 years to make, caught up with his producer Kassin on a short tour or Eastern and Northern Europe to find out what he’s been up to:
Gary: So Kassin, you’re touring some way more eastern and northern cities this time what has been the reaction so far?
Kassin: It’s been really nice. I’m playing in some cities here that I’ve never been to before. It’s really fun to find some people that are kind of fans, and they have all the records and they’ve liked my music for a long time and are coming to the concerts and mentioning how long they were waiting to see me play over here, which is really nice.
I have my Polish friends with me right now, Piotr Domagalski, Piotr Zabrodzki and Macio Moretti and it’s been real fun
Gary: And you’re also touring some of the coldest places in the world right now, how are you coping as a Brazilian in that environment?
Kassin: Well as a Brazilian and native of Rio de Janeiro as you probably know, the lowest temperature we ever get would be like 15C but I’m facing here like 2 or 3C and I feel cold all the time, I must say, but it’s been good, I got a bit of a sore throat in the last few days but it’s going alright.
Gary: What have you been working on this year? Have you got a new album out?
Kassin: I’ve already been working on a new album. I think I recorded around seven songs up to now. And I’m at the point right now where I’m deciding if this will be two different albums or just one album because the material I have is partly super danceable and electronic and the other part is more songs and I got the chance to work on some songs with Marcos Valle and Artur Verocai and my current partners like Alberto Continentino so these are more like classic songwriting. So right now I’m finishing recording these things but I’m not sure if I’m going to make two different records. Or just the one.
Gary: What’s up next?
Kassin: Next when I come back to Rio Carywn Ellis will come to Brazil and we will record for the second Rio 18, or Rio 19 now, and Sean Lee will come with him which I’m really happy about because its like the sequel to a project that is really dear to my heart.
Gary: What have you been listening to on tour that you can’t live without?
Kassin: I’ve been listening a lot to the last Sean O’Hagen album and for me he’s one of the greatest songwriters around so every time he has new stuff I’m always looking forward to listening. Macio showed me this band I didn’t know called Cheer Accident and they have really good albums and I’ve been listening a lot to Peter Ivers as well.