Kisschasy

Tue 25th Aug, 2009 in Features

Darren Cordeux is complaining about people who complain. Not that you’d expect any less from the lead singer of Kisschasy. Of Generation Why, the band’s latest single, Cordeux nonchalantly remarks, “It’s about those people who love to complain, who always have a – œcause’. You know; hipsters who sit around, drink their wine and bitch about the world.”

The song’s almost-schizophrenic chorus – “Feeling negative it’s the best/I’m so happy that I’m depressed” – he maintains, amplifies how many young Australians whine about their circumstances when comparatively, they have some of the best standards of living in the world. “I like to think I’m pretty self-aware,” Darren says, without a hint of sarcasm, “and I can see things in people that I don’t like about myself. That’s how that song came about.” However, the rest of the band’s third album, he maintains, is intensely personal, less about the world and more about growing as a person.

Seizures is so entitled not because one of the members of Kisschasy suddenly became prone to epileptic fits. Rather, in an understated demonstration of his formidable intelligence, Darren cites Oliver Sacks’ psychological casebook The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat as inspiration for the title. “I really challenged myself on this record. Instead of trying to embellish stories like I did in the past, I just wanted to be completely honest. Because of that, whenever I hear these songs, I know exactly where I was and how I felt at the time.”

This correlates to the famous example one of Sacks’ patients, who literally had a seizure in the frontal lobes of her brain and started hearing music, which in turn was triggered by the recall of long-dormant memories. “It really stuck with me, that chapter,” Cordeux grins. “And it works on two levels because now [when I tell people], they think I’m so poetic!” That being said, he’s still considering putting a sticker on the front of the record alerting buyers: – œWarning: Do not listen to with a strobe light on.’ Hell, it’s got to be easier than simplifying psychoanalysis to every kid in Australia.

Darren is one guy who knows a lot about Australia’s kids: he’s played nearly 500 shows to them in every corner of the country, and not too long ago, he was one himself. Given that he was out of school by sixteen and already playing with the band, Cordeux has done a lot of his musical development in the back of a van criss-crossing across state lines.

Accordingly, this record has seen each band member “paying more attention to what we’re doing sonically,” as evidenced by their recent Splendour In The Grass stint which showcased an astoundingly new huge sound. “Our producer [LA’s Rob Schnapf] just had so much vintage gear, and we spent loads of time getting the right sound. I mean, we write guitar pop songs, so most of the arranging is already done by the time we get to the studio, which leaves a lot of time to concentrate on honing our own style.”

Being the mature twenty-something that he now is, on his return to Australia Darren promptly decided to embrace this newfound professionalism (and Rudd’s economic package) by blowing his stimulus money on new gear. “It’s good; I’ve never really considered myself a musician so much as a songwriter, but on this record I feel like I’ve had a real education thanks to Rob.”

Kisschasy’s political nous, meanwhile, is in top form, though Darren despairs that all of the caricatures [of Bush, Howard and Blair] in the now-infamous Opinions Wont Keep You Warm At Night video are now irrelevant.

“We didn’t cop any flak,” he exclaims. “All I know is that someone from our label told us that K-Rudd approved it, but that was it.” Of course, Cordeux is already thinking on his feet. “We could just re-shoot the video with Obama, Rudd and Brown! Change it every time there’s an election, it could go forever!”

As evidenced by their new clip for Generation Why, Kisschasy have tempered their approach to music videos somewhat. “I sent through a whole lot of ideas of what I didn’t want it to be,” Cordeux says. “I liked the idea of just having the band in focus [without all the extras], but I didn’t want it to be boring.”

Having played gigs across the country, Kisschasy have inevitably come across the best and worst adolescent punters Australia has to offer. “Yeah, there have been some shows, usually in regional areas, that if something’s going wrong a lot of fights break out. You kind of feel responsible if something’s going down…I couldn’t bring myself to keep on playing. Like, I’ve seen a girl get hit by a guy – that was pretty bad!”

Darren’s also come face-to-face with droves of kids singing happily to hit singles like Spray On Pants, whilst wearing spray-on pants. “I’m not sure if people are aware that they’re probably guilty of it too – I know I am! But it is a very strange paradox.”

Critics have been saying that the third album is a coming-of-age point for any Australian band worth their mustard, but Cordeux, for one, isn’t fretting. “Led Zeppelin’s big one was their fourth! I’d say Kisschasy has definitely evolved, but we’ve got plenty more in us.”

Kisschasy hit the road in September, presented by FasterLouder.

Get your tickets here

Friday 25 September – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Saturday 26 September – Coolangatta Hotel
Sunday 27 September – The Lake, Kawana Waters, Sunshine Coast
Tuesday 29 September – Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour
Wednesday 30 September – Strobe University, Armidale
Thursday 1 October – Bar On The Hill, Newcastle
Friday 2 October – Wollongong University, Wollongong
Saturday 3 October – UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney
Sunday 4 October – ANU, Canberra
Wednesday 7 October – The Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Thursday 8 October – Inferno, Traralgon
Friday 9 October – Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully
Saturday 10 October – Pier Hotel, Frankston
Sunday 11 October – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne
Tuesday 13 October – HQ, Adelaide
Thursday 15 October – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
Friday 16 October – Prince Of Wales Hotel, Bunbury
Saturday 17 October – The Capitol, Perth