Casiotone For The PainfullyAlone

Mon 2nd Nov, 2009 in Features

Californian multi-instrumentalist Owen Ashworth is bringing his intriguing solo project Casiotone For The Painfully Alone to Australia this month. The man talks shop with FasterLouder ahead of his tour.

Okay, for those who may not be familiar with CFTPA, can we just get the name out of the way? It’s such a fantastic name that I think we need the back story on it.
In 1997, a friend of mine asked me to record her a tape of sad keyboard music, so I did, and I titled the tape Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. My friend thought that Casiotone for the Painfully Alone was a delightful name for a keyboard solo project, so as a surprise, she put me on as the opening act of a show she was booking. By the time she gave me some flyers to hand out, it was too late for me to say no. Surprise!

Your earlier work was very much a solo project, but in recent times there has been a little more collaboration, and a little more instrumentation. Was it a conscious decision to step away from being ‘one man and his keyboards’?
Yes. After I finished my third album of predominantly Casio-made songs, I was very excited to start using some different instruments. The next album, Etiquette, was predominantly made up of songs either written on piano or on a second-hand Korg sequencer/drum machine called the EM-1. There were other instruments, too, and I got some of my friends to help play them.

Let’s talk about your 2009 releases. You’ve just released an LP Vs. Children but there is also a compilation Advance Base Battery Life. Was it intentional to release both records this year?
Advance Base Battery Life is a collection of songs that were previously released on 7”s and compilations on various small indie labels. I had originally intended for the compilation to be released in the fall of 2008, but there were all sorts of boring problems that delayed the release until March 2009. I decided that it would be better in the long run to release both discs around the same time than delay the release of Vs. Children, too.

There are a couple of wonderful covers on Advance Base Battery Life. The Springsteen is a particular standout for me. Can you tell us about why you have chosen to cover the tracks you have?
I’ve covered about a half dozen different songs over the past few years, and four of those covers ended up on Advance Base Battery Life. Different circumstances lead to recording each one of those songs, but they are all songs that I really truly love, and have had a special relationship with at some point. Every once in a while, I’ll hear a song that just really hypnotises me, and I tend to obsess over those songs, and I want to dissect them and figure out what makes them so great. That is probably why I cover songs. It’s a science experiment.

I know that Los Campensinos covered one of your songs and released it as a b-side. Are there many other CFTPA covers out there? How does it feel to have other artists interpreting your work?
I’ve heard a few different covers of my songs. I’ve liked some versions more than others, but it’s always really flattering. I appreciate it very much when people send me covers they’ve done. My songs are pretty simple to play and sing, so I think they lend themselves quite easily to cover versions. I like the Los Campensinos cover of Yr Boyfriend. I think they did a really nice job with it, and I’m totally honoured. Papercuts released a lovely version of Baby It’s You as well.

Some artists will pen their lyrics then write music for them. Some will write the music and then write lyrics to fit. Are you a lyrics first or music first guy?
It’s always a little different. I definitely spend the most time fretting over the lyrics, but usually by the time I finally finish a song, it’s hard for me to remember where the idea came from in the first place. I wish I had a more defined process. I’d probably finish a lot more songs if I did.

Casiotone plays these shows in November, with special guests Otouto & Concern.

Thursday 5 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Friday 6 – Wombarra Bowls Club, NSW
Saturday 7 – North St Bar & Café, Batemans Bay
Sunday 8 – Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney
Thursday 12 – Jive, Adelaide (with Clue To Kalo)
Friday 13 – The Venue, Hobart