Casiokids

After spending some time studying in Norway, I have grown to love the Scandinavian culture. From the beautiful fjords to their music/art – I can’t get enough. Last fall, I discovered the fun, bubbly and addictive snyth-pop outfit Casiokids (Bergan, Norway) while they were out on the road with one of my favorite bands Starfucker. Recently, I was able to learn a bit about the band from founding member Ketil Kinden Endresen.

Dan Cordie: How long have Casiokids been a band, how did each of you meet and is there a story behind the name Casiokids?                       

Ketil Kinden Endresen: It all started with me getting a demo version of the music program Cubase (which didn’t work properly) on my PC in Stavanger in 1999. Feddi and me (Ketil) made some songs with Feddi’s ex-girlfriend’s Casio keyboard (that we stole from her) based on melodies that our friend Ben used to hum loudly in the streets (whilst cycling). Then I quickly came up with the most horrible name I could think of, which was Casiokids, a name that I later came to think of as brilliant. 5 years after this, Feddi and I listened to the tapes we made in Stavanger and found them still to be interesting and amusing, and then we formed the band Casiokids together with Omar Johnsen and Kjetil Aabø.

DC: What is your process for writing new music? Where do you go when you are trying to fuel your creativity?                                                  

KKE: I guess we would go out to our studio at Bergen Kjøtt (Bergen Meat, a former slaughter house), but then again we are so seldom home, so we try to work on ideas whilst traveling as well. Let’s see, “London Zoo” from our new album, I made the casio melody after being accidentally locked into the backstage right before the warm-up act for our show in Bath, England May 14th 2009. I couldnt get out of there, as the other band had started playing, and the backstage entrance was literally BACK stage, on the stage. Another example how ideas may come up unexpectedly is “Elefantenes hemmelige gravplass”, that Fredrik made the chords for during a drum soundcheck in Trondheim November 27th 2009 (right in front of the speakers).

DC: Who are some past/current artists who have influenced your music?                                                                                                             

KKE: Personally, I would say Fela Kuti, Ivor Cutler, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Bjørn Torske. Many more, of course.

DC: What Norwegian food do you feel everyone in the world should try?

KKE: Aj, I wouldn’t do that.

DC: With a reputation of putting on a really fun live show, what has been your most memorable crowd to date?                                                 

KKE: It has over the years seemed hard to beat the feeling of our first massive festival show at Roskilde festival in Denmark 2008. It came as such a surprise to us, the wild reactions and number of people that were there. Still, after this, we have played to even bigger crowds with even more energy to share and in even nicer settings, but I think that shock and utter joy that came with that special evening in the summer of 2008 will never fade for me, and it stands as one of my best concert experiences ever.

DC: What have you noticed as the biggest difference between touring in your home country Norway and the United States?                             

KKE: It’s so hard to say, I think our crowds are quite similar in many ways around the world. Whether we play in the US or in Belgium, Norway or Australia, I think other factors apart from nationality play a bigger part, such as time of day, nutrition and bad conscience due to tax fraud.



         

DC: Wow – a bad conscience due to tax fraud – this one is so easily forgotten and plays such a huge part in the overall energy of a live show, haha.

DC: Are there any other Scandinavian artists that you feel our readers should check out?                                                                                   

KKE: Here are a few: Familjen, Jonathan Johansson, Lo-Fi-Fnk, Slagsmålsklubben, Bjørn Torske, Lindstrøm, Røyksopp.

DC: Do you have any plans to tour in the United States anytime soon?

KKE: Yes, we hope to be there mid/late October for CMJ in New York.

DC: What are you looking forward to as musicians in the upcoming year?

KKE: We’re looking forward to releasing our new album “Aabenbaringen over aaskammen” October 11th on Polyvinyl Records.

DC: Do you have any final thoughts for our readers?

KKE: How long should a man’s legs be?

-Long enough to reach the ground!

Stay connected with Casiokids on Facebook and on Twitter

Look for them to be hitting the road soon in support of their upcoming album Aabenbaringen over aaskammen, which will be released by Polyvinyl Records on October 11. You can preorder the album HERE.