Caskets

CASKETS: Rocking Out in a World of Lost Souls

Interview by Ken Morton

Leeds-based Caskets is ready to reach an entire world with their dynamic post-hardcore reveries. Their latest album Lost Souls on SharpTone Records is an explosive collection of emotionally charged songs that should enrapture all types of music fans. Highwire Daze recently conducted a Skype interview with vocalist Matt Flood and drummer James Lazenby to find out a whole lot more about this amazing band on the rise. Read on...

Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in Caskets.

Matt: I’m Matt. I am the lead vocalist in Caskets. James: I’m James. I’m the drummer in Caskets.

How did you wind up signing to SharpTone Records?

Matt: We were talking to SharpTone for a long time before we actually signed a contract. We did an industry show in London at the end of 2018. SharpTone came down to the gig and a few other labels came down and booking agents and promoters and stuff like that. And that’s where we started talking to them. It was a long process – we wanted to make sure we were going to be – not looked after, but they were going to do their end of the bargain, because I’ve heard stories where bands are signed to even well-known record labels and they have not done what they said they would. We spent a long time talking back and forth to them; like what we wanted out of it and obviously what they wanted out of it. And the reason why we signed with SharpTone was we felt they were the best suit to help the band move forward in the future. Seeing all the other amazing bands that sign to that label as well, we knew that we were in good company. In my opinion, it’s the best record label in the world. They look after us so well. Whenever we need anything, they are there for us, so they’re actually incredible, mate.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the title of your album Lost Souls?

Matt: I’d like to say yeah. I’d say it wasn’t intentional. The songs were written a long time before we decided what we were going to name the album. On every song there’s always a message of having that battle within yourself or with yourself – and sometimes feeling like you are a lost soul within yourself. And every song does it in like a different way. The whole album speaks of despair, abuse, mental health, anxiety, depression, loss – and I think the idea of a soul comes into what each song is about. We just felt that Lost Souls was the title that best described the album.

Let’s talk about the new single The Only Ones and the inspiration behind that one.

Matt: The main inspiration when I started writing that one – I lost a friend a few years ago – he had a few disabilities and stuff like that. He died really young – and he lived life like to the fullest – I’ve never met anyone who enjoyed waking up every day to live life as much as he did. He knew he wasn’t going to live to old age, but that still sort of didn’t stop him. And that’s kind of where I got the idea from; knowing that you’re going to leave someone or something behind but still try to make the best of a situation. The video of the song isn’t about what I’ve just explained – it’s about something completely different – but it still fits – so I feel like it’s one of those songs that everyone can relate to, but in a different way. I started writing the song with the mind thought of my friend Michael that I lost. But to be fair, a lot of the times, I just start writing – I’m not really thinking of anything in particular. I just start writing lines about what I’m feeling at the time – or things that I want to say in an expressive way. But The Only Ones is definitely one of the songs on the album that is definitely written from a certain perspective. of it apart from the bass and drums – obviously James did the drums for it. But I did most of the guitar work and the vocals. I’d say that’s the song that sticks out on the album for me the most.

If Caskets could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?

James: Well, you’re going to say Linkin Park, aren’t you? Matt: Yeah, 100 percent Linkin Park. All day! Every day! They’re my favorite and they always will be. James: I definitely love Linkin Park, but MCR is up there for me. And Spirit Box at the minute as well – they’re bringing out songs right now and they are my favorite band. Matt: Yeah, I love Spirit Box.

So Matt, what don’t you select a song from the album and talk about the meaning behind it. Maybe a song you haven’t discussed before.

Matt: So, if I was to pick one, James knows exactly which one I’m going to pick. (James laughs). It would be Hopes & Dreams - basically that’s the only song on the album I wrote myself beforehand. It was an acoustic song and I started writing it about three years ago and I wrote half the song musically – never wrote any lyrics and left it alone for a few years. And then when we were writing the album, we had the mindset that we wanted to drop some songs that people wouldn’t expect to hear on there – and that’s definitely one of them. I finished the song musically and then I started writing the lyrics – and I decided to write about the relationship that I’m in right now – but I wrote it from the perspective of asking my girlfriend what she would do if I fell of a horse or if my life was in absolute tatters sort of thing. Would she be there for me, would she do this for me because I would do it for her sort of thing. Saying it like that, I guess it sounds very sloppy and stuff like that. But it was the first time I’d ever written a song for someone – it’s definitely the most personal song I’ve ever written as well. To have that on the album is a big achievement for me – I’m really, really proud of it because I wrote the majority

So, the Queen of England invites Caskets to play one song for her at a Royal Command Performance. What song would you play for the Queen and her guests and why?

James: I think it would have to be an acoustic set for the Queen, wouldn’t it? Matt: What song would I play for the Queen? James: I don’t know. I just can’t imagine it. I’m going to say Lost Of Echoes… Matt: I would love to sing the chorus of A Ghost Like You to the Queen right in her face. She’d love it! Are you listening Queenie? Book us! We’ll do it for free!

Has Casket ever played here in the States or plan to do so in future days?

Nothing’s booked as of yet. For any musician who comes from England, the dream is to go and play just one show in America. That’s definitely one of my dreams. We will do it one day 100 percent – we will one day. I reckon we already would have if it wasn’t for Covid.

Do you have any messages for your fans in the States who are reading this right now?

Matt: That we love you and we want to see your pretty

little faces. Just please hang tight and we will be over as soon as we can be. And thank you so much for the support. It’s thanks to you that we get to do what we do and why we do what we do. So, thank you and keep believing and keep loving us pleeaaasee! James: We can’t do it without them and their support. Just knowing that people in America listen to us still blows our minds! Hopefully we’ll get out there soon and we can’t wait! Matt: And America is like our top fan base on Spotify at least anyway. You guys absolutely smash that, so thank you so much – it fucking means the world! Honestly thank you!

Caskets are Matt Flood - Vocals, Benji Wilson - Guitar, Craig Robinson - Guitar, Chris McIntosh - Bass, and James Lazenby – Drums

www.casketsband.com

Promoting the all new full length album, "Down In Wuhan" Coming Summer 2021!

2 NEW SHOWS! WHISKY A GO GO THURS. JULY 29, 2021 8PM THURS. SEPT. 16, 2021 8PM