Cas History: A Radio Transcript
This is the transcript of an interview conducted at a London radio station. Cas reveals...well, at least something of his past.
Casimr Greenfield's Immortals - Official Lyric Video
Q: When did you start recording?
A: The late 1950s. I badgered my parents into buying me one of the first commercial reel-to-reel recorders, a Grundig. I was a radio kid, so sound formed a large part of my world and I created soundscapes and electronic music. I mastered some pretty revolutionary recording techniques before I was a teenager.
Q: What was Britain like in the Fifties?
A: Britain, in my experience, was a grey and soulless place in the 50s – we searched for any form of escape. I lived in the country, so I had fields and wide open skies, but the evidence of war was everywhere in the bombed out streets of Bristol and other towns and cities. There was jazz and skiffle around, but it was mainly the sugary Tin Pan Alley tunes when there was music on the radio.
And then came Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry…and the world turned into Technicolor!
Q: Who are your main musical influences?
A: Joni, Dylan, Prince, Dorothy Fields, Cole Porter, Adele as lyricists.
Ringo and Giorgio Moroder for Rhythm.
John & Paul & Jobim for melodies.
Sinatra, Stan Getz, Fred Astaire and Cliff Edwards for timing.
Young Elvis, Cher and Fred Astaire for style.
Q: You were mostly active as a performer in the 70s and 80s. What brought you back into music?
A: We own a vintage shop in the Cotswolds and we have many clients in the music business – Lily Allen was in on Saturday, and her dad Keith is a regular. About three years ago Keith and I embarked on a mad week of writing and rehearsing together. At the end of that week we were on stage with his band performing live at an arts centre.
That was the catalyst.
It unlocked the writing part of me that had lain dormant for years. Within a few months I had recorded an album, performed at Womad and began writing like a mad thing for what will be the new album ‘Boy In The Attic’
Q: Will all of your new songs be on the album?
A: Many of the new songs are there, but I am also writing for other bands and singers.
Q: What are the underlying themes?
A: The new album: Boy In The Attic – almost a concept album, a journey through an artists’ life. It is also a bold statement of being. It is my artistic resurgence. At its heart it is an ongoing love story, and although I will be recording more, I am happy for this to form part of my legacy.
Q: Do you think your songs have a different view of the world now than when you were young?
A: Suddenly the experience of age comes into play
Q: How did the single, Immortals, come about?
A: We live in troubled times. Immortals is my response to that. Immortals was written and recorded in one day.
It has a global message. Love and peace is at the heart of that message.
There are remixers around the planet taking the track on, so we’re excited about hearing how other musicians hear the song.
Q: What is the immediate future?
A: We’re rehearsing a touring band at present, so we’ll be touring when Boy In The Attic is released.
