Interview with Carus Thompson - English Version

(Carus Thompson)

24.02.2009 von Sascha Knapek

One day after Carus Thompson’s last gig of the German leg of his current European tour (in Neuenkirchen-Voerden), Musicheadquarter had the chance to interview the Australian singer-songwriter and ask him about his brand new record ”Creature Of Habit”, the experience of playing a show inside a prison, his take on Grunge and lots more. The interview was held in the ’Kulturbahnhof’ in Neuenkirchen-Voerden and conducted by Sascha Knapek.

MHQ-Editor Sascha Knapek (right) met Carus Thompson in Neuenkirchen-Voerden (Photo: Dieter Blanke)

The German part of your current European tour is over now. What were the two and a half weeks on the road like, any funny stories you would like to share with us?

Carus Thompson: The tour was great, I think it’s the biggest tour we have done so far in terms of the amount of people who came to the concerts. Probably because we have a new album and we have done some things with our record label ’Valve’ to get some distribution. And we have also been using the radio. They have given us some airplay on the radio, which has made a big difference. I think I’ve just done so many tours of Germany over the last six years, now it really starts to come back. I have a really strong fanbase. Funny stories, hmm. I think going and watching football was the funniest. It was very cold, I was very impressed that you have to break ice off the seats before you can watch a football game in Germany.

What game did you see?

Carus Thompson: It was Werder Bremen versus some other club (laughs). Bremen was the home team, I can’t remember the other one.

“Creature Of Habit” has been your first solo-effort since ”Acoustic at the Norfolk”. What brought you to recording this one without your usual backing-band ’The True Believers’?

Carus Thompson: I have done a few albums with The True Believers now and I wanted to do something different. Primarily I am a singer-songwriter and I wanted to strip that all away and just have my songs and add some instruments, if we needed them. But start with the core of me and my songs. I think it worked out really well and it’s my most favorite album.

When I first listened to your new record, I instantly associated the songs with your recent album ”Cover Tapes”. Did the experience of dealing with so many outstanding Australian songs lead you to the creation of something similar, something that goes right along the lines of the songs you covered on ”Cover Tapes”?

Carus Thompson: No, I already had most of the album written before I did the ”Cover Tapes” recording. I think it’s that I write the songs and I have gotten better at writing songs, I’ve been doing it for 20 years now. When I do a cover, I like to find songs that are very strong, powerful and direct. So, it was good to do ”Cover Tapes”. I think I learned I little more about singing, singing more direct and raw and without pretension.

While you were writing and recording your current album, was there a certain leitmotif or were you rather thinking along the lines of “anything goes”?

Carus Thompson: I wanted to write the best songs I could, but I was thinking about being direct and a little bit more Pop – in the sense of shorter songs, more powerful, easy to understand, bang. My last record, ”Three Boxes”, was a little bit political, I was writing about Australia and conservatism. With this album I wanted to write stories about people, about characters and stories about what it is to be a human being, our hopes, our jealousies, our anger. I like that the new album is about people and characters and their experiences in life. It’s not necessarily about me, but I think it’s very real and people can understand what these characters in the songs are thinking.

Carus Thompson live in the "Kulturbahnhof" (Photo: Claudia Grover)

Were the ten songs on ”Creature Of Habit” all written in the run up to the recording process, or are there some songs on there that you had in your back pocket for some time?

Carus Thompson: Well, when we went to do this album the producer said that all the songs have to be at the new standard, that I achieved in the recent past. Because after ”Three Boxes”, I think I sort of learned a new level of songwriting. So, I had a few old song and he said, “no they are not so of the same standard”. So we left them off. The oldest song is ”Creature Of Habit” and maybe that is two years old. But most of the other songs I wrote very recently for the recording of this album. ”For The Rest Of My Life”, I wrote that song two weeks before the recording. It’s more interesting, as an artist, to have a new piece of work, I think.

Did you write any of the songs on the road?

Carus Thompson: I don’t really write on the road, because I’m so busy. But what I normally do, is look around. Like the song ”I Found Love”, that was written about a gig I did at a prison in Celle. I thought about it at the time and then, when I get home and have some time, that’s when I write. On the road I’m always driving or getting ready and thinking about the performance. I prefer a quiet surrounding when I write.

You just mentioned your song ”I Found Love”. You wrote the song from the perspective of a prison inmate, it is a true story. Is that a songwriting technique you prefer, or do you prefer the first hand stories from your own life and experiences?

Carus Thompson: I’ve written a lot of songs from my own experiences and I think that gets a little boring after a while. For the writer and for the listener. I think, if every song is about you, it’s a little self-centered. Songs are stories, so if you always read the same story about the same guy, only so much can happen in your life. The thing gets very interesting, when you start to look outside of yourself. But, you can find these stories, but you still have to put yourself in the position of the character, for the song to have emotional power. This technique of looking outside is a new thing for me, I’ve discovered in the last two or three years. I’m very happy about it, because I think now I’m a real songwriter, it’s more difficult to in this way. Ultimately you have more subject-matter.

I read that you didn’t even know the name of the inmate.

Carus Thompson: Yes, I did not know his name.

Does he know that the song exists?

Carus Thompson: He would, because the lady he married was at a gig about a week ago and I played her the song.

Was the gig in Celle your first concert inside a prison and how was that experience like?

Carus Thompson: It was actually really good. It was my first gig in a prison and I played for about 40 people. They were really into it, completely listened to every word and a big cheer after every song. It felt good to play music, just for the sake of playing music. It was a very special experience, a positive experience. It makes you feel alive.

On the bonus-disc of ”Creature Of Habit” is a song called ”Sunrise Over Sea”. A track you say got pushed to the back of the list because John Butler released an album with the same title. Why did the song move to the end of your list, after all it is just a song title?

Carus Thompson: Well, for a start, it’s not that great of a song. It’s just a song title, but we move in very similar circles in Australia, you just couldn’t do it.

So it wasn’t only the title, you also didn’t feel very strong about the song?

Carus Thompson: Hmm, I like the song, but the title, it doesn’t work for Australia. You can’t bring out a song called ”Sunrise Over Sea” six months after the biggest independent guy in the country has released an album called ”Sunrise Over Sea”.

How many songs are there at the end of the list, that no fan has ever heard of?

Carus Thompson: There is quite a few, quite a lot. I probably write five songs for every one song that makes it. So, I have quite a lot of songs at the end of the list. But normally if a song doesn’t make it, there is a reason. Well, sometimes you can be surprised. That’s why I like to play live. And sometimes, I maybe should not play all my new songs, but I like to do it, because from the reaction of the audience you can quickly see if a song is good or not. But yes, there are quite a few song that never made it (laughs).

"Australia has a very well developed touring-circuit" (Photo: Sascha Knapek)

Have you ever recorded those tracks or do they just exists on paper so to speak?

Carus Thompson: I probably have recorded them on my computer or on a tape somewhere. I have stacks of tapes laying around. Sometimes they re-emerge as another songs, but there are lots that if’ve forgotten. Quite a few.

I know it can be a struggle for an independent artist to book a full fledged tour through Germany or Europe. How is the situation in Australia, when it comes to booking tours and finding places to play your music?

Carus Thompson: It’s a lot easier. We all speak the same language (laughs). Australia has a very well developed touring-circuit, very good venues and you can book direct with the venues. If they know you, you can ring them up and you can book. So, it’s very easy to see what the circuit is. But it’s difficult for people to start out, because there are no guarantees, you must play for the door and you must promote the show yourself. So you have to work very hard, really hard. Spend a lot of money, lose a lot of money. But I think it’s a good scene, because it keeps you strong, it keeps you tough. And you have to be good, otherwise you die (laughs).

There are some Carus-fans who go and see multiple shows of a tour and drive many kilometers to see these shows. Do you have bands or musicians where you would do, or have done, the same?

Carus Thompson: Probably not (laughs). Well, maybe. I guess Lucinda Williams. That’s the funny thing about music: You might think, that because I play music, I do not turn into a worshipping fan. But, if you put the right artist in front of me, I get just as silly as others. If you put Lucinda Williams in front of me, or Paul Kelly, I’ll go (in a sort of girlie-voice, t. Ed.): “I’m a fan, I’m a fan, I love you.” I think that’s the great thing about music. Even the most famous artists still have artists they worship.

How important is it for you to record your albums in Australia?

Carus Thompson: It’s not that important. I recorded my last two albums in Australia, but I mixed them in America. In Nashville to be exact. As long as I have a good studio, it’s not important to me. I think it’s good that you’re comfortable, when you’re recording and it’s good to have great people that you can work with. My producer for the last two albums, Greg Arnold, is a very good influence for me and he’s very good at getting the best performance. So, that’s why I do it in Australia. But I might do the next album in America.

In Nashville?

Carus Thompson: Yeah, it’s a great music-city. It doesn’t really matter where you are when you’re recording, but Nashville would be great, it would be nice to do an album in the states, to use some American musicians.

How’s touring in the US, have you done shows there?

Carus Thompson: No, it’s too hard to get into that country (laughs). It’s very difficult, although I would like to play there, because Americans are a bit like Germans, they love their music and they’re very supportive. And I think they would like my music, because it’s like their music, but it’s a bit different, it has the Australian itch. Maybe one day, I’ll keep working in Europe for the moment.

And I guess you’re not that unknow there. I learned about you from American friends of mine.

Carus Thompson: Wow, that’s amazing. I guess with the internet now… you would probably be surprised if I went to America and there were some fans. The internet has made it harder to sell CDs, but it has made it easier for people to hear your music. I like that.

You mainly stick to acoustic guitars. Aside from having an amplifier and stuff like that, what is the main difference for you between an acoustic and an electric guitar, what makes you favor the acoustic ones?

Carus Thompson: When I play solo, I always use the acoustic. With the band I play electric a little bit, but acoustic is more percussive. It is a guitar, but it is also a drum, you get more of a rhythm from it. I think my strength as a guitarist is my rhythm-playing and my groove. You can’t get that groove with an electric, you need to have drums with you. So in Australia I have been playing a little bit more with electic guitarists, but I always love the sound, even when it’s electric, of having an acoustic underneath, giving this warmth. It’s a very interesting instrument.

Have you ever tried your solo-thing with an electric guitar?

Carus Thompson: No, not really. It probably would work, but if anyone sees that, they instantly think of Jeff Buckley. But I do like it. I saw Billy Bragg, I like the way he uses the electric. Maybe I’ll try it one day, but it’s still a little bit two dimensional, whereas the acoustic guitar is three dimensional. It has so much (Carus tries to imitate the percussive sound of an acoustic guitar, t. Ed.) “tschukka, tschukka”, you’ll never get that from the electric. I like to get people dancing and the acoustic can do that for me.

"I don’t have a record player. MP3’s are cool, but they don’t sound as good as a CD" (Photo: Sascha Knapek)

On your record ”Acoustic At The Norfolk” you have a song called “Kurt Cobain”. Did the whole Seattle-scene influence you when you were younger?

Carus Thompson: Well, of course. I’m 32 and I think Grunge was the last time when a new style of music came into the mix. Since then music is just a retro thing. Jet, The Strokes and all that. You can’t really call that a new style of music, it’s going back and taking music from the 60’s and re-changing it. When Grunge came along, that was a new kind of music and Nirvana was a new kind of band. I was about 14 at the time, it was really great and a special time for music. I think it’s something that 18-years olds today maybe don’t understand and I think they missed out on that. In the 70’s you had flower-power, in the 80’s you had the Punk stuff and we had Grunge. I think it’s a special thing to have a music from your time. To see something for the first time and think, “this is really new”. So, I was influence by Grunge, although I never played that style. I thought, like everyone, Kurt Cobain, especially now, he really was a genius. It’s a bit sad, but I don’t think it’s ever gonna happen again like that. People try to find new styles of music and it’s pretty much been done, I think now they try too hard. It’s weird. At the same time we had Grunge, we also had Portishead, Massive Attack and DJ’s. I remember the first DJ and going to DJ-parties. Now there’s a lot of reinvention of older stuff. That’s not as exciting, although it can be very good.

What albums are currently spinning in your record player?

Carus Thompson: (thinks for about 20 seconds) I have been listening to a lot of Bruce Springsteen lately.

The new record?

Carus Thompson: (laughs) No, I don’t like that one. I listen to the other ones. Although I tried to listen to it. (thinks) What was the last album I bought? I always listen to a lot of Lucinda Williams… I bought a whole bunch of records before I came here, but I can’t remember now. I’m always listening to lots and lots of music. I’m a big Wilco fan, Dylan of course, I’ve been listening to a lot of Neil Young. We saw him in concert before I left Melbourne and that was fantastic. I probably have around 600 CDs at home and I’m always buying new music and I always try to listen to new music and finding new songwriters, it’s a good inspiration.

So when it comes to new music you’re a CD-guy. No MP3’s, no vinyl?

Carus Thompson: Yeah, I don’t have a record player. MP3’s are cool, but they don’t sound as good as a CD. Yeah, I’m still old-school. I still like to go to the record store – in Australia we still have a lot of great record stores and you can go in and say, “what’s new?”. Maybe I heard a name, someone like Ron Sexsmith, and I walk in, buy the record, and take a chance. Especially with singer-songwriters. Sometimes you find something that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. For me, I think it’s only money (laughs) and it’s tax deductible, because I’m a musician. So, I like to spend lots of money on music. I mean, it’s hard for the generation now, because they always download. But it costs you 12 or 15 Euros to buy an album and when you get a really good one that you love, that gives you so much joy for years and years and years. I think it’s really worth it spending the money. Music brings you a lot of joy.

And finally, what’s ahead for Carus in ‘09? Please give us a sneak peek.

Carus Thompson: I’ll be coming back to Germany in November, with my band. We will just do a short European tour, four or five shows in bigger venues. And we’ll see what happens. I think we have some really good fans now and a lot of people would travel for the shows and try to make them a really big event and a special show with a lot of power, good sound and then we see what happens after that. We will continue to try to get some more radio-airplay here in Germany. We have a great fanbase now and we’re gonna try to take it to the next level. Also, a lot of touring in Australia and at the end of the year I’ll do some festivals in Australia. And maybe next year I think about another album.

Again solo or with the band?

Carus Thompson: I think my next record is going to be more Rock, more power with the band. Hopefully with my brother. A bit more “in your face”, “let’s do it”, “Rock’n’Roll”. Now that I understand how to make a record and the idea that should be behind an album, I think it’s good to have different albums with different sounds. With the next one I’m going to try to get the energy of the live show with the band on an album. Sort of Bruce Springsteen-style! And then I can come out rocking with the band.

Thanks a lot for your time, Carus!

Thanks to Andreas Pusch and Dieter Blanke for making this interview possible!

Amazon, Musicload, Napster & AOL-Download