Casual Sex

Despite their cheeky moniker, Glasgow’s Casual Sex boast a huge sense of charm and intrigue. With a mutual love for 80s post-punk mystique (think Roxy Music, Talking Heads, etc) and creative approach to production, they band are one of the first to actually revisit the beloved bygone genre with any sense of justice or respect still intact.

Having already stormed the US on tour with fellow Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand, Casual Sex are now headed for Austin, TX for some SXSW shenanigans. Following a successful headline tour of France and their beloved UK, ITM? caught up with the band’s wickedly funny and sharp-tongued front man Sam Smith to talk about new material, his onstage makeup regime and drummer Chris McCrory’s close encounter with a flirty French radio host…

Nina: So you’re just finishing up your France/UK tour at the minute. How has it been being back on the road? Any stand out moments from the tour?

Sam: It’s been superb, stand out moments many, but one in particular was having an hour long special on Radio France with round the table interview (with translator) alongside playing live tracks – it a white knuckle ride. Another was Chris’ very British reaction after one of the presenters on the Oui FM session asked him how many pints he’d need to sleep with her in a Paris St Germain top. After much on air exasperation, he stated zero, which is what I would’ve said. Then there was the pleasure of discovering a burgeoning scene in Ramsgate, which has a fantastic new venue, the Music Halls, one of the nicest I’ve been in. Must say everywhere we’ve gone we’ve met many a good egg.

Nina: Next week you’re off to Texas for SXSW. What are you most looking forward to about it? What other plans do you have whilst you’re over there, are there any other acts you want to catch?

Sam: I’m looking forward to soaking up the local culture, buying a Stetson, drinking Lone Star beer and, well, being in Austin. The sheer number of acts playing is staggering, a bit like trying to get a cup of water from a water fall, though I hope to catch Conan Mockasin and Honeyblood, alongside our Scottish cohorts. I’m also looking forward to the logistical challenge to my cold hearted veneer of professionalism as I attempt to gain a City and Guilds in schmoozing.

Nina: And most importantly – Sam, have you packed some extra lippy??
On stage you have a very infectiously exuberant personality, is it all Sam Smith or is it a showmanship you adopt when you take to the stage?

Sam: I think I’ll probably be hitting the Wet and Wild counter in the nearest local supermarket, a particularly cheap brand of makeup recommended to me last time we were over by our tour manager April. They do a rather garish red that’s also watermelon flavour – it’s just the ticket.
I think most of me is me on stage, though I don’t generally go about my errands with a guitar round me and cast of makeup smudged over my face, though at times I’d like to. I’ve spent plenty of time in Travelodges of late getting funny looks, realising I look like Robert Smith’s half-cut nephew.

Nina: You’re currently in the midst of writing and recording your debut LP at Green Door Studios. What stage are you at? Are you happy with the progress so far or has there been any hitches?

Sam: Well we’ve been busily writing away building new body of work. It is forming. Normal levels of wrestling with lyrics.

Nina: What can we expect on the album by way of new material? Anything which stands out from your signature 80s post-punk approach or is it all sex and no filler?

Sam: Ah well, I’ve been using some particularly exotic new words. There will be guitars and some singing. I might reach for a bit of phase, flange and maybe even some Moog synthesiser, which is a new invention which enables manipulation of time, space and under garments.

Nina: Now that you’re starting to garner a lot more attention, how has the band’s name been working out for you? Have the parents come around to the idea?

Sam: We still get the a fair bit of tittering, one door man in the states used it to loudly usher people into the venue loudly exclaiming ‘This way for Casual Sex, ladies and gentlemen’. My mother just thinks it’s silly and my sister was kind of, “How do I explain this to your nephews?” “Use your parenting skills,” I reply.

Nina: You all seem to be very involved in music. Besides the band, what other projects are you/have you been involved in? How do you strike the balance between them?

Sam: I’m currently working with Alisdair Roberts at the Green Door on his new album which is sounding fantastic and just finished EPs for Future Glue and Le Thugs’ 2nd EP which have been great to work on. The mastering continues to pile up and will be keeping me busy between tonight (Inverness show) and leaving for Texas. We’re currently compiling a new Mao Disney compilation that includes tracks by Asian Babes, Tuff Love and Spread Eagle to mention a few names. Time management, I just kind of run around trying to finish things, working up to a frenzy as deadlines loom.

Nina: Finally, will we be able to catch you at any shows or festivals over the spring/summer or are you locking yourselves away in the studio until the records done?

Sam: Well, the studio is certainly going to be in the offing but we’ve already booked four dates in May in France and Belgium and so far in our diary’s we have the Brew at the Bog festival, Brighton’s Great Escape, Beat Herder and Belladrum.

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