CASSIAN X DAS MOTH LIVE!!! // EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Music | Johnny | December 1, 2009

-CASSIAN (photo)

Cassian & Das Moth will perform live for Discopark Sessions this Friday night and boy are we psyched!

Discopark returns for another night of cutting-edge international sounds, as two of Australia’s hottest, youngest and most sought-after DJs make their highly-anticipated Singapore debuts.

Cassian and Das Moth (AKA Tim Sullivan, formerly of Damn Arms) are two rising stars of Australia’s burgeoning disco/electro scene.

Associated with the irrepressible Bang Gang 12” label, both have cut their teeth with the best, with Cassian is proving to be the secret weapon at Bang Gang’s legendary label parties.

It has been a mixed year for both of them, with Cassian coming to the fore after a name change from CSK OK, with not a single bad remix at all. On the other hand, we were really sad to hear that Damn Arms (Yama Indra & Tim Sullivan) decided to end their musical journey for now, with so many good memories of their music.

It is with great relief to hear that none of them have stopped making music though, Yama continuing with GLOVES and Tim as DAS MOTH, working at one of the finest clubs in the world at the same time, Le Baron in Tokyo.

We were fortunate enough to get an interview with them, and we gave the same questions to both of them, so read on and grab them MP3s below, as always!

-Tim Sullivan aka Das Moth (photo)

//////////////// INTERVIEW WITH CASSIAN & DAS MOTH ////////////////

TASHED.COM: Hey Das Moth/Cassian! First up, what is it that you guys drink in Aussie? No one does sun drenched tropical pop with elements of disco house like you guys!

CASSIAN: Hugos Punch every sunday!

DAS MOTH: haha.. awesome first question. Vodka, Tonic & Lime.

TASHED.COM: Why the name change? (CSK OK to Cassian, Damn Arms (w/ Yama) to Das Moth) Any deep existential philosophies for the change?

CASSIAN: I feel that I wanted a fresh start with a new name and a new sound. There are lots of other boring reasons too.

DAS MOTH: When I was a kid my older sister used to call me Moth. I’ve always like that nick-name. So when it felt right the change was made. The “das” part is just more interesting than “the”. ha.

TASHED.COM: Enough of the buggin’, but where you based at now? Hows the scene at your current location!

CASSIAN: Sydney! I wouldn’t be anywhere else in Aus. There are a lot of people doing really cool stuff, inspiration is never far. So many chill bro’s and down gal’s.

DAS MOTH: I’m living in the centre of Shibuya, Tokyo. Everyday is an experience living here. I wouldn’t want to be living anywhere else. The music scene here is huge. Parties on every night, with great djs [international & local]. Playing the music I play is working really well here. The kids that are coming out are learning to like different types of dance music.

TASHED.COM (For Tim Sullivan/Das Moth): Why the sudden decision to move to Tokyo and work with Le Baron?

DAS MOTH: I wasn’t that happy in Melbourne. Times were changing and a simple sentence from my mother, “go back to you were last happy”.. changed it all. And that was when I was djing in Japan in July 2008. The people i’ve met here have changed my life. It just feels right. I djing @ le baron w/ data last year and got talking to the director & booking agents of the bar. So it only made sense to start a night at the club when i returned. It’s an amazing place.

TASHED.COM: Are you guys touring anywhere else the next few months?

CASSIAN: I’ll be doing a tour around Aus to promote the release of my “Friday Night EP”. Australian summer is awesome!

DAS MOTH: No touring for me. Taking it easy after 4 years of constant touring with Damn Arms. I’ll be traveling to Brazil in January for good friends wedding. Traveling without carrying instruments around is extremely refreshing for me at the moment.. haha. The new band I’m in Gimme Um [myspace.com/gimmeum] will be heading to Europe around April 2010. We’re just finishing off our debut EP.. which I’m producing. It’s 4 foreigners [American, French, Brazilian & Australian] all living in Tokyo. We’ve been playing a lot around Japan.

TASHED.COM: What are your plans for 2010? Any new albums/EPs coming up? (Cassian: Haven’t got a chance to hear your Friday Night EP!)

CASSIAN: Friday Night will come out mid December. And another single/ep will hopefully come out March/April next year.

DAS MOTH: I’m finishing off my debut 12″ that Cut Copy’s boutique label, “Cutters Records” is releasing. Its a combination of moving countries and different moods. I started trying to play piano/synths a lot more to challenge myself. But it still has the bass guitar lines i can fall back onto. I was working with Nile Delta [Joel Belgium] on the tracks in Melbourne before i moved to Tokyo. I’ve just done some vocals with an amazing young French/Japanese lady. That I’m super excited about.

TASHED.COM: Do you forsee any shifts or evolution in the Aussie obsession with Disco-House, Nu-Disco and what not?

CASSIAN: I think the Aussie Touch sound will continue long and strong! Maybe people will move away from the really obvious disco/house sound. But the ideals at the heart of the music will stay the same.

DAS MOTH: I’m not really that sure. I don’t live there anymore, so i don’t see what’s happening first hand. I’ve always been glad Australian music has been original and the the current disco influenced tunes are MUCH easier to listen to than all that side-chained blog music.

TASHED.COM: What you listening to right now? Besides the sound of music.

CASSIAN: Strip Steve’s new EP is great. Also really liking all the new Riva Starr stuff.

DAS MOTH: Anything by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Patrick Cowley, Morrissey, Ramones & LCD Soundsystem.

TASHED.COM: Your album of the year? (2009)

CASSIAN: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is great…. but (from what i’ve heard) if Miami Horror and/or Bag Raiders get their albums out this year, they will be on top!

DAS MOTH: Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion.

TASHED.COM: We heard you Aussies are ONLY allowed 24 cans of beer a day at car races. Damn, that must be difficult to keep to!

CASSIAN: Haha, we do love to drink. I know a few fellas who could get through 24 beers in a full day…

DAS MOTH: I can’t say I’ve ever been to a “car race”. 24 cans of beer is pretty much the standard for most Australian gatherings. Japanese people are much different, they only need 3 drinks to party hard.

TASHED.COM: Have you been to Singapore before? What have you heard about our fine city? (Your mates Knightlife, The Knife Machine & Gloves have all passed by before!)

CASSIAN: I’ve only ever had long stop overs at the airport, which is probably the best airports i’ve been to. I’ve heard the city is super clean and efficient and has great food, all things I appreciate!

DAS MOTH: I’ve only been to the airport in Singapore. I’ve heard a lot of great things about the city though. I’m looking forward to seeing a few friends that live there. I do remember Knightlife telling me he got gnarly food poisoning from eating an excessive amount of seafood.

TASHED.COM (For Cassian): Miranda Kerr or Gemma Ward?
CASSIAN: Both! Failing that… Miranda hands down.

TASHED.COM (For Das Moth): Jennifer Hawkins or Ruby Rose?
DAS MOTH: HA. I don’t Ruby Rose would be that into me, considering her sexuality. So i’ll go with Jennifer Hawkins.

///////////////////// END OF INTERVIEW /////////////////////

Discopark Sessions retains all the key elements of its predecessor – young talent, a passion for emerging trends and a commitment to musical excellence. From Kelley Polar & Knightlife to Cassian & Das Moth this time round, our patience has been rewarded.

It takes time to build a real big event, especially in a country as small as Singapore, but we can take comfort in events such as Discopark Sessions for digging in and bringing the finest music to us.

Not to sound biased in any way, but we are also DJ-ing with our mates for the night, along with local heroes Leo (Melee Punks) and Eye Of Eden.

Best of all, this one’s completely FREE !!!!! No minimum spend, no cover charge and no excuse for having anything less than a completely wonderful time. All you have to do is RSVP to jon.ramsay@spa-esprit.com to get on the guestlist as you can get in only by invites this time round.

So go on, bug the man ASAP.

MORE INFO ON THE EVENT // MORE INFO ON THE EVENT // MORE INFO ON THE EVENT

MP3 CASSIAN – FINAL ROUND

MP3 MIAMI HORROR – MAKE YOU MINE (CASSIAN REMIX)

MP3 EMPIRE OF THE SUN – STANDING ON THE SHORE (CASSIAN REMIX)

MP3 BAG RAIDERS – SHOOTING STARS (CASSIAN REMIX)

MP3 DAS MOTH – TOKIO DISKO MIX

MP3 CASSIAN – BANG GANG 12″ MINI MIX

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