Kassidy Say They're More Like a Family Than a Band

Posted on Aug 16th 2010 10:30AM by Julian Marszalek
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Soren Starbird

Glasgow's Kassidy may have named themselves after the Sundance Kid's partner, but the quartet certainly aren't in the position where they feel they're going to have to bust out against a fatal hail of bullets. The band does, however, hark back to an Americana of yore and they cheerfully admit to being under the influence of pioneers such as the Band and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Indeed, like the latter, Kassidy boast a frontline of four singers and a guitarist.

"We're all into acoustic guitars and harmonies and we liked the imagery of having four frontmen," says Lewis Andrew in an accent so thick you could add milk and sugar to it and eat it for breakfast.

"We've always loved that kind of music, especially the Band, but I think that we put a very modern slant on it," he continues as he deftly dismisses any suggestions that Kassidy might be little more than a tribute to their heroes. "I mean, you can't relive something that's gone on in the past and things have now progressed from being a contemporary band that might sound like something from the past into something that sounds like now."

Kassidy's progression into a living, breathing unit is partly based on the band's experience of living together in their nascent days. Drawing all the members together -- that'll be fellow guitarists and singers Barrie James O'Neill, Hamish Fingland and Chris Potter -- the communal experience proved beneficial when ideas began to flow like water.

"We're more like a family, really," says Lewis as he explains the impact of sharing a living space under the same roof. "Living together made things better and made us work harder. If you got a bang on your door because someone's got an idea, you can work things out a lot quicker. Plus, it didn't cost anything to travel anywhere either!"

The financial benefits of living, writing and rehearsing at home aside, Lewis is convinced that the spending so much time together has improved the band's dynamic. Rather than being sick of the sight of each other, Kassidy have become closer to each other as a result.

"We're kinda liked joined together as if we were like one person. If you took one person away then it wouldn't sound as good. With us, things have clicked really well," he declares with no little pride.

But would things go so well if something was to disrupt Kassidy's influence? For example, could such a hirsute collection of musicians survive baldness?

"I guess if one of us went bald then we'd all shave our heads together," laughs Lewis. "We just like having long hair; even if we had short hair our music would sound the same. But right here, right now, long hair does it for us!"

And with or without their flowing locks, Kassidy might just do it for you too.

Kassidy's 'Rubbergum EP Volume 2' is out now and the band are appearing at the Reading and Leeds festivals.