Music Q&A with CARV.R & Casey Desmond
Photo by NYMAN Photography
For this Music Q&A, we have a double feature!
Late last year, dark synth-pop artist, CARV.R, teamed up with sequined siren, Casey Desmond, for their brand new single “Struck”! In these Q&As, both artists talked about the song, their musical journey up to this point, and more!
CARV.R’s Q&A:
Congratulations on the release of “Struck”! How was this collaboration with Casey different from other projects you’ve been a part of?
We didn't just put a single together, we put a single, music video and different renditions of the track so this collaboration was way more involved than any other that I have done outside of my other band MAN1K1N. We did a handful of photoshoots and video shoots for this release, generally when doing remixes or collabs for/with other artists the track gets put out with some cover art for it and it does not extend past that promo material wise so it was definitely a different (and amazing) experience.
When did you realize you wanted to create music?
Back in High School I was in a few bands and once I got to my college years I decided that I wanted to turn this into a career, I am primarily a hired gun (drummer) for bands. CARV.R is another necessary creative outlet for me.
Who has been your favorite artist or band to see live?
That really depends on which part of my life we're talking about. Back in High School I was a big Korn/Deftones fan (Still a huge Deftones fan,) so I really loved seeing them live, Ray Luzier and Abe Cunningham are some of my favorite drummers so seeing them perform was just next level for me. Nowadays I don't spend much time going to concerts that I am not playing myself but one of the last bands I saw was HEALTH, they are truly a spectacle to see live.
If you were an instrument, what would you be and why?
This one is pretty obvious at this point. Drums. Primarily because I am told I have a very loud voice, easily distinguishable at a party. LOL
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
I am going to keep it simple and say how much artists get paid per stream across all platforms. Imagine if Spotify just paid 1 Cent per stream back to artists. The chances of independent artists sustaining themselves from their music would skyrocket, instead of dumping money into the pockets of CEO's that think we're monkeys that should crank out a song every 2 weeks.
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we’d like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days? How do you stay positive?
This is one of the biggest pros of being a professional drummer and a producer. Oftentimes I get burnt out and I don't feel inspired to play my instrument or lay down new ideas for tracks. When I don't vibe with one creative outlet, I flip to the other, and on days where that doesn't work, I play Chess and now I'm starting to play VR games. Having a small amount of distraction outside of music is imperative, you can't draw inspiration from nothing, you need to spend time doing other activities that fulfill you in different ways.
Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A. Any last words or final message for the readers?
I cannot begin to express the amount of excitement I have for 2022. I have an EP coming out with a few guest vocalists and who knows, I may even have time to put out a Remix EP later in the year. I will be drumming for a few bands from different labels in the Spring so if you don't follow me on IG, FB or TikTok, do so for updates and just general music advice and content! Can't wait to show you guys what I have been working on, I feel this project is coming into its own with every release. Get Vaxxed, and Stay Safe.
https://linktr.ee/CARV.R
Casey’s Q&A:
Congratulations on the release of “Struck”! How was this collaboration with CARV.R different from other collaborations you have done?
The main thing that sets this collaboration apart from the others is the level of time and commitment across the board that went into "Struck." Unlike a lot of my co-writes over the last 5-6 years, we were in the same room when lyrics and vocals transpired, and though the heavy end of production was on CARV.R’s side, we were able to meet up in person to work on production/mix throughout the process of preparing this release. In a lot of cases, I work remotely, and in some other scenarios I don’t even meet my co-writers because they live on the other side of the country or planet. This was a relief to me because my collaborator really showed up and I think we have amazing creative energy together. While the process was tedious, it allowed us to bond and start creating in a way I don’t usually get to enjoy. And it didn’t stop at the audio. CARV.R and I developed visual concepts as well as music and spent the better part of a year on "Struck" as a whole. Working with someone who really understands the kind of commitment and love that’s needed to make something like this a success has been an inspiration and a huge highlight of my 2021.
How did being a contestant on The Voice impact your career? Is there a specific experience you had that wouldn’t have happened had it not been for being on the show?
Being on the Voice was really something else. I’m not competitive by nature, but I love to network and meet like-minded people. I got a deeper understanding of the reality show aspect of the industry during my experience. It was simultaneously terrifying and exciting. I am not very comfortable talking about myself, or interviewing on camera. However, I live to perform so it was pretty exciting. I got to work with top notch session players, and practice with some of the best vocalists I’ve ever met. Being on national TV does have its benefits, it helped get my name out there for sure, but even still, I had been working on my music career for about 10 years before being invited to be on the show.
What is your favorite album of all time?
It’s really hard for me to answer favorite album, or favorite artist questions because there are so many, but I’ll just throw down David Bowie‘s Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars as it had a major impact on me as a child and to this day.
What is one artist or band that you haven’t seen in concert, that you hope to see someday?
Again, there are too many artists that I couldn’t possibly name them all. However, I heard that Madonna is doing her farewell tour, and there’s no way in hell I’m missing that. I don’t care if I have to sell my car to afford the tickets.
What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
I consider the years of influence from experienced producers and songwriters that I have had the honor of working with over the course of my career as good as any advice. I feel lucky that I had great mentors along the way, who allowed me to look over their shoulder in the studio, who shared their demo mixes with me, who shared their raw experience with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way, and any opportunity I get to give back, I tap into that influential source.
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we’d like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days? How do you stay positive?
It’s not always feasible to tap into the creative muse when you’re down in the dumps. Sometimes it takes a lot of convincing yourself to get that project done, or to express something you’d rather hide away from because it hurts. Over the years, songwriting and production have been my therapy. Performing gives me that happy serotonin feel, an invigorating thrill one gets when walking off stage after a successful performance. When I’m having a hard time I just try to remember what I’m passionate about, and I think that it’s saved me more times than I can really say.
Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A. Any last words or final message for the readers?
All I can say is thank you for your support and for giving “Struck” your time, for giving us creatives your time. It means a lot to be able to do what I love but it’s even better when I get to share it with others.