Tune-In Tuesdays #10: Carousing with The Carousers

By: burgundy bug

• 

The Carousers performing in Asbury Park, NJ

Source: last night was rad | The Carousers

The Carousers are the New Jersey-based punk trio that draw inspiration for their music from the likes of Green Day, Weezer, and Gaslight Anthem.

The trio has been performing across local venues since the release of their EP in 2017. Currently, The Carousers are on a mini hiatus to direct their focus towards producing new music.

Recently, the bassist for The Carousers, Cassidy Crosby, and I spoke over the phone to discuss how the band got started, their experiences performing, as well as their upcoming work.

• 

Cassidy Crosby playing the bass at the Millhill Basement

Source: happy #internationalwomensday | The Carousers

How did you guys meet? How did you decide to start a band?

Joey and Andy were actually roommates in college. Andy played drums, Joey was a songwriter; he played the guitar a little bit, but had never been in a band before.

They were jamming together and wrote She’s the Devil, which is our first song that was written as a band.

We all went to Monmouth University, so they got onto the school’s record label to record the demo for She’s the Devil. It was a really cool experience and it really helped us become who we are.

They needed a bassist for a show and I had just transferred in, so it all kind of worked out timewise, if that makes sense.

What does a song making session look like for The Carousers? What is your process – from brainstorming to recording?

Lately, Joey and I have been meeting up to do little acoustic writing sessions. We’ll come up with a riff or part – usually a chorus, or something.

Once we have something we’ll do a self-recording of it, send it in our group chat together to mess around with it as a full band so everyone can add their own personal touch. I find that it works better that way.

It used to be more or less Joey coming to Andy and I with an idea, but we’ve been trying to do more cowriting lately. It’s been working out really well.

What was the hardest song to produce and why? Are there any songs you guys are particularly proud of?

The hardest song to produce in the studio was Halloween Night. That’s the last song off of our EP.

It has a lot of extra stuff in it. The ending part – which we call the ‘lala’ part, are group vocals. Then there are guitar harmonies, oregons, keys, and so on. There’s just a lot that went into Halloween Night, so it definitely took the most effort to produce.

We got a lot of help from our engineer, Sean Glonek from SRG Studios. He helped us out ‘cause we had the idea in our head, but we didn’t really know how we wanted to work into that part or out of it. It was a really cool process just getting to create that.

However, our favorite song as a band is Cracked Pot. That one is always really fun to play live.

What do you find most meaningful or most rewarding about making music?

Getting to share anything you create with the world and then getting a positive response back is the coolest thing.

I’ve had people come and tell us, ‘Hey, I really liked your album or your song.’ and that’s awesome because it’s something we created as a group.

Just getting anyone to like our music is really rewarding.

What impact do you hope to have on your listeners through your music?

Our songs off of our EP were definitely a bit more angry-punk. The newer stuff we’re writing will hopefully have more differentiation.

We’re hoping people will be able to express themselves. That’s kind of the main thing right now, ‘be yourself’

You have performed at venues across New Jersey. Which show was your favorite and why?

• 

The Carousers performing at The Saint

Source: here’s a lil #flashbackfriday | The Carousers

We’ve played at the House of Independents in Asbury Park, NJ twice, I believe. That was the biggest venue we’ve ever played at and it was a really cool one.

I’ve got to say our favorite show – as a band – would be our EP release. That was at a house show, which was ridiculously awesome.

We probably had about 80 or 90 people there all crammed into a house. It was definitely the most fun show to play; we got people singing along to our songs and everything. It was just a really great experience.

House shows are probably one of our favorites to play. It’s a totally different vibe then a theatre, venue, or bar. There are more people who are willing to listen to you and actually give you a chance.

What’s the most bizarre interaction you’ve ever had at a show?

I can’t think of any in particular, but we do often have people that struggle with our name.

It’s pronounced The Carousers [kuh-rouz-ers], but we’ve gotten: The Canker Sores, The Carousels, The Arousers. We get a lot of them.

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a performance?

Most of the shows we play are either at house shows or bars, so we like to go to the bar, drink a little bit, and watch the other bands play.

It’s always a really fun experience to get to know your peers and be like, ‘Okay, I really like that band,’ or ‘Wow, that band’s really cool!’ It’s nice to have the opportunity to support fellow bands.

Your music draws a lot of inspiration from punk-rock and alternative bands of the ‘90s and ‘00s, such as Green Day, Weezer, and Gaslight Anthem. What is your all-time favorite song from that era?

If we’re going ‘90s, Nice Guys Finish Last by Green Day is a great tune.

Nice Guys Finish Last by Green Day

Source: Nice Guys Finish Last | Green Day

I’m also very much into Blink 182, personally. Everytime I Look for You is a great tune by them.

Everytime I Look for You by Blink 182

Source: Everytime I Look For You | blink-182

I know our drummer Andy’s really into the band Puck. Joey is more so into Green Day and Gaslight Anthem.

It’s a really nice mix that we’re all able to bring to the table, which I feel really influences our music.

We try to keep it fresh, though. We don’t want to repeat what happened. Y’know, those ‘90s bands are awesome, they exist, but it’s cool to add a new flavor, layer, or level to the genre.

What’s next for The Carousers?

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Carousers

Source: The Carousers | Facebook

We’re actually on a little bit of a hiatus!

We’re doing a lot of writing. We are currently planning to get into the studio soon to record a single – or two, we’re not too sure just yet. We’re hoping to have that out by this summer. We’re hoping to play a lot more over the summer, too.

We’ve also have more songs in the works, so we’re hoping to release a new EP next year.

We’ve got a lot of big things ahead, so keep up with us! We’re on social media and everything.

Do you have any overall career goals, as individual musicians and as a group?

I’m currently a senior in college, but the other guys are graduated. We’re all Music Industry majors, so we never had the goal of being professional performers.

We’re all trying to be more in the background of the music industry, working with record labels or venues. We have our own personal goals, but I think we all have the goal of continuing to make music – and making as much as we can of it.

Do you have any additional comments or final thoughts to you’d like to share?

I just want to say thank you to The Burgundy Zine for taking the time to interview us, that’s really awesome of you guys.

Hopefully the viewers will take the time to check us out, ‘cause we’re kinda everywhere on social media and online. Thank you!

Give The Carousers a listen on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube! Keep up with their latest work and tour dates over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Carousers official music video for She’s the Devil

Source: The Carousers – “She’s The Devil” (Official Music Video) | The Carousers

---

Interested in having content featured in an upcoming blog post or issue of The Burgundy Zine? Head on over to the submissions page!

For all other inquiries, please fulfill a contact form.