Interview: Five Minutes with Catastrophe & Cure

Winning the prestigious Amadeus Austrian Music Award for their debut album, band  Catastrophe & Cure have released their new album Somewhere Down The Line, which features their single ‘Another Wave’. Their single ‘On The Internet’ received acclaim from Indie Shuffle, who named the release as one of Best Indie Rock Songs in 2017. The band has seen support from Austrian National radio station FM4, and was ranked #3 on their charts. 

We find out more about this award-winning band below.

Set the tone for us. Why the arts?

I guess there’s something inside of us that needs to get out and somehow we found a channel for that in music.

Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?

It can be both, but I would say that usually, the idea comes first. Especially with our last album Somewhere Down the Line we focused more on the songwriting itself. Don’t get me wrong, I love tinkering with the sound, but when I think of some of my favorite songs that have accompanied me all or half of my life, I realize that they’re just damn well-written songs.

Does your material feature any collaborations?

No, but I guess it could be exciting. To all our future collaborators: Hit us up.

What’s on your current playlist?

There are always many classics on our playlists such as Radiohead, Nirvana, Joy Division, The Pixies, Pavement, or Elliott Smith. In the last few months, the new records by Soccer Mommy, King Krule, DIIV, and Sharon Van Etten really stood out to me.

Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.

To a certain extent, making music is always an outlet. We want to express ourselves on stage, we want to have fun, we want to open ourselves up to the audience and thereby make ourselves vulnerable. If we succeed in that, if the audience can connect to our music on an emotional level and escape everyday life for a few hours, then I think it was a great evening for all of us.

What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?

There is no formula, we try to stay curious. We love old analog gear and the imperfections that often result from its use, but at the same time, we also appreciate the simple and flexible handling of digital gear and plug-ins. We’ve recorded drums in high-end studios with twelve different vintage mics but also in our basement with nothing but four SM57s. Whatever works. It’s always about the song.

Take us through a day in the recording studio.

There is no typical day in the studio as we record a lot of the stuff in our basement and then just certain songs or parts in a studio. However, there is one constant: the day starts with a cup of coffee.

Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?

Yes, actually there was a specific moment. When I was 14 years old, one of my older brothers sat down next to me with his guitar and played David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. I remember thinking “Wow, I’d love to be able to play guitar, sing and maybe write my own songs”. It hasn’t really changed since then.

What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?

A beer or a glass of wine and a spare pick, I guess.

What gets your creative juices flowing?

For me, inspiration mostly comes from within. But apart from that, it can be anything, a walk in the park, a night out, a conversation with a stranger, or sitting in your room staring at the walls.

Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.

Phew, we use a bunch of different stuff but the Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo, the Boss CE-1, and the Dave Smith Prophet 08 are regulars.

How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?

We entered the industry quite early and I think we came a long way since then. We went from working with producers and mixing engineers to producing and mixing everything by ourselves. That’s the beauty of it, you never stop learning, and eventually, you’ll reach a point where you are close to being satisfied with your creative output.

Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?

In April we released our new album Somewhere Down the Line. I think that’s probably enough for 2020 before we start working on new songs again.

Upcoming Live Shows

22 October – Wien, Fluc + Fluc Wanne

27 October – Graz, Orpheum Graz

3+4 December – Steyr, Röda

19 December – Vöcklabruck, OKH Vöcklabruck

Follow Catastrophe & Cure:

Facebook – Soundcloud – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify