Kasador
Photo: Ted Simha Webster

Kingston, ON-based alt rock trio Kasador have just released the latest single, “Lock On”. Co-written and produced by Brett Emmons of The Glorious Sons, this fuzzy, alt-rock-meets-post-punk track with infectious, driving guitar is accompanied by an award-winning video. We caught up with Kasador singer/guitarist Cam Wyatt to chat about the single and video, how the band got their start, and his favourite Canadian bands.

From The Strait: Tell us about the single, “Lock On”

Cam Wyatt: Lock is the most chaotic song we’ve released to date. I like to think of the lyrics as a stream of consciousness where isolated lyrics seem nonsensical but create a larger scale feeling of letting go of the little things – similar to a freeing dreamstate. The song feels like a party, but a turmoiled one. It has a mix of anger, passion, joy, confusion and aimless conviction. There is no real repeating chorus to further illustrate the continually evolving stream of consciousness.

FTS: Tell us about the making of the video for this single (which has already won Best Music Video at the 2023 Kingston Canadian Film Festival – congrats on that!).

Cam Wyatt: Funny enough, this song was the only song on the record that we had a strong vision for, even while recording it. Despite this, we didn’t know if this song would ever get a video… until Outpost 12 and Visual Menace Creative reached out to us with a willingness to explore whatever crazy ideas we had, with the stipulation the video be entered into the Kingston Canadian Film Festival. How could we say no?

The music video almost feels like a fever dream on mushrooms. Our intention was to sidestep a clear narrative and meaning, and to simply hint at the song’s meaning in a way your dreams/nightmares might leave breadcrumbs to try and lead you to a revelation… a revelation you’re not sure you’re ready for that lies just below the surface.

We brought a lot of very peculiar circumstances to life including liquid sherbet raining down on me while I held an umbrella, a bleeding cactus, a massive coin with a mold of my face on the front, and 2 alternate universes in which I am an electronic goldfish, and an elderly version of myself. The creative team did such an amazing job with all the props. The prosthetics they used to turn me into an old man were both very impressive and scary. Looking into the mirror and seeing a very convincing looking old man complete with sagging jowls rattled me a little bit – an existential crisis inducing experience.

FTS: How did Kasador get together as a band?

Cam Wyatt: We met each other in school as musicians looking to join a band, so we did, and we became friends through being in the band together. In the band’s early years we lost a couple members here and there and picked some up along the way. Boris and I have been in the band since the start, and Steve (our drummer) since 2018. Now with the band just the 3 of us, we feel more like ourselves than ever.

FTS: What are some of your favourite Canadians bands or artists?

Cam Wyatt: Growing up I loved (and still do love) Canadian indie rock scene bands like Hollerado, Arkells, Sam Roberts Band and July Talk. Some of my recent favourites are Charlotte Cardin, Ellevator, Softcult and Busty and the Bass.

FTS: If you could play any music venue anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Cam Wyatt: Playing the Red Rocks amphitheater would be amazing. Such an iconic location and so many amazing acts have played there. I think playing in a moving jumbo jet would be up there -literally- for me. Playing the global skies.

—-

Check out “Lock On”, the new single from Kasador!

Follow Kasador on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

—-