Interview: London Based Singer-Songwriter Cooper Chasse Talks About His Quarantine Demos Collection
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“A lot of the Quarantine Demos are songs I wrote post break-up. “Love to Give” is meant to be the final EP of the Quarantine Demos...”
We're huge fans of your new single "Stay", off your just released EP "Love to Give". Why did you choose to release this song as the lead single? Also, can we expect an official music video for it?
I'm very passionate about all the songs I write, but "Stay" stood out as one that I thought could be most relatable to listeners. It's about a wonderful first date and I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling of wonderment and excitement that comes with a really good date.
On a sonic level, as I was going through the engineering process I kept making mental notes of which ones sounded the best, not only with sound quality but my own performance. The tricky thing with this project is that both guitar and vocals were recorded at the same time in my living room, so pitch correction was off the table, mistake editing was tricky, and pesky room tone was a cause of much frustration. After all this, "Stay" remained one of the shining songs that I thought could be a great introduction to my work. Others came close, but "Stay" stood out the most.
There's been talks of doing a music video, but as of yet no solid ideas have come to light. If there is a music video then it'll be very on brand with the Quarantine Demos meaning it'll be a very raw and simple homemade project.
Tell us about the "Love to Give" EP and your creative process for its six songs.
After "Demos from Hancock Road" and "Yeti Demos" were released I had no cohesive plan for any successive installments. So early on, "Love to Give" was just mixed in with the other songs I had planned to record. I had labeled everything as "Yeti Demos 2, 3, 4" and so on and I believe that "Love to Give" was originally two separate EPs. At a certain point, I realized that the songs I had labeled as "Yeti Demos 5" and "Yeti Demos 6" shared a similar thematic tone, so I scrapped a song or two and put together what became "Love to Give."
In terms of the actual creative process, they were all songs I had written within the last eight months, but they stood out to me as being some of my strongest work. Half of it was written back in Toronto and half was written here in London. They all touch on post break-up thoughts, like what does the future hold for me, where do I go next, and things of that sort.
Being from Canada, what led you to London and how has the move impacted your songwriting and music development, overall?
I came to London to try to pursue music more seriously, but with the pandemic it just made things trickier as an artist. I've always had a struggle to find the meaning of "home" for me.
Geographically, Canada is my home, or at least one of, but as I've gotten older the feeling of home had lost its magic in the Great White North. Once I arrived here, my songs have been less about "where to go next?" and more of "alright, I'm here, how can I make the most of this situation?"
There is much inspiration to be cultivated in London, and I suspect my next releases will touch a lot more on that. Songs like "Stay," "Morning Song," "Love to Give," and "Tonight" from "Autumn Ruminations" were all written in London and, to me, at least, they have a different feel than the ones written in Canada.
What initially motivated you to develop the Quarantine Demos? Has your goal always been to have over 25 songs as part of this collection?
The entire process of the Quarantine Demos was odd. There was no planning, really, and the project became what it was every next step of the process, if that makes sense. The first EP, "Demos from Hancock Road," was done merely as a chance to get in a studio and do a solo project the proper way. Because I was just warming up to people hearing my music and hearing me sing, I was very nervous for the entirety of recording.
So, "Yeti Demos" was born out of the idea that I can record songs without spending a dime in a place and situation I was more comfortable in. Everything after these initial two EPs was recorded all at once in bulk and then sorted after based on theme. So there's a clear difference between these newest installments and the first two EPs. Also the reason why I released the latest four EPs at once.
How would you compare the "Love to Give" EP to the other EPs in the Quarantine Demos? From a thematic and sonic standpoint, is there much of a contrast?
A lot of the Quarantine Demos are songs I wrote post break-up. "Love to Give" is meant to be the final EP of the Quarantine Demos, and if you were to follow the themes from "Demos from Hancock Road" all the way to "Love to Give," with the exception of "Fool," you'll see the progression of how I felt.
So thematically, the early songs were very heartbreak heavy and the later songs, especially the ones written in London, really go into starting the next chapter. Sonically, "Demos from Hancock Road," sounds the best because it's recorded in a studio and mastered by an experienced engineer. I've been personally studying audio engineering so as a means to save money, "Yeti Demos" and onward was engineered by myself. So definitely not as high in the sound quality department.
Stream and Share “Quarantine Demos” on: Apple Music | Spotify