“I hope we even just have half the fun we’ve had when we’ve played together in Spain,” Casino says. “These are just a great bunch of guys to hang out with.”
Despite his Iberian backing band’s relatively short gestation period, Casino says the first appearance of Los Secretos in Spain was emphatically impressive. “We had only one rehearsal before the tour started, and they had their shit together well before I did,” Casino laughs. Having had a rotating cast of musicians supporting him over many years, Casino is used to the different interpretations of his compositions. “Each incarnation of the Secrets tends to play the songs in different ways, and these guys are no exception,” Casino says. “And that’s great because it keeps me on the ball – they tend to hijack the songs and taken them in a completely different direction. The guys come from a more punk rock background, so that tends to come through when we’re playing live.”
Never idle, Casino will celebrate the appearance of Los Secretos in Australia with the launch of a double 7” gatefold single featuring two new tracks, and covers of Spencer P Jones’ Trick Your Boat Wrong and Portugese rock’n’roller Nic Nicotine’s I Let You Down. Casino is a longtime friend and fan of Spencer Jones; in that context, the decision to cover a Jones composition is entirely natural. “When I lived in Melbourne Spencer used to play two or three times a week, and I’d go and see him as much as I could,” Casino says. “Spencer’s a national treasure. He should be making heaps of money and have huge numbers of fans.” Basking in the afterglow of a gig a couple of years ago, producer Loki Lockwood suggested Casino cover one of Jones’ songs. “We’d had a few beers after the show and Loki told me I had to do one of his songs,” Casino says. “I said I’d do any of them, because they’re all good. And someone had an iPod, which had some of Spencer’s songs on it. A couple of the guys in the band knew [Trick Your Boat Wrong], so we ended up doing that one.” Casino has sent a copy of his cover to Jones, but hasn’t yet heard the great man’s reaction. “I’m sure he’ll contact me and tell me what he thinks of it. He’ll probably hell me I owe him a couple of beers,” Casino laughs.
While Spencer P Jones’ abilities are well known, Nic Nicotine’s name is more likely to draw a blank with local audiences. “Before the last Spanish tour a couple of the guys from Los Chicos invited me to a bar for a drink, and there was a friend of theirs from Portland who was playing,” Casino says. “And within two bars I was hooked on the music. There was this one song that stuck in my head. My wife had bought the CD at the show, so I listened to it and learnt how to play the song – and it’s that song that’s on the 7””.
Casino has recently returned to the studio, putting down tracks for a forthcoming solo record and another Secrets record, the latter slated for release early next year. “I bought an old valve tape machine when I was in Spain, I’ve been trying to capture the performance with just me and a microphone,” Casino says. Casino’s studio exploits temper the disappointment with which he and fellow Sydney musicians assess the Sydney live music scene. With the Sandringham Hotel following in the footsteps of the Hopetoun and ceasing operation as a live venue, Sydney musicians have been deprived of yet another venue. “I think things work in cycles, so I hope it turns around,” Casino says. “And if that’s the case, then it’s a long, two-year cycle. I’d like it to be a flourishing scene with lots of bands, but I’m not completely sure there’s enough really good bands around to justify lots of venues.”
In the absence of local live music venues, Spain, and continental Europe generally, provides a regular, and bountiful destination for Casino’s rich rock’n’roll craft. “Musically I have a better chance of success over in Europe than here,” Casino says. “But to be honest I just like to play music anywhere. Give me a powerpoint to plug into, and I’m happy to play.”
BY PATRICK EMERY
Photo credit: Emmy Etie
