Cassette

Formed in Johannesburg, South Africa, Cassette are Jon Savage, Jane Breetzke, Andrew Wessels, Marc Bentel and Nathan Waywell, and their debut album "Welcome Back To Earth" won "Best Rock Album" at South Africa’s prestigious SAMA awards in 2007. Mosh2music were at the Half Moon in Putney, South West London, to catch up with the band and enjoy the opening gig of a whistle stop European tour which would take in Edinburgh, Hertford, and various dates in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, before finishing full circle in the Cobden Club, West London at the end of May.
A legendary venue, the Half Moon’s ‘Walls of Fame’ boast pictures of acts that have played there, from Fairport Convention to U2, the Rolling Stones to Kate Bush, Dire Straits to Kasabian, and even the renowned British country singer/writer Hank Wangford (who has a name not to be attempted after a certain number of beers). So, were Cassette nervous about following in the footsteps of such esteemed acts? Speaking to lead singer Jon backstage before the gig, he seemed more concerned that, at 8pm on a Wednesday night, a van still hadn’t been secured to take them and their kit up to Edinburgh’s Octopus Diamond for the following day’s commitments…..

That concern was short lived though as, kicking off with “Argentina Skies”, industrial and with noticeable changes of pace, the guys were soon into their stride. My favourite, the snappy, buoyant “Love With The Light On”, made an early appearance, a track with echoes of The Thrills, probably because Jon’s lucid vocals leave you hanging for more in the same way as Conor Deasy’s do. Strutting about to the beginning of “Beautiful Smile”, Jon’s vocal range expanded to remind the listener of Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.

Solemnly introducing the next track as being about “a great leader of the people” (and coming from South Africa, there can only be one), the band removed their collective tongues from their cheeks and crashed into “Get In The Ring (aka Mugabe)”, offering the loathsome Zimbabwean dictator an invitation to join them in the said ring, or get out, the piano providing an ironic decorum.

The Feeder-esque beginning to “Your Star” gave way to simple but wistful and longing lyrics, and was followed by a new track, the funky “Turn It Up”, showing that there is plenty to look forward to for the second LP. Treating us to an excellent, storming cover of The Boomtown Rats’ “I Don’t Like Mondays”, Cassette then returned to the content of their award winning album with “Sometimes” - the initial ten second synthesized opening is misleading, as it quickly crashes into an upbeat tune that’s heartening and lively – Jon was having a ball and had the packed crowd in the palm of his hand by now, this track had fun written all over it. Confidence was high as the piano opened another new one, “Kathy”, reminding me of R.E.M., followed by the desperate, rocky “Tracy”.

‘Time for one more ball twister!’ shouts Jon gleefully, as the reggae rock beat of Nathan’s bass winds the crowd up one last time for the stonking, crazy “Pump It Up”, a rousing ending to an excellent show.

Edinburgh and the continent are in for a treat if Cassette continue in this vein, check out Cassette's official website at www.playcassette.com.

Reviewed by Dan