Just last week I wrote about the Isle of Wight band Cassie on the blog. It didn’t take long, as you see, that Hugh Lewis, the drummer, got in touch with me! And even better he was up for an interview! So here it is, the chance to learn a little bit more about this obscure powerpop band that left a classic 7″ that now has just been reissued!

++ Hi Hugh! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Thanks for your interest in Cassie. I’m very well!!! Sadly I’m not involved in the making of music anymore although I did stand in on the drums for a Turkish band a couple of weeks ago, really enjoyed that

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I must have been 6/7 when my Mum first took me to a folk night.Loved it and we went quite a few times after that. It was 1972 when I pestered my parents to buy me my first 45’ Starman by David Bowie.
Played about a bit on the guitar in 1977, within a few weeks I wanted to play the drums. Had a handful of lessons, but after that used to watch drummers play when I could, and then lots of practice.

Early 70’s glam rock!! Bowie, Faces, Rod Stewart, Stones, Who, Slade, Sweet. Mid to late 70’s Punk/new wavw. Early 80’s: NWBHM

++ Had you been in other bands before Cassie? I read that you all were in a band called Flirt? How did it sound like? Are there any recordings?

Yes Hunter, you can hear the material we did on isleofwightmusic.com, made my live debut with them in late 79′.

++ And aside from Flirt, were you all in any other bands?

Flirt was the same as Cassie, same line up, it was Wilf Pine our manager in the early 80’s who got us to change our name. As mentioned I played in Hunter originally, also Warrior a NWBHM band, sadly there are no recordings.Also Rendezvous- go to Isleofwightmusic.com and you can hear everything I recorded with them

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born in Bromley, Kent, UK, but we moved to the Isle of Wight when I was about 2 years old.

++ How was the Isle of Wight at the time of Cassie? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

The IOW is a holiday destination, it was always great in the summer, quiet in the winter. There were loads of places for bands to play in those days.

Local bands I liked were The Pumphouse Gang, Last Straw, Thin Red Line

Studio 4 in Ryde was the best!!!

Stacks of them at the time – Prince Consort, LA Babalu Club,Crown Inn, Royal Sandrock, Eight Bells, Solent court etc etc

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

We think about 76/77

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

Nigel wrote the riff, Debbie would have the lyrics down,Me and Eric would sort out the rhythm section. In a little village called Binstead, in a converted shed

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

Wilf Pine who signed us to a.k.a records changed us from Flirt to Cassie

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Blondie, Pretenders, Kim Wilde??

++ So early on you signed a deal with Video Records and even a publishing deal. I don’t think that is quite common these days, so quite curious how did you caught their attention? Through demo tapes? Gigs?

It was a demo we recorded late in 79’.

Radio victory a south coast radio station featured us and played the demo, Video Records heard it from there I think!!

++ But for some reason the songs you recorded for Video Records never pressed on vinyl. The label folded, right? What happened? How did the band take this blow?

No they never got out. Yes that’s right, ran into financial problems. To be fair in our stride, although we were all pretty gutted.

++ After this you went to record demos for Wilf Pine who was Black Sabbath’s manager. How did this relationship happen? And how was that recording session?

To be honest I can’t remember how Wilf got involved!! One day he wasn’t there the next he was!!

Arnie’s Shack in Poole, 3 tracks were recorded.The A’ Side , ‘B’ Side plus Falling which was to be a follow up single

++ Again for some reason you couldn’t get a record deal, right? So in 1982 you self-released a 7″ on your own A.K.A. Records. How did this work out for you? How did you raise money? Was the 7″ sold? Or was it mostly for promo copies?

Not well, the label was nothing to do with the band more Wilf’s project. There was no official release, and from what we can tell hardly any pressed, no media interest.

No idea, Wilf paid for the recordings. We don’t know anything about sales as there was no feedback, certainly no royalties paid.

++ There was no sleeve for it, right?

Nope, everything done on the cheap!!!

++ And did A.K.A. Records name mean anything?

Don’t think so, if it did I don’t know what!!!

++ Then there was interest from Dakota Records. But again nothing came out of this. What happened? Was there interest from any other labels?

Yes. The band never had any management again when it all finished with Wilf so nobody drove the business side of the band!!

No the band called it a day after the Dakota thing never materialised!! 3 Labels and nothing to show for it, I guess we’d had enough by then

++ The Isle of Wight Music website have all your recorded output, 12 songs. Well, I have to ask, is that all your recorded output or are there still unreleased recordings by the band?

Not anymore they don’t, we have asked them to take them down.

I think including the single and B side there are a total of 18 songs

++ And from where do these recordings in that website come from? Different demo tapes?

Yes from 80 to 84

++ And aside from the 7″ you put out, did you appear on any compilations?

The band no. I also appear with Rendezvous on the feet on the Street compilation

++ This year a reissue of the 7″ came out on Reminder Records. I only noticed that it is a US based label! I am curious about the story of how this release came together? How did the label track you down?

Yeah great isn’t it!!! Our fourth label !!!!! Yes from Brooklyn, New York City.

They heard the song on Yo tube, saw us on isleofwightmusic.com and got the band members names from there.After that they found that Nigel Hayles is no longer traceable as he sadly passed away in 02’ Eric Biggs has no social media presence at all.Debbie Barker is now married and obviously had a different name Debbie Coles. That left only me they could traceI spoke to the Labels CEO Jeremy Thompson in December last year about it all, from there as they say ’the rest is history’

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Change of Image”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

Great song.

Who knows, Debbie wrote the story!!! It’s about female empowerment

++ If you were to choose your favorite Cassie song, which one would that be and why?

“Hold Me” or “Find a Way”.  I think. Just really like the groove of both

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

Yeah at one stage, three times a week

++ You even got a six month residency at the Royal Sandrock Inn in Nilton. How did this happen? How many gigs did you play there? Did you have a big local following?

That’s right. The owner of the pub saw us at a different venue, liked us and asked us to play there. No idea, I guess once a week for 6 months, around 24/25 I would think

Not really, but we were very popular in Niton lol!!!

++ And were there any bad gigs?

Plenty lol!!! Sometimes you’d hear ‘“ Your shit you are”

++ When and why did Cassie stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

I think we’d had a gutful by 84. Yes Rendezvous until 86 time.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?

++ Has there been any reunion gigs?

No

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

A fair bit, but only mainly local stations

++ What about TV? Made any promo videos?

Nope

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

A little bit at the time

++ What about from fanzines?

Nope

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

We wrote some catchy tunes and the fact that people seem interested in them 40 years on is great!!!

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

My main other love is football, I’m a qualified UEFA ‘A’ Coach and have earned a living in football for over 20 years.

++ Never been to the Isle of Wight. So I will ask for some recommendations. If  I was to visit your city what shouldn’t I miss? What are your favourite sights? And any particular food or drinks that you think one shouldn’t miss?

The Isle of Wight Festival!!! Brilliant festival. It’s a stunningly beautiful Island

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Nope I think we’ve covered it all pretty much, thank you for your interest in Cassie!!!!!

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Listen
Cassie – Change of Image