Interview With Casey Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter, TREOS)

Casey Crescenzo from The Dear Hunter has agreed to take a few questions with me about topics such as the TREOS re-release, the future of TREOS, the background of The Dear Hunter's albums' stories, the color spectrum, and upcoming touring. Read it after the jump.

TREOS just re-released Between The Heart and Synapse with a new song that included you. I’m guessing you’re still close with the guys. How did this all come about?

Basically the idea was kicking around for a long time about making new music together. Actually when the original breakup happened- when I was invited to play their last show together, we all reconnected in a big way, and I couldn't really keep my mouth shut about making new music together in any facet.

Are there any plans of future TREOS releases, or was this a one time thing?

I think this is kind of a one time thing.  We all felt the same way, that we wanted to work together, but every time that we do something like this- or a show together, there is the gap of time in between where we live life pretty removed from each other.  So when we reconnect we have so many unique experiences that we do not share that the feeling of being a group, or a band, is less and less, understandably. That isn’t to say that the experience is any less enjoyable or anything, just that people focus more and more on their lives as time goes on and the thought of continuing anything related to TREOS gets pushed further into the backs of our minds. Personally I am just grateful I was asked to be a part of it, and while I could sit in a room for years with those guys and make music we loved, I understand some things have to end after a while.

Are there still plans on finishing all six acts of The Dear Hunter’s series?

Yes and no. There is no set in stone plan at the moment as far as a timeline... just a rough plan that I want to finish it.

How did you think of the entire story? Did you base it off of any experiences or was it pure imagination?

The story spawned out of a personal experience, and the first few records were very personal. It wasn't that I dated a prostitute, or that my mother was a prostitute, but I found that the story was a really therapeutic way for me to get through some things. From there it really became more about telling the story and pulling from my life here and there. But at a certain point it really was about just telling a story. If I continued to try and force in my personal experience, or limit it to my personal experiences then I think the story would suffer, and with this project it was about writing a good story.

I know you have done quite a bit of producing as well, including for the excellent band The River Empires. How do you choose the production you do? Do these bands come to you, or do you pick them out and offer to produce their records?

 I’m not really confident enough to seek out bands to produce, but from time to time I’ll get a good amount of interest and if I enjoy what the band is trying to do, and I feel that I can be a positive element in what they are creating, then I will do my best to make it happen. That being said, production is something that I love, and I hope to do it more and more.

Are there any bands that you have produced that people just need to know?

Well I think that TRE and Falling Up are two bands that are really wonderful- mostly the brainchildren of Jessy Ribordy.  But also I worked with a band recently called RuinGloria from Australia that were a good lot of fun, playing some great rock music.

So, the upcoming color series. When are we expecting to see them out in the public?

I would say that May/June is the safe bet for a release. It is getting pushed back a little bit because some of the collaborations have taken a little more time to pan out.

Each of the EPs are supposed to “feel” like their colors. Can you give us a few examples of what some of the colors are going to “feel” like?

Well first that is not really the case. Each of the EPs are supposed to represent what those colors feel like to me.  To try and represent what a color feels like to everyone would be pretty futile. Red is going to mean an infinite amount of things to everyone. Some people just think anger. And I have what I feel. So I am operating on that tangent.

There had been news earlier that there was a plan of a split with The Felix Culpa. Is that still in the works?

I am just focused 100% on the color spectrum right now, and as far as the split goes it is something that I am excited to do when the time presents itself... but like I said, my focus is completely on what I am doing at the moment.

Are there any touring plans for the future?

There is the plan to tour but no real specifics.  I know that I want to support this release in a big way, but I have to finish the records before I can promote them.  I am super excited to play this stuff live.

Thanks Casey for taking the time to take these questions.

Everyone needs to check out The Dear Hunter and everything Casey Crescenzo does, and you can listen to all of their music on Myspace here.