A conversation with Cooper Chasse about “You & Me”
Q: Hi! What inspired you to write “You & Me,” and how does it differ from your previous work?
A: I like to describe songs like “You & Me” as musical letters, and this song is one of a good handful I’ve written directed to one particular person. Over a span of a few months I’ve written and used these songs to communicate what I’ve been feeling towards said person. “You & Me” was one of the last songs I wrote for them but really it was written for me to process what was happening in my life at that time. Musically it’s very upbeat, which is not like my usual work, but it’s a direction I want to explore a bit more going forward.
Q: Can you tell us about the creative process behind “You & Me” and how you came up with the melody?
A: Simple but singable, that’s what it boiled down to. I wanted something that was fun to listen to, fun to play, and fun to mess around with on the drawing board. Even banging the tambourine take after take was fun.
Q: The lyrics of “You & Me” have been described as carefully curated poetry. How important is storytelling in your songwriting process?
A: It is vital. At the early stages of writing I have just chords with some semblance of a rhythm, but what gets the most attention very early on is the lyrical content. I usually have something on my mind I want to express, and it’s just finding the right words to convey it. I’m no special case and I know others go through the same or similar experiences, so if I know myself well enough I can crack open what everyone thinks but chooses to ignore.
Q: What emotions or experiences did you want to convey through “You & Me”?
A: I think the demo and the full version convey different levels of maturity. Originally, the song was written almost in a place of submission, as if I had been consumed by what was going on and not wanting things to change. As I was working on it during the recording, I had felt that the song meant more than just resisting change but instead felt like reminiscing on long passed memories in a thankful way.
Q: How did you first get into music, and when did you decide to pursue it as a career?
A: From what I’ve been told I was banging on pillows as a toddler, and sat behind a drum kit around the age of 5. That was it, I was sold. Over time I learned a few other instruments and had geared my life into being a film composer. I think I was about 25 when I recorded an album with the band Sun Smash Palace, and realized then how much I loved producing and recording. Then I moved to London, England where I ended up not only starting another band but I also released a few EPs of my own solo work, which is now collectively called “The Ghost of Trouble.”
Q: Can you tell us about your experience working on the film “Canada Man” in 2018
A: Damn! What a throwback. I had a short acting stint after university, mostly working as an extra on popular TV series like “The Expanse” or “Designated Survivor”. The odd time, though, I got some roles for some student films like the ever wonderful “Canada Man.” The crew was great, they’re all doing bigger and better things now, but it was a hoot to work with them. I got to keep a shirt they made for one of the best scenes, which is a time-capsule in itself.
Q: You have been described as a self-taught close-up magician. How did you get into magic, and does it influence your music in any way?
A: Magic is that which cannot be explained by words, but instead felt or experienced by all the senses. I’ve been blessed to have an autodidactic mind, so a good portion of the magic comes from years of learning and experiencing things that resonate with my own soul and trying to replicate it. The rest is stillness. Many songs I’ve written have come naturally, easily, and quickly, as if I’ve cleared away my mundane, thinking mind and allowed my observing mind to download material from the great beyond.
Q: What can fans expect from your upcoming full album, and how does “You & Me” fit into the overall theme or sound of the album?
A: “You & Me” is a more happier sounding expression of what the album entails. Fans should expect more big arrangements hitting different aspects of the emotional spectrum. To quote the song itself, “You & Me” sits right where it should be like a long lost puzzle piece. It tells its own story but also contributes to a greater narrative.
Q: Outside of music, what hobbies or interests do you have, and how do they inspire your creative process?
A: My two biggest interests are Mythology and Horticultural Sciences, which seem like very different disciplines but actually have more in common than one would think. They take me out of the creative process and show me the paths ahead. They guide and heal, which is what I need in my darkest times. I can get a lot of the same from music but sometimes you need something different to bring you back to center.
Q: Finally, what’s next for you?
A: Going back to school! Backing up my interest in Horticulture with a diploma. But peppered in there I have quite a few musical projects in the pipeline. I’m currently piecing together a small acoustic EP to keep me busy until I can record the next big album, but that’s in the very early stages.
