2013 has proved to be a busy year for Vinnie Caruana so far, and he is yet to let up steam.
R13 Your solo EP; 'City By The Sea' came out last month, have you been pleased with the response to it?
VC: Yeah, I'm really happy. It is different when your name is on the record; the response has been pretty overwhelming. I played in Kingston on the day I landed and the crowd are singing along just as loud to the solo material as they are to the older stuff and the stuff I've done with my two bands. It feels great, just great!
R13 For those who haven't heard it, what can you tell us about the record?
VC: It is definitely personal which I guess is pretty redundant. Fans of my music will definitely be able to relate; it is just another chapter of the book. The music is not as driving as the punk records I have made but it is quite intense. When you think solo you think of an acoustic record, but there's' a lot instrumentation on it and a lot of interesting things going on musically. It is a soundscape for me to tell stories.
R13 What was the original inspiration for the album and was there a certain message you were trying to convey?
VC: There is a lot of personal things on there; dealing with the loss of loved ones while at the same time celebrating them. There's also me talking about my own struggles and trying to get my head together. It was very therapeutic and felt so great to do, so there's a bit of everything. There's some sadness but there is also some celebratory songs.
R13 What do you get from your solo work that you don't get from your work with your various band projects?
VC: It is completely different. I'm travelling alone, seeing the world in a different way, I'm on stage by myself which is unnerving at times but I'm pretty used to it now. It is a different feeling but it is a part of my repertoire and part of what I do now, and I'm really grateful to have it. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier, I would get home from tour and wonder what to do with myself; now I get home from tour, grab my guitar and go back.
R13 How does the writing process differ between the two?
VC: The structural approach to the songs is different but there have been times when I wasn't sure if it was going to be a solo song or an I Am The Avalanche song. I kind of let time tell me which was which; I just time tell me which is which and which arrangement sound good in each setting. The lyrics in the solo stuff tends to be a bit more personal, although everything is a true story, there is no fiction. It is just my life.
R13 What can people expect to see from you at a solo show?
VC: Generally when I headline shows, I tell a lot of stories, I take a lot of requests, I'm there to be a part of it just like everyone else is. I'm there to experience it with everyone so I don't tend to make a setlist, sometimes I'll be onstage for a good hour and a half just play. At a festival like this I am just going to have to shut up and play music so that I don't talk my way through the whole set. It is a really intimate experience; I'm always hanging out and talking to the fans. There are fans of me that like to get closer and ask what songs are about and I'm right there for them, which is really nice. It is a good time for me to connect with everybody, and have just have a good time.
R13 I saw you in London earlier this year and although I am aware of your bands; being in that crowd was like being part of a cult.
VC: (Laughs) They're very dedicated and loyal and I try to give them the same in return.
R13 When I saw you, your solo set also included work from Movielife and I Am The Avalanche, is that the same on this tour?
VC: Yes, when I play solo shows I play a bit of The Movielife and I Am The Avalanche, solo material and sometimes a few covers. I try to give everyone what they want to hear.
R13 Was it a struggle for you to get up onstage on your own?
VC: Oh my god, it took me about a year to be comfortable with it. It is always a different thing and a different setting. Today will be a different one for sure; I'm playing on a boat, on a river! That's a first!
R13 And in a sunny England, that never happens!
VC: Exactly! I should probably knock on wood; it will rain now we've said that knowing England!
R13 Will we see new material from I Am The Avalanche this year or is your solo material your sole focus at this point?
VC: After this tour, I am going to Europe to play some festivals and then I'll go home and I'll finishing writing the new album for I Am The Avalanche and we'll start recording in the middle of May. We plan to release it in the fall.
R13 Any plans for a UK tour with the band?
VC: I believe a UK tour will be in order following the release of the record here; we would never neglect the UK.
R13 Between your various projects you have a pretty busy schedule, how do you stay on top of that and do you ever crave down time?
VC: I do have plenty of down time, but it really depends on the cycle, if I Am The Avalanche are touring full time because the record is out than that's great. We only tour as a band when we have a record out; we all have friends, family, dogs and cats. I have a small team of people to help me organised my life who tell me to concentrate on playing shows and writing records. We have meetings; I tell them what I want to achieve that year and we achieve it.
R13 What has been your proudest career moment to date?
VC: I have to say between the last I Am The Avalanche record and City By The Sea; my solo record, they are my two proudest works. I think that's a good sign; I think that means I am more of a stronger artist than I ever was and more of a prolific artist than I ever was. I need to keep that up and continue to do what I am doing as people are responding to the new music. The Movielife was quite a successful band; especially in the UK, so for me to be in Kingston and have people sing louder to my solo work than The Movielife songs is amazing for me.
R13 That's about all I need unless there's anything else you'd like to add.
VC: Just thank you for everyone who has supported me, I always see a lot of familiar faces every time I come out. I will keep coming back and releasing records. The best way to know what I'm doing is to follow me on Twitter; my handle is @vinniecaruana and I will keep them up to date on what's going on and when I'll be over.
R13 Excellent, thanks for your time. Looking forward to seeing you on a boat!
VC: I'm looking forward to playing on a boat; I should probably put on my swimming costume!