INTRODUCING: Bastette
The sound of classic rock has been one that has been loved and appreciated since the sound was solidified in the latter half of the 20th century. A revival of this sound has been something that online fans and music critics have been talking about, especially with bands like GRETA VAN FLEET and MÅNESKIN mentioned often in this conversation. Another that should be added in this debate is BASTETTE, a four-piece that has been gaining momentum with rock fans, including featuring on the New Wave Of Classic Rock compilation and winning the Highway To Hell competition in Sheffield that was at the end August. As the group is gearing up for the release of their second EP, Exposed, Distorted Sound sat down with vocalist Caroline Kenyon to talk about the EP, their sound, and the love they have for one of their biggest inspirations.
“It was brilliant to win Highway To Hell,” Caroline comments. “We also won Classic Rock Magazine’s ‘Track of the Week’ for our single, Rollercoaster, which was up against HALESTORM. I put out a post when I met them when I was 17, me and my friend went in with very bad makeup on, and wearing clothes that were just like ‘why would you wear that because you’re 17 you think you look good’ look. We got this picture, and we didn’t even speak to them at all! We were mutes, just stood there like, ‘can you sign this? I gave a leather jacket for them to sign. So the song was up against HALESTORM’s, and we won, which is incredible but I think it’s because she didn’t put a tweet out and tell her fans to vote, I don’t really know. But we’ve got a really good fanbase, so that’s really good.”
That fanbase would have started back in 2019 with their release of their self-titled debut EP, which included tracks like Dare You and Faultline. “When I first started BASTETTE, it was just me,” she says as she explains the history of the band and their name. “I suppose when you’re a performer, you can feel like you want a persona to step into. So instead of going into Caroline, I was like ‘I need a name I need something that when I step on stage I’m no longer Caroline.’ You won’t find many performers where their personality is the same as it is on stage. So BASTETTE kind of came from that and she’s an Egyptian cat goddess and very powerful figure, and that was, I was like ‘well I’m gonna step into that, I’m going to pick that kind of character’.”
“When I did the first EP, it was literally me and a session guitarist,” she continues. “I feel like I was trying to find my way with the sound. With this new EP, Exposed, I feel like I’ve found it, or at least I’m a lot closer than I was before. It’s a little bit darker, a little bit rockier, and the meaning behind the EP as a whole is more cohesive. It’s not ‘here’s a song from that time here’s a song from that time and jam together and put them on an EP’; it’s very much like lyrically and storytelling wise, it fits with its title, it’s kind of a progression through different events.”
As mentioned, the band are big fans of HALESTORM, and they are one of the major influences on the group, as well as bands like THE PRETTY RECKLESS and STARBENDERS. As the latter of the three have yet to tour in the UK, Caroline suggests that BASTETTE would be a perfect fit to the tour as their support. “I just think they’re great,” she gushes whilst discussing the Atlantan band. “I think they’re new, I think they’re fresh, I think they’re not trying to be anything other than them. Their image and style are insane, just so cool. But yeah, if they did come over, maybe I would send them a message and say if you’ve not got any support, can we do it? I don’t know how it works, obviously they’re on Sumerian Records so I think if they come up to the UK, they’d probably come over as a support slot for a UK band or something. See how it works out if it happens.”
There’s often a cycle that many bands and artists go through between record and tour on loop. To break away from that, Caroline likes to sit back and relax…with more music! “I am music obsessed so I will sit and listen to music and get a coffee because I can’t when I’m singing on tour. There’s certain things that aren’t that good for your voice so I try to avoid caffeine and stuff like that, so when I’ve got a couple of weeks off, I’ll chill a little bit, and I’ll get on my big headphones and just zone out. I’ll watch certain TV shows like American Horror Story and stuff like that.”
As the whole world opens up again with more shows and tours happening again with safety measures, BASTETTE are ready to keep going and show more people who they are. “We just want to keep growing, we want to keep gigging,” Caroline says to close out the conversation. “Keep touring and keep moving up through the industry. There’s different ways to do that, that’s the buzz. It’s the part of it where you’re just in the moment. That’s something that I hadn’t quite realised, you’re just completely immersed and you’re connecting with the audience; they can help us have a good time and to be in the moment as well. I think that’s the key to why a lot of musicians keep touring and us in BASTETTE have just got to keep chipping away and keep going.”
Exposed is out now via RPM Records.
Like BASTETTE on Facebook.