Scene changes but Cast are back (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Scene changes but Cast are back

5:17pm Friday 8th February 2013 in What's on in Lancashire

AFTER a 10-year break, Cast are back together and winning as many plaudits as they did first time round.

The band, whose debut album All Change, was one of the biggest sellers of the mid 90s play Blackburn next Friday and singer John Power admits that the band’s renaissance is something he’d never thought would happen.

“To be honest, I never thought we’d get together again,” said Power, who was also a members of the hugely influential Liverpool band The La’s.

“But we’re all older and wiser now and I think we all realise what we have together.

“When you are setting off it’s very much a you against the world mentality and I think we’re all that bit more mature now.”

Top 10 hits such as Walk Away and Sandstorm quickly made Cast one of the rising stars around the Brit Pop scene. Before they even had a record label, the band supported both Elvis Costello and Oasis.

“To be recognised by artists such as that was a massive boost to us,” said John. “We were just young kids really.”

Cast split in 2001 after five albums with John content with writing songs and performing as a solo artist.

“I would get asked to put Cast songs into my solo shows and I didn’t mind playing them,” he said.

“We had never set out to be stars. I was and still am in love with the idea of songwriting.”

In 2010 Cast got back together and began touring.

“I think we all realised immediately that when we are on stage together we have this great dynamic,” said John. “The first time round we were playing some pretty big venues but we were possibly too young or too naïve to fully appreciate it.

“Now we have all got our own interests musically and we have all improved as musicians.”

Last year Cast released the album Trouble Times to critical acclaim and have been touring extensively.

“We have been on the road pretty much for 18 months,” said John. “The response has been great and the set includes songs from the early days right through to the new album. I think after the next few shows we will be taking some time out from the road to put an EP together.

“But we will definitely be sticking together.”

Support comes from local bands The Wagon Wheels and Lava Gunk.

n Cast, King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Friday, February 15. Details from 0844 847 1664. Tickets include admission to the Late Shift after show party.