Interview with Marty Casey

Sitting down with Marty Casey on tour.

Marty Casey loves being on the road.

Marty Casey loves being on the road. Recently, the staff of MartyCasey.com had the opportunity talk with him about his current tour as lead singer of L.A. Guns, his signature Trees Dog Tag necklace, and much more. On July 18th, we spoke to Marty before that night’s L.A. Guns show in Johnson City, Tennessee. L.A. Guns is currently on tour with Faster Pussycat, hitting over 50 cities across the U.S., in Canada, and in Latin America.

Sitting down with Marty, we note how in recent interviews that he seems more positive and upbeat. During our interview, Marty is laid back and smiling the whole time. He talks about how he is just having fun on this tour and that he is focusing on working hard and winning over new fans.

"You just got to get going sometimes."

Much of what Marty loves about this intense tour schedule is that he
feels happy to get moving again and brush off the dust. "When you sit
around too long, everything starts to pile up on you," he states. "You
just got to get going sometimes."

During our conversation, Marty’s decision to join L.A. Guns for their world tour came up several times. “I knew that decision would affect people in both ways,” says Marty. And, he compares his decision to join L.A. Guns on their world tour with his decision to join Rockstar INXS. Both decisions went against the grain, he explains. Both times he knew it was something that he had to do in spite of the fact that he did not have support from all of those around him at all times. In the end, Marty feels that in both scenarios, he has been able to turn it around and make it something good and positive. Finally, he states that you have to do it, make the decision, and then you have to let it go.

Marty sees getting back on a tour bus as a positive thing in his life.
With more than 50 plus shows spanning across the United States into Canada and Latin America, this summer tour with L.A. Guns is intense. However, with support like having a tour bus comes the ability to still have a life while on the road and focus more on music and fans, he explains.

"a whole different thing"

With Marty as the new vocalist, it is “a whole different thing" for L.A. Guns. He comments that while the songs remain the same, there is so much new energy. While this new version of L.A. Guns was only recently formed, Marty still feels a strong musical relationship with the band. According to him, the fact that all five of them get along musically is really the point. "I am a member of the band, but it is also the two entities coming together,” says Marty. And there is a mutual respect there, he states.

Marty is excited about all the new fans...

Marty spoke with us about the mutual respect felt with Tracii Guns,
lead guitarist for L.A. Guns. "Tracii can captivate the audience,"
Marty states. "He is a great player and performer." Just as Marty is
excited about all the new fans that come with L.A. Guns, Tracii loves
all the new fans gained with Marty as new lead singer.

Marty sees them as both important cogs in the wheel or machinery of L.A. Guns. On hanging with Tracii at Rocklahoma, Marty comments that it was wild because he got to meet all different bands like Tesla, Ratt, Poison, Sebastian Bach & XYZ. "Tracii is a real notable character and he is very respected in that group," says Marty. When introducing Marty to these bands, Tracii did so in very high regard saying, "this is fuckin Marty Casey from Rockstar INXS." Marty is amazed at how Tracii very much has his back.

"'That's Marty Casey!'"

On collaborating with Tracy and L.A. Guns, Marty explains that they brought in the song “Trees” which has become a calling card for Marty that hit #1 in MSN charts during Rockstar INXS. “Trees” is set at a good point in the show to really highlight it, explains Marty. "It is perfect because every night people are like this singer is great, but when I play Trees, they go ‘That's Marty Casey!’”

...a real rocked out version

The first time they played Trees as L.A. Guns, it was a real rocked out version, as Marty describes it. He feels the song is different now as it is set in a different register because L.A. Guns is so heavy and Marty can be a little lighter. Trees now sounds like "these different colors” says Marty. “Different textures of who these people are in L.A. Guns and that is what it [Trees] sounds like.” For Marty, it is fun that everybody likes the song, “Trees,” so much in the band even when it is like a hard-core metal band. So he is happy that the song continues to live on.

"I never take it off...I love it."

The song, “Trees,” has inspired a personal line of jewelry by Marty Casey. The idea came out of a discussion with Marla Zegart, a family friend of Marty’s who is also a designer. He just wanted it to be his own thing and they worked out the design and came up with the concept of a Trees dog tag necklace. Later, the idea of the back having the veins of the leaf arose. Marty discusses the necklace: "The whole thing, even the leather chain, is really well made. And, I can leave it on. I never take it off...I love it." With portions of the profits of the necklace going to an organization to plant Trees, the focus is more on doing the necklace for that purpose and really just to have fun, says Marty.

...he is very thankful for all the support fans have given him throughout the tour

Another important part of his tour has been connecting with fans, Marty explains. While on tour, he has been able to hang out with fans at the shows and online. He really likes answering questions on the board, says Marty. He commented on things that his fans had written on his message board as well. “I do like the photo, that drawing that the young girl did...I can't believe she is sixteen!" He was a little amazed when he saw a thread about the bad pictures of Marty Casey. He talks about the different threads that his fans create: “Yeah, it's fun. And then I like when they put a little what was he thinking, what was he doing. That was a fun one." Further, he is very thankful for all the support fans have given him throughout the tour.

Talking further about the recent change in his life that came by singing and touring with L.A. guns, Marty states: "I am really now a believer that you try to be mentally thoughtful about your life and you try to be considerate about all those around you, starting with your family. And when you get the feeling in your gut that there is a change to be made, you gotta make it.” He is just happier, he says, for a lot of different reasons among them “fun and getting to do what you love to do everyday.”

"They are a huge part of my life..."

Marty also adds "I do miss playing and performing with the Lovehammers. They are a huge part of my life and I hope that thru time we can get back on the stage with some new material and keep it going. Joining LA Guns has taught me a lot, expanded my knowledge of music, intensified my performance and strengthened my voice. I really do hope that I can bring all that back to the Hammers. That is always on my mind and I really miss them."

Links