01Profile
A Harvey Causon Photo
Harvey Causon
Artist & Producer — Bristol
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Harvey Causon, based in Bristol originally from near Slough.
What do you do?
I am a producer, vocalist and songwriter.
Describe your style in three words?
'50s, second-hand, minimal.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I wanted to catch FKA Twigs throughout my teenage years but was always too young or something didn’t work out. I finally got round to it at Primavera on the big amphitheatre stage at 4am. I managed to get myself right at the front in the middle. The choreography, costumes and band were just mesmerising and it reminded me of all the magic of big shows and when I used to dance as a kid. It was one of the first shows of the Magdalene tour. I went and saw it again at her second to last show of the tour when we were stuck in Belgium on tour and I was able to sit and watch it sober in this beautiful theatre and was just as mesmerised. Such an unbelievable talent.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
At school, I spent a lot of time with William Blake’s work. The way he encapsulated the darkness of the church and London in the early 19th century through poetry and the etched plates has always fascinated me. I feel an affinity as I’m sure many do with the way he looked at the world and I think he was a true radical. An hour would be cool.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Bristol underground Experimental Scene, Trip-hop, '50s Teddy Boys, Mod Culture, 50’s Hitchcock Films, Grime, Powell and Pressburger '40s cinema, West Coast Jazz, Bebop, Golden Age Japanese Cinema, Swing Era, Dub-Reggae, Musique Concrète, Lisztomania, Hip Hop.
Of all the independent venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
This was a tough choice between The Louisiana and The Crofters Rights in Bristol. Both I cut my teeth in with my band living in Bristol over the last three years. But, The Louisiana has to take it for me, had my first sold-out headline show in that venue. The sound is really dry and great and the atmosphere with so many friendly faces was immense, one of the best days of my life. It’s under threat right now like many grassroots so please donate to the go fund me if you can. Such an important part of cultural history!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Delia Derbyshire was a pioneer of electronic music and is such an inspiration to me. The work she did at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop can be argued to prefigure modern dance and electronic music in the UK. Because of gender discrimination and the BBC’s underlying conservatism and paternalism at the time a lot of Derbyshire’s work assimilated into pop culture without credit and I think unfortunately that really dogged her life. She talked about being inspired by the sounds of the blitz and I find her work so unnerving and creative. There’s so much archived unreleased music but ‘Love Without Sound' by White Noise is a good taste.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
I think it might have been something ugly like Mcfly, but I’m gonna run with 'Rock Your Body' by Justin Timberlake because that album was definitely on repeat before I was ten.
A song that defines the teenage you?
This is too hard, these were all bigguns at different stages.
'CMYK' by James Blake.
'Wimme Nah' by Vic Mensah.
'Lights Out Words Gone' by Bombay Bicycle Club.
One record you would keep forever?
'The Quanta Series' by Káryyn. Not even too sure why this album resonates so much with me. Something to do with Káryyns story of Aleppo and history coming through emotionally in the music and her inquisitiveness in consciousness and quantum physics. The sound design, the prosody and the beautiful songwriting underneath just seems to capitalise on everything I love in music. It helped me get through a time I was down so I’m sure it will hold a prevalent place forever.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"I know everything, I know everything, know myself
I know morality, spirituality, good and bad health
I know fatality might haunt you
I know everything, I know Compton
I know street shit, I know shit that's conscious, I know everything
I know lawyers, advertisement their sponsors
I know wisdom, I know bad religion, I know good karma
I know everything, I know history
I know the universe works mentally
I know the perks of bullshit isn't meant for me
I know everything, I know cars, clothes, hoes and money
I know loyalty, I know respect, I know those that's Ornery
I know everything, the highs the lows the groupies the junkies
I know if I'm generous at heart, I don't need recognition
The way I'm rewarded, well, that's God's decision
I know you know that lines from Compton School District
Just give it to the kids, don't gossip about how it was distributed
I know how people work, I know the price of life
I know how much it's worth, I know what I know and I know it well
Not to ever forget until I realised I didn't know shit
The day I came home."
From 'Momma' by Kendrick Lamar.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Ode to the Pleiades - Photay Remix' by Clap! Clap! I have vivid memories of my flatmate playing this one out at a party at one of the tall houses under the suspension bridge in the basement and It going off. It usually finds a way to make an appearance when I’m in the mood to get lit. I also had one of the best nights dancing in Bristol when Al Dobson played at what was The Small Horse. RIP.
A song you wished you had written?
'Illusion Of Seclusion' by Photay.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Artifice Remix' by Gabriel Gifford - it’s on my Bandcamp, Gabe is a wizard.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Funeral Canticle' by John Tavener. I listen to a lot of Classical and choral music. The way this piece moves into the reprise is really really moving.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Tezeta' by Mulatu Astatke.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Jockstrap, Káryyn, Weval, Shigeto, Onoe Caponoe.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Harvey Causon, based in Bristol originally from near Slough.
What do you do?
I am a producer, vocalist and songwriter.
Describe your style in three words?
'50s, second-hand, minimal.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I wanted to catch FKA Twigs throughout my teenage years but was always too young or something didn’t work out. I finally got round to it at Primavera on the big amphitheatre stage at 4am. I managed to get myself right at the front in the middle. The choreography, costumes and band were just mesmerising and it reminded me of all the magic of big shows and when I used to dance as a kid. It was one of the first shows of the Magdalene tour. I went and saw it again at her second to last show of the tour when we were stuck in Belgium on tour and I was able to sit and watch it sober in this beautiful theatre and was just as mesmerised. Such an unbelievable talent.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
At school, I spent a lot of time with William Blake’s work. The way he encapsulated the darkness of the church and London in the early 19th century through poetry and the etched plates has always fascinated me. I feel an affinity as I’m sure many do with the way he looked at the world and I think he was a true radical. An hour would be cool.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Bristol underground Experimental Scene, Trip-hop, '50s Teddy Boys, Mod Culture, 50’s Hitchcock Films, Grime, Powell and Pressburger '40s cinema, West Coast Jazz, Bebop, Golden Age Japanese Cinema, Swing Era, Dub-Reggae, Musique Concrète, Lisztomania, Hip Hop.
Of all the independent venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
This was a tough choice between The Louisiana and The Crofters Rights in Bristol. Both I cut my teeth in with my band living in Bristol over the last three years. But, The Louisiana has to take it for me, had my first sold-out headline show in that venue. The sound is really dry and great and the atmosphere with so many friendly faces was immense, one of the best days of my life. It’s under threat right now like many grassroots so please donate to the go fund me if you can. Such an important part of cultural history!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Delia Derbyshire was a pioneer of electronic music and is such an inspiration to me. The work she did at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop can be argued to prefigure modern dance and electronic music in the UK. Because of gender discrimination and the BBC’s underlying conservatism and paternalism at the time a lot of Derbyshire’s work assimilated into pop culture without credit and I think unfortunately that really dogged her life. She talked about being inspired by the sounds of the blitz and I find her work so unnerving and creative. There’s so much archived unreleased music but ‘Love Without Sound' by White Noise is a good taste.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
I think it might have been something ugly like Mcfly, but I’m gonna run with 'Rock Your Body' by Justin Timberlake because that album was definitely on repeat before I was ten.
A song that defines the teenage you?
This is too hard, these were all bigguns at different stages.
'CMYK' by James Blake.
'Wimme Nah' by Vic Mensah.
'Lights Out Words Gone' by Bombay Bicycle Club.
One record you would keep forever?
'The Quanta Series' by Káryyn. Not even too sure why this album resonates so much with me. Something to do with Káryyns story of Aleppo and history coming through emotionally in the music and her inquisitiveness in consciousness and quantum physics. The sound design, the prosody and the beautiful songwriting underneath just seems to capitalise on everything I love in music. It helped me get through a time I was down so I’m sure it will hold a prevalent place forever.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"I know everything, I know everything, know myself
I know morality, spirituality, good and bad health
I know fatality might haunt you
I know everything, I know Compton
I know street shit, I know shit that's conscious, I know everything
I know lawyers, advertisement their sponsors
I know wisdom, I know bad religion, I know good karma
I know everything, I know history
I know the universe works mentally
I know the perks of bullshit isn't meant for me
I know everything, I know cars, clothes, hoes and money
I know loyalty, I know respect, I know those that's Ornery
I know everything, the highs the lows the groupies the junkies
I know if I'm generous at heart, I don't need recognition
The way I'm rewarded, well, that's God's decision
I know you know that lines from Compton School District
Just give it to the kids, don't gossip about how it was distributed
I know how people work, I know the price of life
I know how much it's worth, I know what I know and I know it well
Not to ever forget until I realised I didn't know shit
The day I came home."
From 'Momma' by Kendrick Lamar.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Ode to the Pleiades - Photay Remix' by Clap! Clap! I have vivid memories of my flatmate playing this one out at a party at one of the tall houses under the suspension bridge in the basement and It going off. It usually finds a way to make an appearance when I’m in the mood to get lit. I also had one of the best nights dancing in Bristol when Al Dobson played at what was The Small Horse. RIP.
A song you wished you had written?
'Illusion Of Seclusion' by Photay.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Artifice Remix' by Gabriel Gifford - it’s on my Bandcamp, Gabe is a wizard.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Funeral Canticle' by John Tavener. I listen to a lot of Classical and choral music. The way this piece moves into the reprise is really really moving.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Tezeta' by Mulatu Astatke.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Jockstrap, Káryyn, Weval, Shigeto, Onoe Caponoe.