MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Ray Raposa of Castanets

I've had the chance to see the Castanets play twice now - the first time was a very stipped down and intimate in-store performance at Luna Music in Indianapolis supporting the release of their first record Cathedral, the second was just last month in Bloomington, IN. with the members of Deer Tick playing the role of singer/songwriter Ray Raposa's backing band. During these shows, Raposa's between-song dry humored sarcasm was hilarious (especially in relation to the holidays, which he hints at in this interview), but it was the songs that had the most affect.

MOKB : Any musical plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Ray Raposa : Out on tour right now. In Spain and then onwards. Getting back to the country sometime on the 23rd or 24th. Musical plans'll likely include listening to Neil Diamond and Graceland with the mother in the SW. West Coast tour starts Jan 10th and I'm sure some slack-ass Starbucks or Borders'll still have their Christmas CD in. So thankful to not be in the US in the holiday run-up. Was already hearing Christmas jams on Thanksgiving in the cab to the airport. Cringing.

MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Ray Raposa : Favorite: Love. Human fallibility. Lust. Lust. Books. Brooklyn. Portland. Barcelona. Michael Gira. Asthmatic Kitty Records. Bicycles. Basketball. Responsibily for and Acknowledgement of the self, it's wrongdoings and the righteousness of all.

Least favorite: Suckers. Chumps. People talking too goddamned loud all the time. Heavy baggage. Customs.

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Ray Raposa : Anywhere without Christmas songs.

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Ray Raposa : Spain/France/Belgium/San Diego=Best. UK/BK/Jersey=Worst

MOKB : What's the worst rock n roll injury you've sustained over that time?

Ray Raposa : Hundred sore joints. Thousand hangovers. Broken hearts mine and others. Bloody callouses (sp?). Piss stinging in my eye. Broken ankle from FL skatepark made SXSW '05 no fun a week later.

MOKB : Give my your top three hometown hotspots.

Ray Raposa : I don't know where my hometown is anymore. I stutter at the question. If we assume Barcelona (I'm here now) is the spot (let's), I'd say, the fish market where I first kissed -----, the house where I first ------ -----, and wherever that was two years ago that I had the best meal of my life with some of the better friends of it.

MOKB : What's the best piece of free you received over the last two years?

Ray Raposa : Free what?

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you? (hurricane, snowstorm, earthquake, forest fire, tsunami, etc...)

Ray Raposa : I love them all. Death to the extra-natural infrastructure. Fuck it. Fuck them. Bring the elephants and the fucking weather already. Stampede this shit.

MOKB : What do you want for (Christmas/Hanukkah/Insert Your Holiday) this year?

Ray Raposa : I got my New Year's Eve present just this evening. I am satisfied.

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Ray Raposa : Anticipation of T'Giving '06 and the debauched, wild, exhausted, desperate times that'd ensue. Holiday ended up being a lot more wholesome (and lovely) than we'd banked on, but the advance talk was epic. So, both of those. The coin that was those.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Ray Raposa : It's a secret. It's real though and it involves Cactii.

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Ray Raposa : I got my own plans for snowing myself in this year.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Ray Raposa : Plane tickets.

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what would it be and why?

Ray Raposa : Always and ever, Willie Nelson's "Phases and Stages".

Castanets - Westbound, Blue
Castanets - Sway

Previous MOKB 2007 Holiday Interviews: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings, BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor, Jona Bechtolt of YACHT, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Tapes 'N Tapes, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Aesop Rock, Marissa Nadler, Josh Lambert of The Octopus Project, Miguel Castillo of Catfish Haven, Peter Sax of Mobius Band, David Vandervelde, Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, Tim Fite, David Metcalf of Bodies Of Water, Michael Tapscott of Odawas, Dylan Rau of Bear Hands, Kori Gardner of Mates Of State, Jared Swilley of Black Lips, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel of Human Giant.

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