"I think the hardest part has been cutting my own path. It’s just as much of a blessing as it is a curse". - Casandra Carson

Photo credit: Adrienne Beacco

Casandra Carson is an American guitarist/vocalist hailing from Springfield, Missouri currently involved with numerous guitar driven projects including Paralandra and the L.I.F.E Project, she was recently kind enough to give me some of her time to talk about all things music and of course, the new Paralanda album, check it out...

Travis: Hi Casandra, thanks for giving me some of your time. As a guitar music fan, I obviously know about your work with both the L.I.F.E Project and Paralandra but for sake of this interview let's back it up a little. Tell me about how music first came into your life, and what initially drew you to the guitar?

Casandra: Music has always been a huge part of my life. I was raised in a very musical family. My mom’s side are all singers, so every family holiday or function was (and still is) filled with spontaneous 4-part harmony. Plus, my dad has been playing in bands my whole life, whether it was an original project, cover band, or just playing on the church worship team. He’s always been my main inspiration for wanting to play guitar.

Travis: What about defining moments once you picked up the instrument, what was the situation or event that made you realize that you wanted to pursue music as a career?

Casandra: I’ve had a couple of those moments, but I think the most defining one was when I was 13 years old. My dad was playing in a cover band at the time, and he had taught me all the harmony guitar parts, as well as the entirety of the outro solo, on Hotel California. They were performing at an all-ages Cinco de Mayo party in town, so I was able to go with him and join them on stage for the song! We were under this outdoor tent, and it was absolutely packed. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the energy of performing on that stage, and the eruption of applause when we hit the final note. It almost never seemed to end. I knew I had nailed all my parts, so when everyone started cheering and throwing tips at my feet, that was the “aha” moment. Nothing can top this. From that moment on, I was the “guitar girl” at school that was going to be a rock star one day, and I never looked back. 

Travis: The new Paralandra album - 'The Body Electric', is pretty darn rocking, can you talk to me about your writing process on both this album and in general?

Casandra: The Body Electric is a very eclectic album when it comes to songwriting. Some songs were written as long as 10 years ago, and some as recent as two months before we went into the studio. In a way, we felt like we had some unfinished business after Street Magic. When we went in to record that album, we knew we could only track 8 songs, but we had over 20 to choose from. So, when we came back to the studio to record The Body Electric, we wanted to revisit some of the songs that didn’t make it on the first record. Of course, we’d still been writing since the last release, so we had some fresh ideas to work with, too. My dad and I are the primary songwriters, and for me at least, I never stop writing. I have melodic and lyrical ideas running through my head all day, so I just keep voice memos and notes recorded when those ideas pop up. Then, once I feel ready or particularly inspired by something, I’ll bring that idea to my dad for input, then we’ll take it to band practice where we continue shaping, structuring, and experimenting til we’ve created something we love. 

Travis: Can you elaborate on the guitars you used on this record this album and possibly give us a little insight on your overall method for capturing tones like yours when in studio?

Casandra: I was excited to use my own gear on this record! All my guitar parts were run through my Friedman Runt 50 head, and mostly recorded on my PRS CE24. Elvis is truly the mastermind behind the tone structure after that. We experimented with all kinds of pedals and preamps on each song, always trying to find the perfect, unique fit. 

Travis: Paralandra have quite a few dates lined up over the next few months. I'm sure those dates double when you add in the L.I.F.E project, what's the best and worst part about being on the road for you and have you got any touring survival tips you could potentially share with us?

Casandra: The best part about being on the road is getting to see the world. I love traveling, finding new places, learning about what the locals like in each city. The worst part is being away from my loved ones, missing graduations, weddings, and holidays. 

I’ve accumulated a lot of survival tips over the years, but if I had to choose one, take your health seriously! Being physically healthy is mandatory to be able to put on a top-tier performance night after night, and mental health will help you and your band mates (managers, promoters, etc) get along, and ensure a fun, enjoyable touring experience! After all, it’s called the music business for a reason, so being great at what you do combined with being a great person to work with on a professional level will only reap success. 

Travis: Talking about the L.I.F.E Project, what are you guys currently up too?

Casandra: The L.I.F.E. Project has a lot of irons in the fire right now! Back in December 2022, we recorded 5 new original tracks, a music video, and 1 cover that sound awesome. Easily our best work yet, but we didn’t get a chance to release them before Josh went in for an extensive back surgery the following summer. As of right now, Josh is recovering well and has begun physical therapy! As soon as he’s fully healed and has been cleared by his doctors to get back on stage, it’ll be full speed ahead. 

Travis: Let's talk about practice for a second - how do you personally maintain a practice schedule (as both a vocalist and guitarist) while balancing such demanding gig schedules and life in general?

Casandra: Since the beginning, Paralandra has always maintained a regular practice schedule of getting together at least 2 times per week outside of live performances. Of course, when we’re on tour, it’s a little different because every day is another show, and in those cases, we treat our soundchecks and weekday shows as practice for the bigger weekend shows. At this point, I’ve been maintaining this constant rehearsal schedule for over a decade, so I really couldn’t imagine it any other way. 

Travis: I'm assuming you've obviously learnt a lot of 'music business secrets' from your dad, Paul - if you were to part with any potential nuggets you've learnt from him or along your own journey, what would they be?

Casandra: The main thing that I’ve learned from observing my dad in other bands, and even in my own, is to be a good person, stay humble, and always be honing your craft. I don’t think my dad has ever gone a full 24 hours without picking up a guitar, and when he’s on stage, it shows. But that’s not all it takes to be successful! 9 times out of 10, a person will get the gig by being a good hang, not necessarily by being the greatest at their instrument. A fat ego will only chain you down to one thought, idea, or perception of yourself, and that leaves no room for growth or improvement. You absolutely must let it go if you ever want to take another step forward.

Travis: Talking of your dad, have there ever been any moments were working so close with family have been difficult for you?

Casandra: I don’t think there’s ever been a moment were working with my dad has made things more difficult. He’s truly the easiest guy to talk to and work with! If anything, there was a little sense of awkwardness when I met my current boyfriend, Jaron Gulino, while we were on tour with Tantric back in 2018. My dad got a very literal front seat to the blossoming of that love story! Haha! But even still, I’ve always trusted and valued my dad ‘s opinion on my relationships. When Jaron and I began dating, my dad was already a close friend and huge fan of his at that point, so I felt very confident and supported by him in that situation. 

Travis: What in your opinion has been the hardest part about being a musician thus far?

Casandra: I think the hardest part has been cutting my own path. It’s just as much of a blessing as it is a curse to oversee your own schedule. There’s no handbook to the music industry, so you must be extremely focused, determined, goal-oriented, and self-motivated to make it work. On one hand, I can sleep in as late as I want every day! On the other, I’m the CEO of my own business, and there’s no such thing as being “off the clock”. It’s a constant work in progress; whether my attention is focused on songwriting, booking shows, merch designs, doing interviews, staying active on social media, coming up with music video ideas, stage outfits, the list goes on and on. But at the end of the day, working and playing in this band has been vastly more rewarding than going to an intricately planned out, cookie-cutter, 9 to 5 job every day, just to fuel someone else’s dreams at the expense of my own personal happiness and fulfillment. 

For more on Casandra or any of her projects please visit https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCasandraCarson

Vera Black

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