GUEST BLOGGER: Casey Bennett (Professional Band Photographer)

Casey Bennett may not be in a band, but he is a staple of the Victoria, BC music scene, especially around hardcore shows. He’s an incredibly talented photographer, and though he’s done lots of portrait and promotional photography, he is probably most well known for his live music shots – he says, “I just love to capture the raw energy, where it almost feels like you can hear the singer scream right off of the photo.” This passion for capturing moments has worked well for him – he’s been in Fuze Magazine, Truth Explosion Magazine, and Victoria News, and he’s just launched his website (www.casey3.com).

Q: What is the most embarrassing CD in your collection?
A: I choose my CDs very carefully, so I can’t say I have a really embarrassing CD in my collection. I did throw away a load of CDs when I was younger and I do remember having a Boyz II Men CD. Not saying they’re a bad group, it’s just my library consisted of Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and a lot of heavy music, and to find a Boyz II Men CD amongst them was pretty weird.

Q: What is your all-time favourite band?
A: I have so many favourites, but if I have to choose one it would be hands down: Radiohead. Ever since I first heard OK Computer when I was 16, I immediately fell in love with the music this band was creating. You could tell that they were on the verge of something different just by how that album in particular progressed and how the songs all had their own unique style. All the songs on that album give me goose bumps!

Q: What's the first CD you can remember buying?
A: I can’t pin point the first actual real CD I bought, but I do remember the first three I owned were Aerosmith: Pump, Counting Crows: August and Everything After and Sheryl Crow: Tuesday Night Music Club. I had never heard a song prior to buying the Sheryl Crow album. I just thought she was drop dead gorgeous on the album cover.

Q: What songs are you really into right now?
A: The ten songs that are making my ears bleed because I listen to them so much are:

1) The Sun Also Sets by Ryan Adams
2) Untitled by Kincaide
3) Cut and Run by Attack in Black
4) Hail, Destroyer by Cancer Bats
5) For Today I Am A Robot by Everyone Everywhere
6) Giant Swan by The Blood Brothers (RIP)
7) Parting of the Sensory by Modest Mouse [check out the video below]
8) Great Minds by The Gorgeous
9) Thrash Unreal by Against Me!
10) Leading Lady by Kurtis Hurrie