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The web development team at yorkrules (that’s me) has only just embarked upon the byzantine expedition of the site’s redesign, so the ever-impatient editorial staff (that’s also me) is marching forward with another feature from the future.
Required Listening doesn’t just share music worth hearing - there’s already 300 million amateur rock critics out there doing the same with their own MySpace pages and WordPress blogs. It also gives the yorkrules audience an opportunity to interact with the artists themselves - though considering that the 100 million bands out there already have their own Facebook pages and TypePad blogs, this, too, is not terribly unique.
I spent five years working in the Music Industry in Los Angeles, so you’d figure that I’d be well connected with folks in the Business. On that point, you’d be technically correct, as I do know one: Scott Barrett, manager of Cavil at Rest. Once I cajole Scotty B into doing a Minute by Minute, you’ll get to know more about him, but let’s talk with Cavil at Rest right now.
Who are Cavil at Rest?
Well, first you’ve got the reclusive, mysterious one who always looks so hip it’s ridiculous. That’s Andy Action, and he plays bass.
Then there is Matt Frazier, our drummer, who is also pretty quiet, but he is without question one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He looks like a who from Whoville, too.
Then, you’ve got Taylor. He plays guitar and sings, and he’s the one all the girls giggle about because he’s really pretty.
Next is Kelcey “Cross the Line” or “the Devil” Ayer, those being some of his many, many nicknames. He plays guitar, keyboards, sings and does just about anything else. He’s probably the wildest, craziest person alive, and he always pushes things too far. It’s awesome.
Then there is me, Ryan Hahn and I consider these 4 guys my best friends. I sing most of the time but play a little guitar and keyboard when it’s needed.
The band originated in Mission Viejo, CA and we all still currently live in Southern California. Not all of us can grow beards yet.
The band name question: on your site, you write, “Cavil at Rest means to put aside, or to put an end to, anything that keeps you from becoming the best you can be in life. It means to look past the trivial and worldly toward the greater picture. Above all, it is a moniker that connotes a sense of love and shared determination.” So, what’s the greater picture, and what is the determination that you share?
The greater picture, for me, refers to what you envision when you’re honest with yourself - where you want to be, what you want to do and achieve, what you would spend your time doing if all distractions were removed. We’re really big on community as a band - a family, really. We’re working for a common end as a band, trying to make a successful, lasting career.
But on a more general scale, it’s working towards that end of showing more love towards other people. That’s where the community aspect comes in again and, though it might look a little wordy or pretentious up there, we’re sincere in wanting to be a positive force that people can get into and get excited about.
According to songmeanings.net, the lyrics to Who’s There (today’s Required Listening) end with “(oh yeah’s and oow’s and other ad-libs)”. Ad-libbing seems contrary to the very layered and intricate construction of your songs. What roles do improvisation and crafted complexity play in your music? Do you favour one over the other?
Like most things in our music, it’s a delicate balance that we try to strike. We’re definitely not about to abandon the integrity of a song simply to indulge ourselves as musicians. But music isn’t made in a vacuum, it’s an extension of ourselves, it’s 5 imperfect guys playing the songs, so the songs themselves are going to have some life of their own.
Each song gets played a little differently at each show. We’re always wary of recording because we never want things to sound overproduced or surgical.
Controlled chaos is something we’ve tried to employ here and there. When we’re writing it’s not unusual for one of us to say, “Alright, here it needs to just go crazy or something.”
Daydream time: what will achieving your musical dreams look like? What happens after that?
We’re working really hard right now but honestly, it’s not towards some clear and distinct finish line. I don’t think we’ll ever let ourselves stop working this hard. We’re in this for the long haul. I think we’d all like to picture ourselves in twenty years, gathered around the living room at like Andy’s house with each of our families with us and we’re all singing songs and eating good food. Maybe that house will be on the beach or in Europe, maybe not, we’ll see.
Thanks to Cavil at Rest and their fantastic manager for sharing their music, Who’s There from the album Orion Way, with us on this prototypical installment of Required Listening. You can purchase music by Cavil at Rest on 
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