Castor Hetfield Discusses Bastardane’s New Album + Live Shows

“We can practice and write and record music all we want, but it’s really nothing compared to playing live shows.”

Bastardane drummer Castor Hetfield recently joined Loudwire Nights to celebrate the band’s latest album, Catatonic Symphony, and their current tour alongside OTTTO.

“As soon as I started this band back in 2019, it was [about the] shows,” Hetfield told host Chuck Armstrong.

“That’s what made us want to be in a band.”

For fans who have seen Bastardane before, that passion for performing live comes through with each and every song. There is a level of intensity that the band embodies, whether they’re playing to 10 or 1,000 people.

When Chuck asked him who has inspired him and the band to perform with that kind of relentless energy, Hetfield was quick to share a story about his dad, Metallica’s James Hetfield.

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“I don’t remember what year it was, but quite a few years ago my dad turned me onto a band called the Mars Volta,” he remembered.

“I mean, I love their music and I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos of them playing their shows. There’s no point in the show that someone’s just standing there. Everyone’s moving, everyone’s putting 100-percent in that. I think that’s really cool. I don’t want to go to a show and watch someone stand still for an hour.”

What Else Did Bastardane’s Castor Hetfield Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• How long he’s been working on Bastardane’s latest album, Catatonic Symphony, and why he’s received to finally have it out
• What it’s like playing the Saturday nights in-between Metallica’s M72 tour stops
• What led to Catatonic Symphony being 16 tracks and nearly 80 minutes long

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Castor Hetfield joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, Aug. 13; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.