“I’d say that the best thing about being famous today is that more people listen to my music, and what more can a musician ask for?”

The Avener, whose real name is Tristan Casara, has been in the music business for more than 10 years as a ghost producer and taking part in many musical projects from the background. But even if he is not in the search of fame he finally decided to come to the fore. Good for him and good for us. With the track “Fade Out Lines”, that is originally from Phoebe Killdeer und The Short Straws, he immediately hit a number 1 in the German single charts and itunes single charts and it´s still the song that I often put on the morning to start the day with lots of positive energy. On the 20th of February 2015 he finally released his debut album “The Wanderings Of The Avener”, that he created out of the frustration “of not being able to play some tracks that I loved on the dancefloor. I started reworking them so they could suit my DJ sets.”

images by Tim Rosemberg

I read that you don´t want to be famous or a star. Well not so easy to hide anymore now after all your success and with your first album release. Is that why you were “only” producing for others for about 10 years –to avoid all this hype around your person?

It’s true, I am a simple guy, and really not in search of fame. I was producing for others because I enjoyed staying in the shadows and needed the money!

Now being more famous – what is the best thing about it anyhow?

The attention can be overwhelming sometimes, but I’d say that the best thing about being famous today is that more people listen to my music, and what more can a musician ask for?

Besides certainly being totally overwhelmed by all this well-deserved hype, do you now also feel this sort of pressure to live up to this latest success?

Yes of course, I turn the pressure around and feed on it to be the best I can to perform!

Have you actually met Phoebe Killdeer and the Short Straws? ( f.o.readers: the band who performs the original version of “The Fade out Line”) How was their feedback to your final version?

I met with Phoebe Killdeer several times, she and the band enjoy my take on their song very much.

Did you have a sort of main inspiration or theme when you started to work on your album called “The Wanderings of the Avener “?

The whole idea behind the album came from my frustration of not being able to play some tracks that I loved on the dancefloor. I started reworking them so they could suit my DJ sets.

“My album will be full of surprises.” you stated. While creating it, what has been the main surprise for you –like a special moment, something you felt or experienced; something that you didn´t expect when you started having the idea to release your own album…

The most special moments for me during this creative process was getting positive feedback from the numerous artists I asked to collaborate on the album with me. I didn’t expect such enthusiasm, it was really awesome!

You have been playing the piano since you were six years old. Have you enjoyed practicing this instrument already at that age or was it just something that you did for your parents?

I may have started playing the piano to please the family by playing at Christmas time! But this quickly evolved into real pleasure; I play almost every day when I’m not on tour, it’s therapeutic.

“The more I grew up, the more my musical taste has grown up as well.” Are we ever really grown up in our musical taste and life or isn´t it always just an expression of moments and phases? And what does being grown up mean for you?

Very true! I like to think that our musical taste evolves with time; when I mentioned my taste growing with me, I mean that my tastes certainly reached maturity enough for me to produce something closer to what I enjoy.
Being grown up is to assume one’s self, in a global way.

Your biggest fear, your wildest dream?

My biggest fear is probably to one day loose the ability to hear and listen, because I rely mostly on these senses to compose. Beethoven, who I admire, became deaf near the end of his life.
My wildest dream is what I’m currently living! I think it’s time for me to plan the next biggest dream, right ?

The most important thing for you in life is…?

Family and friends.

Many thanks for your time, Tristan!