EDDY ZOEY

Eddy Zoëy / “Casino (UK/USA)
(music & text: Eddy Zoëy)

Eddy, borrows a “Casino” guitar. John Lennon’s favorite writer’s guitar: an Epiphone Casino (a sub-brand of the great Gibson). This is a guitar you can own for 350€ these days. The peculiar thing about this guitar is that it’s far from all-round, it’s even quite limited, but it’s instantly inspiring because of its somewhat rattling charm. It doesn’t really sound ‘nice’ & clean. Eddy’s one, even sounds dirty & gritty.

The very first thing Eddy does, to test this guitar, is record something with it in his home studio: don’t think, just press ‘record’, and record whatever comes to mind. And that is exactly the intro of this song. Also exactly as you hear it in this song. Take one. A few chords, and a theme. Done. “Sounds cool”, is Eddy’s verdict, and, to save this test-recording, he gives it with the title “Casino” (because, that’s what the guitar is called).

Every time Eddy opens that file, to listen to the guitar again, he thinks: “Damn, sounds cool”, and so, he continues to expand the recording. The title “Casino” (named after the guitar) inspires Eddy to write lyrics, about a man who compares the registration of a relationship with the registry-office to gambling in a casino. Why should you name or seal a relationship? It’s like putting everything you have on red or black:

“Feels like steppin’, in a casino
Without betting, I’m still losing my head
It’s like passing, through Vegas or Reno,
knowing she’s putting your everything, on black or red”

Eddy writes the whole song, on that same Casino guitar, plays the leading guitar parts, the themes and the solo on that guitar. Sings all the vocals (including the backing vocals) and takes his time to record and produce the song completely at home. The bass guitar is also played by Eddy.

Drums & keys are live takes by Laurens Beijer.
Mix: Holger Schwedt.
Artwork: Eddy Zoëy.
Photo of Eddy, by William Tuscan.

Listen to the track on Spotify