Thank you for other stories that you tell. Thank you for you know, thanks for the music.
Yeah, okay, good evening everyone, and welcome to episode seventy five of the podcast. This episode marks the first in series eight. We've been away for a couple of months and we've recorded ten new episodes. They will drop over the next ten weeks every Thursday at midnight, starting tonight with the incredible Karen O. We recorded this at the beginning of the summer and Karen was here, not to
do work or to promote anything. She was here on a family holiday and she still took the time out to come and record the episode that you're about to hear. So thank you to Karen for that. I would love to flatter myself and say that Karen was just desperate to come on our podcast, but she did release a new album this year, so that might have had something to do with it. It's an incredible record called Lux Prima, but it's one that was released it kind of slipped
under the radar a little bit. She made it with the producer Danger Mouse, and if you haven't heard it yet, I'd highly recommend checking it out, especially if you're a fan of kind of cosmic surge Gainsborgie dreamy pop music. That's kind of the where it sits. The pair of them haven't played any live shows yet, or what they have done is create an incredible sound installation that's premiered
in LA so far. We talk about that a bit in this episode, and because it's such a kind of visual thing, I'm not sure that ivers really give credit to in our explanation of it. I have put some links in the description of this episode and along with some other links of the things that we reference and talk about, So check those out to get a better idea of exactly what it is we're getting at. And don't forget that you can support this podcast by subscribing
to Loud and Quiet magazine. All the information is at loudon quiet dot com forward slash subscribe, where we will post you our next nine issues for as little as three pounds per month. Thanks for doing this on your vacation.
I was it's like yeah, yeah, well no, no, no, I'm that's commitment, commitment to the music. It is totally commitment to the music. I'm a committed gal. Yeah, I'm dedicated.
So the last time, the last time you were like in the UK kind of publicly. I guess would that have been the show last year Victoria Park?
Yes, uh huh, yeah, that would be right.
Yeah for the our point, Yeah, how how did the show? How was that?
That was awesome? That was like, actually we had like an amazing time for that. Yeah, we kind of never know what to expect when we've been away for a while and kind of come back on the scene and you know what kind of fans change and people change, and you know, just don't really usually know who's going
to be out there. But it was it was like it felt like almost like a triumphant you know, for us, Like like it just felt so good and like the excitement was like it was just like I guess it was the first year of that festival, and there was like a lot of excitement in the audience and and and we were excited to be there and and I'm really happy, you know, and we had some buddies like yeah, l CD, it almost felt like like old times because we were staying at a hotel and like, you know,
l CD was staying there, and then and saw Bradford Cox from Deer Hunter was staying there. He's a buddy too, and like it was like felt like like camp summer camp.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was a good experience.
They did one this year. This year's line up was a similar kind of like line up. It was like the Strokes and interpolded it. Yeah, and I think the Rock on Tours played. It was like a real kind of like for some people like a great nostalgia trip, like it's fazy.
It's like it's weird because yeah, we just we also just did a festival in Long Beach, California. It's called just Like Heaven. I think it was what it was called, but before that, I think they like I think they renamed it initially was named when we were young, and then they're like, well maybe that's too on the nose.
So and yeah, and it was like it was like us and like Phoenix and like Beach House and like Grizzly Bear, and it was like it was very everyone's saying it's very like two thousand and like you know, thirteen or twenty eleven or something like that. So for me, I don't know, like time goes by. I'm like in such a bubble, like I don't like notice so much that like you know, when that that is equals nostalgia.
But you know, yeah, last year you played like just a handful of shows with your years, right, it.
Was like a dozen maybe, yeah, Okay.
Do you how does that work in terms of like the practicing the set and getting together and reheasing do you or do you not? Do you not need to do that?
We do need Oh yeah, we do need to do that. But like, but we've always been like sort of notoriously like kind of like slap dash and like sort of like I don't at least I you know, that's my attitude. I think Nick. Nick is a little bit different these days. He's like he kind of wants it to you know, wants us to really go over are the music and practice it pretty good so that we like represent and
we're like, you know tight. But you know, it's still it's like a five day rehearsal or something like that after not playing for like five years or something like that. So I still think I think, you know, I think that's like not very long, uh you know, to to get to get our shipped together basically, But but uh yeah, we just usually did that and then like I've always said, like you know, playing just one show in front of
audience is worth like like like twenty rehearsals. Really it just like you just get it, just like just snaps you right back into into shape, you know. So like so we usually try and do like one practice show before we do any big you know, festival again, and usually that just like snaps us back into the shape.
Yeah, and it went, well, what did you what did you find? You saying that you know, you've been away for a while and you weren't sure what the crowd would be or what it would be like when you were walking on or the day before. Did you sleep well the day before?
Actually I got a good night's sleep with this. This is very unusual. Usually I'm a mess, you know, like I like don't sleep well, Like I'm like sort of anxious, like usually have some sort of physical malady you know that's like plaguing me and just like and I'm just miserable like leading up to the show. And then the show is like you know, usually great and then I
feel like basically normal and happy after that. But this time, actually I was like I was in pretty decent shape considering Yeah, so like so I felt pretty good and then and then you know, the show felt really good, and I was just like I was quite felt pretty high after that.
Did you have like a vision in it? Did you think I think this is going to go like this? Or you or you just like I've got no idea what's going to happen here?
Yeah, It's like it's just always I have no idea what's what's going to happen. It's always like that, Yeah it is. It's always like that. And and but the thing is is that like I tend to go on stage, like if it's like a huge festival or if it's like just a club show, I generally tend to go on being like you know with just like I I like,
I'm like like peacock style. I just like those feathers come out like no matter what, like you know, no matter how I'm feeling, how terrible or generally, cause like the three hours leading on to going on stage is
just it's hell. It's almost like I've had to written write it down in like books to be like remember the three hours before, because like when you're in it, you just forget, like you know, just like just like how like painful it is, You're just like you feel like my like my like I feel physically kind of sick. Like I feel like, you know, just like the weight of the world. It's like it's like all the baggage of like the last fifteen years of being in a
band just like unleashed on me. And I'm just like, what am I even doing here? Like, you know, it's just like and that's just how I feel, like before going on stage, and I have the like and I forget while I'm while I'm in it, I can't see the forest for the trees, so like so you know, like now finally I kind of go, Okay, this is just this is just this is just how you feel. But usually have to ask a few people around me to be like, like, you know, what am I doing here?
And they're like, no, don't worry, this is this is your pros, this that you go through. But like but but yeah, but then when when when when I hit the stage, like I'm like, I'm you know, I'm gonna go out there, and I'm just I just got a steamroll. I just got a steamroll, you know, And I don't know where that like sort of like false sense of
confidence come from. But then I just like go out there and it's just like I get that pow from like, you know, just like usually from the audience, just like even just seeing them, you know, and just like feeling that initial sort of like reception. I just like get a power and then and then and then and then it's a blur. It's just like I no recollection of what happens up there. But you know, it's just like I'm in I'm in the zone. You know.
Have you ever watched yourself back on performances that have been filmed? Have you ever seen it?
Tiny little, tiny little clips. Yeah, And it's confusing to me. I'm like, I just like, I don't I don't remember doing that. I don't remember being that person, you know, just like I like it just it's disorienting to watch. Really, yeah, totally, I don't. It's not something I enjoyed. Yeah.
I think it's quite common, isn't it for most You know a lot of actors who don't watch any of their films and things. And I'm sure it's the same for performers who are just like, I don't want to actually see what it looks like.
Because then you're self conscious.
Yeah, and then you might stop doing the things that you do because you might think.
Oh, you start analyzing a little bit and start feeling like more self aware, and that's like that's like my whole thing about being on stage is like it's just like that, it's like that respite from self awareness for like that whatever. It is like our in ten minutes, you know. Yeah, like you know, and that's like the greatest gift, one of the greatest gifts ever been given.
Who's the best performer you've seen?
Yeah, I mean there's like there's several people that stand out. I mean, ah man, yeah, I mean let me think here, because I'm always bad, like when when I get put on the spot about these things.
We can come back to that.
I mean, you know, like I'll say, you know, Nick Cave is incredible, you know, because he has like you know, and you know, when I started, one of the first time I saw him perform, like I'd been watching like like videotapes of him in the birthday party when he was like performing back then, and that was like for me, like that was like that was like that was fuel for the fire. It was like it was like I
was just chew on that. Like in my early days, I'd be like, oh, so like totally untethered and like you know, like unbridled, like you know, insane. I guess he was pretty really really high at the time too. But like but but just like you know, the you know, the abandon you know on stage was just like so impressive to me. And how like Carnal was. I was like, yes, but I you know, mostly seen him in that context on like you know, these sort of old videotapes and
stuff of those performances, the birthday party. But like, but then when I went to go see the Bad Seeds, it's probably in his fifties or something at the time, and just the swagger, you know, the like you know, just uh, the ballad I love, I'm a ballad ballads girl, you know, so like so you know, there's I feel like singing a ballad is, like, especially as a man, is like the most like kind of badass kind of thing you could do. Like you think, like I think
there's like this misconcept. Well maybe I'm maybe there's the misconception, but I always thought that maybe there'd be this misconception that like that like you know, it's like you know badass to be like like really punk or like like you don't care, like you know like like like aggressive or something on stage, because I do a lot of that myself. But actually, like you know, what's really badass is like is being vulnerable and like and singing like you know, a love song or something as a man.
And yeah, he's got that obviously like down pat but like but but yeah, just his his overall like charisma and his effect on the audience is incredible. I know that there's like there's like, you know, there's been so many performers that have blown my mind looks interior like totally.
You know, I was shocked too, because I think it was like I saw him maybe like in his like mid fifties or something at a at a club in New York City and so mid fifties, and you know, he had no shirt on, he had his like pat leather pants on. He like climbed like climb climbed some crazy rafters. He was like had his hand down his pants like like on the floor like gyrating and like and it's like I was just like, what is this.
This is like insane that he's like doing this now, And it was just didn't and it didn't seem like you know, even though it was like you know, it sounds kind of gimmicky. What it just felt like it was just like so raw and like exciting and like electrical, like still at that that suit point, Yeah, that's that that really suited him. But but yeah, I think like as like really into like kind of you know, the macho but like kind of sensitive super like like oozing sexuality kind of people.
Yeah, when Nick Cave does that particularly well, isn't he? And he looks so good in a suit and a waistcoat. He just yeah, he just always looks impeccable. Have you ever met him? Yeah?
I have.
Yeah, how was that?
It's intimidating, you know. Yeah, he's like he's like yeah, he's he's, he's he's a strong presence. You know, he kind of he's got like a grumpy grandpa kind of vibe a little bit where like where you're like afraid to say something that he'll just sort of like like, huh, the stupid thing. Why would you say that? You know. It's like he's like he's a bit like intimating, but you know, but he's like, you know, he's so he's, he's he's so cool and like you know, he's like
this like awesome, awesome, dude. But yeah, he's yeah, he's he's a bit intimating.
Yeah, where in what situation did you meet him?
I met him a few times because like our our producer Nick Launay, who's produced last like a few of our records, he does all the Batsies records. So I met him through Nick. But I remember meeting him after like like a show that he played here. Maybe it was the I Don't Want It, the Forum, I don't know where he played, and I said something really dor cute like and I was really young at the time.
It was like, you know, I don't know, twenty five, and I said something like, but this is like it's genuine. I was like, what do I say to this? Like I was like, I was like, thanks for thank you for all the stories that you tell, thank you for you know, thanks for the music. I mean, like it's so generic, but like, but you know, what else do you say?
You know, probably he must have he must have liked that. Do you appreciate that?
I mean, yeah, he was nice about it, But you were like.
Beating yourself up, thinking, damn, I had my chance, that was my chance.
And yeah, I said that that's that's as good as it gets. But that's like me, on like every every day level, I'm always like I could have said something so much wittier. That's how I'm going to feel after this this.
Hey, that's everyone does that. That's like, that's the story of my life. I think, especially if you know, if you if someone gives you ship somewhere and you just think you can't You're you think of the comeback about two hours late, and you're like, that's why I should have said that. That would have flawed them if I'd said that in that mo Yeah.
And then like sometimes like you think like I don't know if this happening where you like where you try to anticipate like what the question is going to be, and you come up with the answer before like you get the question, but then the question never comes, so you don't have that like you're like, all right, I'm armed with this awesome witty response to that question and that question never.
So Earlier this year, you released lux Primo with Danger Mouse. It's quite cosmic and epic, but it's also quite low fi in a way. I mean, how would you describe it?
I mean I think like, yeah, it's yeah, it's it seems to me like kind of I use the word lush, you know, because there's definitely the kind of moments of lushness I use I say, it's kind of you know, one of the most boring ways to describe something is
cinematic these days. But like, but really, you know, I think where Brian and I overlap is kind of our love for like I don't know, like you know, French and Italian, like you know, cinema from like the seventies and the sixties, so like, and there's just like, you know, like a kind of tone and feeling about that that I feel like we're trying to emulate a little bit.
I say, you know, it's it's I've described it as like kind of a mix between and I've never was like a kind of a Floyd like a big Floyd person, but like but like there's like, you know, it seems like there's some touches of Floyd. It meets Phil Spector kind of thing. And Phil Spector, even though his stuff was really lush wall of sound, it there was there almost is like kind of a low fi vibe to some of the way that his music sounds. Maybe it's just like I hear like you know, shitty mix like
shitty masters of of of those of those songs. But you know, there's like kind of like a fuzziness and like a like a sort of there's like a lot of character in the way that you know his recordings sound sometimes too. So so those all those things to mind.
Yeah, and there's kind of got that surge gains bag kind of.
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, which which is awesome to which is really great.
Yeah, of course. And I've read that you in terms of meeting Brian aka Danger Mouse, Yeah, you drunk dialed him. Is that true?
Do you believe it or not? I hardly believe it myself, like because like I had no recollection of that, and then he like brought that up during a New York Times article and I was just like and it yeah, yeah, it was like and then like in the farther like the farthest recesses of my of my mind, like there's just like a little bit of like like like a little twinkling like oh yeah, like I think that did happen.
I think I did do that. Yeah, So I'm pretty sure that I can't remember where I was under what circumstances, But yeah, I think I I think I drunk out him, and usually when when I drunk dial someone, it's like, yeah, I'm like really happy, go lucky, with like tons of like we're gonna make something amazing together. It's gonna be the best thing that ever happened. And then like I sober up and either I don't recall doing it or like or I or then I like sort of really
regret he kept doing in the first place. But but yeah, I think that's yeah, I think that's I think that's probably how I kicked off.
Sure, because it's quite a long time ago, right, it was like two thousand and by his reculations and eight something like that.
Yeah, maybe he's six and I think it's seven.
Yeah, right, Okay, so this would have been eight. This would have been around show your bones. That's why you would have like what you would.
Probably after that, yeah, okay, yeah.
And you just called in to say, hey, we should make some music to go. This is gonna be amazing. So it's obviously taken quite a while. Did you made this record last year?
I presume it was actually twenty six It was mostly done in twenty sixteen. Okay, wait, yeah, twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, yeah, yeah, over twenty sixteen.
I think it's in that same interview. It's a New York Times interview. Right, where did you do you describe him as a matcho, as like a really.
Match Yeah, yeah, like a dude.
I'm surprised to read that. Yeah, I don't know why. I think just looking at him, I wouldn't have I don't know, he looks so cuddly, you know what I mean?
Yeah I got that wrong. Yeah, no, I could see I'm sharing too much. No, really good posture for like a cuddly guy. I always think of him as quite like you know, like you know, I wouldn't say like stiff, but I would say like, you know, good, but like yeah, yeah, now he's wait sorry, what was the question was?
When I was just saying that, maybe I think he maybe I'm confusing the fact that he's got a beard with making him seem cudly. Does he? But he's like, but he's quite a match guy.
Right, Oh the macho Yeah yeah, yeah, No, I didn't seem like Brenton and I like we only hung out, like you know, we kind of would cross paths. Nick and Nick from Yeah Yeas and him were actually rolling deep at one point in New York, him and Disease and I'm sorry, the comedian and Brian would go out and this is not well known, but you know and they would like, you know, that would be like their
bro post that gang. That would be their gang. And then like yeah, they'd go to clubs like like bar hopping and like you know, kind of picking up you know ladies. I was like, I could never like I had trouble being like really like they those three those they were like scoring chicks. I just didn't see like
like the crew that like anyway. But but uh but yeah, like uh so I would kind of run into him, you know, like like after a gig or like or we would just sort of so I didn't really know him very well as kind of casual you know, acquaintance for those years, and then we kind of got to know him, you know when when we were making this record, and yeah, he's like he's he's he's very much like
a guy's guy. Yeah, he's like, you know, watches like a lot of sports and you know it's kind of yeah, he's just like into yeah, he's just yeah, he's he's a very masculine fella.
Nick like that as well then, yeah, that's what I would presume. I would kind of like.
Ever watched towards you watched the guy, he's yeah, no, next next, like, yeah, he's a goth. He's kind of like he's just like a goth.
Yeah, and he's got he's got his photography and already got Yeah. So the thought of those two and kind of.
Music, you know, the music is like, that's kind of like, yeah, as he's thing, I'm not sure that's like left he has been like, he's a huge he's a huge music fan too, So I think maybe he got pulled in that way. But Brian knows a lot of different people from all walks of of the entertainment industry in the world. But like but but yeah, but yeah, he's he was kind of a dude. So like so when I was working with him, yeah, it felt kind of like I
was breaking some new ground. You know, he's worked with women before, but like, but like to do like a full record.
Yeah, not like this though.
Yeah.
Yeah. Did you feel like you had a positive influence on him by the end of it? Did you feel like had you softened him a bit?
I think so, I'd like to say I did before it's become a live thing.
You did the exhibition, it's kind of an installation.
The installation. Yeah, yeah, I'm encounter as we.
Call it, which I saw a video for a trailer for. Is it finished now? The exhibition?
Yeah?
Yeah, it was quick, yeah, and it was at I've written this Town. It was at the Art Foundation in l a yea. And it looked incredible from the film that I saw. How would you to anyone listening to this that didn't see it or or might not know about it, how would you describe what was? What it was, what the actual installation was.
Right, Okay, this is where I really do it. No justice,
but I'll try my best. So yeah, So, like so for one thing, you know, we were like above everything else is supposed to be like kind of a listening you know, like a communal listening experience where you know, the thought was like people maybe like less and less these days are kind of getting together hanging out and listening to like a record, right, so like so so this is like our our like our version of that like on on on on steroids and maybe like some
hallucinogenics or something. But like, but yes, we wanted to bring people together uh to sort of bliss out to this music. And so we we partnered with with like you know, Meyer Sound, who like kind of basically designed this whole you know, sort of audio setup. So you're totally engulfed, like you're kind of surrounded, like quadrophonic sound. You're you're surrounded by by the sound, so you're kind of hearing it travel around this this amazing, amazingly big
room at the Marciano Museum. And it's also we had a centerpiece which was this like monolith you know, which is also sitting on top of like all these sub speakers, and there was a speaker hanging above it as well. So so it was like it was like, you know, completely surround sound. You're engulfed in the sound, and it's
also just like kind of coming at you. Uh So listening to something like it's like kind of how you I guess, you know, listen to films to a certain degree these days when they have like kind of this
surround sound. But like, yeah, you just don't usually hear music that like that anymore, you know, especially even even when you go to like a concert, you're usually kind of you know, you know, looking at a stage and and and like the speakers are just going to point it at you and you're just like hearing it, like you know, coming straight at you. But this is like
you're just completely engulfed in it, right. And then you know, and then we had this guy dab Evans who does like, you know, this really amazing macro photographic I guess a photography and art really just textures, you know, and it's amazing because like with some you know, and they're all in it's not none of it's you know, cg. It's
all just like you know, natural. So he'll like you know, he'll have like you know, he did some some textures of like just like freezing some water and uh or like you know, actually he uses like some nail pop and stuff like that, and he like any any and he like does this macrophotography of it and it literally looks like like like you know, like the auror borealis or like the constellations, like it just it it's so evocative of like of some cosmic stuff and also just
like organic stuff like like maybe like you know, lava or like the beginning like the sort of like the dawn of the dawn of time, you know, on Earth and like a planet forming like all those sort of phenomena, and so we're projecting that like onto this monolith. You know, it kind of comes to life and the and like it just starts like the surface of it just starts like you know, slowly, you know, shifting and like kind
of like almost like subliminally. And then and then it kind of like as you know, like kind of uh you know, uh, it evolved like what happens, what happens to it, But it's just like it's almost like yeah, it's like it's like experiencing like like the like the beginning of the world or something like that, right, And then we had like to Bias, who's like, you know, this incredible like lighting artist who like you know lit
the room. We have like you know, lasers that are coming like cutting through the rock at moments where where it just feels like you're and like you're like in
that film two thousand and one. You know, it's just like it was like it was it was it was such a trip, i tell you, and you know, and the and there's like this very very special moment during the song Reveries, which is like you know, like you know, incredibly sort of starts a very intimate song on the record, but like it's vast and it feels like it's about you know, like the theme of it feels very like you know, like meeting meeting your maker to a certain degree.
It's like it's like, you know, it's it's like meeting
the end to a certain certain degree. And uh, there's a moment where we have like this rain that just starts, you know, falling in the room and and like it's lit by these lays, by by this laser light, and it looks like diamond rain falling on like you know, and you're you're inside this room, but it feels like you could be you know, like I don't know, it just like like you know, sitting you know, outside in some very special place, just totally like engulfed in in sound,
light and like and and like you can smell the rain falling on them on the rock. I mean, it was really it was something. It was something like pretty bad in that sense.
You know, the room that it was in on the video I saw looks absolutely huge.
It was huge. It was a huge, like a.
Massive room and people come to people would people like buy a ticket and come for a viewing viewing, yeah, and stay for the whole record, whole shot.
Yeah. It was awesome because well for this particular uh you know, incarnation of it, tickets were free, you know, so you just signed up for it and and uh there was like four viewings a day and like yeah, you kind of like be like an hour between coming in and like having experience was like around forty five minute like experience and then leaving and stuff. But like but but yeah, I mean people would like kind of
leave in like in a total days. Yeah, yeah, into the world, but like but you just retain a bit of you know, of that you know with you. And it was it was I gotta say, it was like, you know, it was like a like momentous effort to get this you know made, because like it was basically hadn't been done before, you know, and like in the questions usually I was like, so, ye are you gonna be playing like Live to the Actually we're not gonna
be there. But but but yeah, like you know, it took a lot of like leaps of faith for like, you know, people with money to because it was really expensive to to like to to like just you know, want to make it happen, and it was just just so much. It was just like, you know, so much went into just trying to get it made. But like but we did. We got there like kind of like I say, it's like it's like I kind of manifested
it in this crazy way to a certain degree. And you know, and I invited David Lynch and and he showed up, which is insane because he just doesn't go to like anything. Yes, I know, I know, David. Uh you know, it's just from like, you know, a few things we did. I did Pinky's dream on his on his crazy fun time, you know whatever. But like but but he showed it and and and yeah, and you know, I uh, I like I ran into him right before like it started, and I like brought him to his seat.
It was like in the dark. It was like about to start, and I was like I had this like long like golden dress on. I was like basically like every step was like a hazard, just like I was gonna trip over myself while I was, you know, escorting David to like this bench next to my parents actually in the dark as as I was as it was beginning, and uh yeah, and he wrote me afterwards and because I did, like, you know, I bounced as soon as like,
you know, as soon as it was over. I didn't want to you know, see anybody or you know here anything but like but but he wrote, you know, but he wrote he wrote me after that and and yeah, he loved it. And he was just like he's like he's God, I can't. It was like he's like fantastic dream pop like uh dub dub like wild crazy. I don't know, like I he like he like speaks in
David Lynch slang. But you know, but him being there was like it was like, I you know, like thank you, thank you Heavens for bestowing the avantage upon this this project that we've you know, worked so hard to create. It was it was super special. But like, yeah, like I really hope we can bring it to London. Yeah.
Cool. I was going to say, you have to take this around, right because there's just been so much work.
Put into so much Yeah, and it's just like yeah, it's just it's just yeah, we're figuring it out. We're figuring it out. It's just you know, and I have faith that we'll be able to bring it here. It's it's it's super rad.
Would it mean you're having to fly that massive rock?
Yes, but it's actually a replica that we're rock you know yeah, real rock is twelve tons.
Yeah, okay, that makes sense. Yeah, and you put it to you kind of put this together on the Skywalker Ranch, right, which is George Lucas's mega kind of mixing facilities.
Is that just north of val Yeah, no, it's north of San Francisco Okay.
Right, so it's helped in northern California.
Ye, like where you walks living.
Yeah, yeah, it was it. What was it like going there? Are they?
Oh my god, it's amazing?
Are you a fan of a US Star Wars fans?
You're kidding? I mean not as not as not as big of a fan as my husband Barnaby, who created have directed this, but like but.
Still like was he freaking out? He was like breaking out, crazy excited.
Yeah. The first thing that we did is like you check in, you know, at like the sort of welcome the welcome welcome house. It just like it feels like, I don't know, it's like yeah, I like kind of feels like a shire or something. You know. It's like it's like it's just like this world onto itself, but it's like kind of its own, like you know, it's its own little city, nestled in in like the Redwoods.
It's really beautiful. And yeah, the first thing that we did is like when we arrived at the welcome house is like they make you sign in and you sign in with these like Skywalker Ranch pens, you know, and everyone just like kept the pen.
Be keeping everything. Yeah, just be like what what is legitimate for me to take question?
And we were we were talking about how like I don't know, like you know if yeah, if you remember Charlie, uh like was it uh Wonka? What's what's it called? That late Charlie Choco Factory with Gene Gene Hackman, right, Ye.
Gene Hackman could be another film, Yeah, be another film, wild gen Wild.
Like at the end of that movie for the people who don't know you haven't seen that, you know, they got like this gob stopper. Yeah yeah, and like and the and uh and and the reason why why Charlie gets to run the factories because he gives his back.
And so we were thinking like about the pens, like that's how they decided, like you know, you ever if you're ever ever welcome back is if if if you steal the pen that you check in with, you know, the Skywalker pen that you check in with, and then then that's kind of the end of your relationship with Skywalker Ranch. But we all stole them anyway because of course, and then it like you could buy them at the store. But but yeah, but it was it was like it
was like it was it was super special being there too. Man, it's just like you know, I mean just even just like the every movie they've mixed there, it's just insane. And we stayed in like the the Federico Fellini room, which was pretty red. Oh cool, Okay, so that's like a themed director's yeah name to it.
So it's not all because in my mind it would have been themed.
From like from Star Wars.
Like you're in the Jabba the hot room.
Jabba Yeah, no Jabba room.
Is there any kind of I suppose he's I suppose they need to be quite careful of how much kind of Star Wars stuff they put. They don't really want that today it would be a bit much if you went round and there were logos of you know that the the toilet doors were like a Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker. You know that would be too much, too Disney far.
Yeah, it was actually, yeah, they're pretty they're pretty low key on the Star Wars.
Yeah, okay, yeah, so what was the Fellini room?
Like it was it was cool. It's just like, you know, huge Fellini posters. There's like huge movie posters everywhere, the most beautiful ones you've ever seen of like you know, are like the best, like thee most like classic directors and films and stuff, and like yeah, it's all that kind of you know, like it's a lot of wood, a lot of wood and a lot of logs and yeah, really like you know, just like super homely and just welcoming.
It has like a camp vibe to it, like you know, sort of I don't know if you guys have summer camps here so much, but like it had like a summer camp you know, kind of vibe to it.
Our summer camps, if they still exist, are not quite not quite on a par with yours. Yeah, Like the US summer camps are like beautiful and they're in like beautiful forests and you've got log cabins and they're cozy and homely and as a normal I'm what I'm thinking of our holiday camps more, I guess, which are like normally in run down seaside towns right where it's torrential rain most time that you're there fun and you're in like a chalet with a real which is essentially like a motel.
Like they really thin, No, no, that's where parties exactly. Yeah, I got it.
Yeah, Yeah, that that's that's close. That's what we don't really have the climate for camp for real camping, like with tents and wood. And last year I went to I did a California road trip that's my holidays, yea. And we went down the Highway one through Big Sir, and I was like, it was it's just incredible. But I've seen shots of the Skywalker Ranch, and that's that's further north, isn't it, as you say, it's above above
San Francisco. But it does look like the Ewok Village, doesn't it, Like it's quite yeah, and.
It totally does. Yeah, and like and yeah, the gift shops kind of amazing there and they even like sell their own like Waggy beef, right, Okay, they have I guess they have cows there that Skywalker cows. But like but it's yeah, it's quite it's quite a it's like and everyone looks very happy working there.
I bet.
Yeah, this drama but like, but you don't see it on you know, on the surface, it just looks very like utopian.
Yeah, it's like that thing in Disneyland how on the sete I read this thing about disney Light about how because it has to present itself as this heaven on Earth kind of place. Yeah, you'll never see anyone emptier bin in Disneyland. They empty them from underground.
Oh yeah, right right, right right.
Because they don't want someone ruining the vibe. Like you're skipping through Disneyland having the best time of your life and you're with Goofy or whatever, and then you see a guy like hauling a bin out and all this kind of rubbish falling on the b scrabbling to pick it up. So they cut all of that out by like doing it from underneath, which is just that amount of effort to protect the brand I think is kind of quite I'm quite crazy.
Yeah, it's very American. That's American vibes right there.
Yeah. Yeah, pain over it, pain.
Over yeah, like you know, like yeah, like it's the yeah, sort of smoking mirrors, you know, everything is awesome.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. In terms of exhibitions and installations that museums do you get to go to? Do you go to many? Do you get to go out to? You know, what's the big museum in LA.
There's Lachma, which is which is really it has it has a bunch though, Lacka Lakmamoka, There's the Getty, but like, yeah, Lacma is the one we go to the most.
I think that's the one called the lights outside on the whole the street light.
Yeah, it's really cool. And during the summer they do like a jazz a free jazz night every Friday night. That's like pretty fun to go to. But yeah, you know, yeah, just usually go with yeah with the family, like, you know, not that much. I don't get out that much, you know.
Did you you go to did you mention to see the Bowie One?
No?
I don't if the Bowie One even came to the States yet. Maybe it was just before he died. It was about the year before he died. I think it was at the VNA here.
I start at the VNA here.
Yeah, yeah, with the headphones where it kind of walked to you. It basically you went and you were given headphones like you are in most museums, but instead of keying in the number as you get to them, it knew where you were in the room and it would just start playing.
You right, that piece, right right, right right.
It was. It was incredible.
Yeah, yeah, I vaguely remember. I think I think we're I think we might have been mixing a record. Was it like twenty twelve I was here or not?
Yeah, it might. It might have been as early as that. Yeah, it was definitely. It was definitely at least a couple of years before.
Okay he died and stuff.
Yeah, were you a big Boi fan? Are you a big boy fan? I find that I actually am sad and now listening to Bowie then he first died.
Yeahs that you feel that.
At the time when it happened, I was kind of like, well, you know, these things happen, It's going to come to us, so I was quite pragmatic about it. Yeah, but now when I listened to David Bowie's songs, I'm I'm more affected now than I was then.
I think, Yeah that, yeah, I can I could see that, you know, that that kind of that kind of talent and that kind of like yeah, that kind of artist just like it's just doesn't come around, you know.
That's it. It's yeah, it's so sad.
I mean, he did pretty good. He definitely left his work.
Are there any of those greats who are still with us that you're when the time comes you'll be particularly like gutted by like any.
Of music artists. Yeah, yeah, let's see. Yeah, because Leonard went recently. That was that was I felt that one for sure, and Lou I felt that one a lot.
Yeah. Did you ever meet Lou Reid?
Never met him, came close, but I kind of chose to not do that do that?
Yeah? Was that just because you were like I don't what I've got in my head what Lou read is and I don't.
Oh yeah, no, I didn't know. I and his reputation it was pretty bad for being like pretty ornery and stuff, and I was like, yeah, I don't want to yell at me. And then like you know, I mean I would have been fine with that, you know, him yelling at me, but but I was just like, yeah, I just didn't And I just also didn't have anything meaningful to say, you know to him so much, but like but yeah, but but I felt that that was like a pretty big blow for me. And then let's see who else. You know.
This is the thing, isn't it. We're kind of running short. I think I think iggy Pop's a big one that people will feel. I let the podcast and now just descended into me and you're talking about who's going to die. It was really really cheery.
Switch we could switch switch it up.
No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have brought it up. I've come come straight for the death chat talking of lou Reid. Though I recently watched your cover of Perfect that's really great.
Yeah, thanks with with with dateram Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it's so it's like really sparse. I like, how kind of that's what I liked about your crush songs out Oh yeah? Is that that kind of really simply accompanied, which I guess you do more of now, Like in your music you kind of put your voice kind of a bit bearer out there. Do you find that easier as you get older?
I guess so, yeah, because like I mean, when I started, you know, I I the whole reason why I started singing was because well, like the whole way, like the sort of the way that I started singing was through like a through a toy megaphone that would distort my voice so much that it just like it almost felt like my voice was an instrument, right, And that's like sort of what got me, like even just got this whole style that I did with the yea yeahs, like
the vocal style was was was because I started on a toy megaphone and and so I always had this sort of disconnect because that between like, you know, my singing voice and sort of you know, just like thinking of it as like my voice. I guess, you know, I just felt like it was the sort of instrument
that I played to a certain degree. And and then yeah, and then I think like between like crush songs and the Moon song and like and some of this other yeah, like just sort of yeah, maybe like just living, you know, having lived lived and being doing music for a while, like yeah, it's okay to be naked out there and stuff, you know, but I think it's you know, it's kind of people don't you know, don't remember because it was never really put out there. But I mean Nick and
I started you know, making music together before. Yeahs with with with what we called, you know, Unitard, which were kind of these sort of little love songs that I had written just on acoustic guitar. So it's kind of my roots is that kind of sound, you know. But then I kind of moved away from it, you know, for a while, and then kind of returning to it here and there.
So, Yeah, I saw lou Reid form once, just the one time he was really it was he was in a really angry mood. It was one of his angry days. I'm sure there were some that weren't angry days, but it was. It was quite hard to watch. He spent a lot of time shouting at the band, yelling at the particularly the guitarist there's something going on stage he didn't like that he didn't like, and he was letting everybody know about it. And then he got round to
Velvets track. He might have done Sunday Morning, but he did it in a really bizarre way. You know.
I've checked out some of those, some of those song versions where I'm just like, what like.
A really contrary way of being like, yeah, you know, I think.
That's kind of cool too. I'm like I would never have like the bass to do that with one of my own songs, to sing it like in this way that nobody like nobody wants once. That's what like kind of what I love about him the most really, you know, yeah, bloody mindedness, Yeah, you know, it's it's that is like that, you know when all of us like sort of you know, quote unquote like rockers you know or or like you know rock stars like you know, doing what we trying
to do, what we're doing. You know, there's there's there's the ones like Lou who like just didn't I mean it just didn't this just like he like just kind of set the bar and like and he was that he just was that he wasn't like posturing or posing as anything but himself and that in that way you know, like I mean he was just like such an original,
you know, like true true. Yeah, it's just like it like, yeah, that impresses me the most, just like you know, just sort of how how how he just didn't he didn't give a fuck really, you know, it's a certain degree he must have given a fuck, but the like, you know, how he like you know, for the most part, didn't seem like he did so yeah, anyway, good night,