The Liars: Little Big drummer boy…

-You have this new lp out, ‘Drum’s not dead’: I understand that the making of this record has been quite different from what you did before…

-A: With the previous record, we had a real strong and rigid structure of framework, with a very strong concept and we knew exactly what we were doing, making a lot of research for it. This time, we didn’t talk about it at all, we just went away and tried to make songs. And because of that looseness, we had the chance to explore some more personal aspects.

-Does the main use of drums, guitars and voices participate to this enterprise of musical decomposition that you started in fact with your very first lp?

-A: Yes, and the idea behind ‘Drum’s not dead’ is really something more of an extinction of how we’ve always worked. That’s the first thing we figured out on every song, from trench to now, and so we decided that this time we would make it more clear, and show that the drum are really our access to music.

-A great thing is this idea to add a second disc with a DVD version of the record, with 36 videos for 12 titles. We talked about it last time we met, and you said it was too expensive: so, how did it happen?

-A: Well, at first, we just wanted this German filmmaker to make one film, for the whole record. And then, when he started to work on the project, I think we all got very excited by the idea of making stuff too, and learn how to shoot and edit stuff like that, and, in the end, we had so much material that we were facing that decision, should we edit it down to one perfect piece or should we basically keep everything that we worked on. We choose the last one to keep everything that we worked on because, I think, specifically on this record, the utilisation of the video is part of the process. What we’re really looking for here is something in opposition to the really expensive MTV videos: when a band goes and pay someone to do that, it’s very detached to the music, and what I find interesting about keeping all of the videos in it is that you can see mistakes and our hand in it and I think that’s more important than beauty or affection.

-You also have three versions of each song, so you can compare and choose your own version to look at…

-A: Yes, I really like this idea too, because many people ask us if we’ll be on MTV, and the reality of making something like this is that is no longer important, because you have three versions, which goes to all different websites and move around a lot better than only one really expensive video that you can only see on one channel.

-Do you think you’ll work like that again in the future?

-A: I think so; I guess we’ll have some sorts of visual elements. I don’t know if it’s gonna be the same, but I think that it would probably more difficult if you try to make the film first, and then do the music, which may or may not be something that we’ll try.

-Are all those movies visible with you on stage, or only some of them?

-A: Yes, but not completely: we did do a screening in London recently. We played only for a half an hour, and showed only the part at the end of the film for that. That what we use on the road, we just kind of loop it.

-A little word about Berlin: you said you’ve been there because the studios were less expensive than in New York, but did this city influence you?

-A: Yes, I think so, personally at least. My move there has a lot to do with my idea of detachment and re-determining, re-figuring out the reality that I was living in, and I find very interesting to be able to go, especially to a place where you don’t speak the language and not familiar with the culture. You find yourself like a real alien, a bubble in the middle of it all, and for me, in terms of working and writing music, that is a very good position of being, where everywhere else seems like its. That’s not MY reality, and it’s really nice in terms of like figuring out about yourself. For example, when I’m standing in Brooklyn, NY, I’m pretty aware and I know why I’m there and I know my surroundings, but when you plug me in eastern Europe, then I’m no longer what I was, and it becomes an interesting introverted process, figure out who you are again, which is very positive for me when I’m making music.

-I feel you're the opposite of Neubauten, as they started to deconstruct all musical structures and now they make music that's closer to ‘rock’…

-A: Yes, but they still have very interesting live shows, and I think that’s a part of the process and the mediums that we haven’t really check all well yet, how to make use of other mediums in the life performance. Their show is a real experience and I think they’re probably still gods on their way! It’s difficult to compare because, you know, I listen to Neubauten since I’m a kid, not because of their music, but because I heard one say they did something with a dog and a microphone, and for me, this is Neubauten, this idea of really looking for these other things. If they slow down a bit, that’s ok, but at least I’d say they’re a good example.

-Tell me about those two characters you created for this record: ‘Drum’ and ‘Mister Heart Attack’…

-A: This idea really came after we recorded, at the opposite of the second record, when we had the concept first, this time we made a lot of songs, recorded them and we sort of sat down, particularly eye in eye, looking at each other and said: ‘how have we made this?’ I was in Berlin most of the time, he was in L.A most of the time, and despite of this we made something that is fluid and works together and it took us a while to figure out how we did that. I think that the best way we could explain it was it was two characters, one being very confident and strong about their ideas and the other one being very worried about those ideas, not confident at all, and that’s not like me or him one of them but their personalities and characteristics evolved between us. So, one day you might feel really strong about the ideas you’ve got, and so, they will make it, because I’m a little more submissive that day, and the next day, I’m gonna be aggressive, and you’ll be submissive, and that’s how those two things come together.

-Is for you the trio formula still the best for the liars, or do you intend to incorporate other musicians one day?

-A: No, but this idea is there’s no separate role in the band. But more people is not out of question: I think at the moment it’s great because none of us feels like I’m the singer or the drummer or the guitarist, we can all anything, and that’s really the most positive part of that. And the question would wonder where to find other people able to get rid of that ego to do within one instrument.

-You have a new single coming soon, ‘The other side of Mr Heart Attack’, remixed by Daniel Miller, boss of Mute records…

-A: I did a lot of the mixing in London, he was there and was pretty much the only person outside the band who I talked to about it, the music and the mixing. I had never really worked with him like that, and the way he thinks about music is pretty amazing, I was shocked when I played him a mix, I thought it was fine and then he would review any technical terms and styles, he’s really nice at what he’s doing. So, when I had this chance of doing remixes, I asked him and he accepted it, I was very glad!

-There’s a brand new video for it, different from those on the record?

-A: Yes, I made it after, so it’s a very new one!

-When I listen to ‘Drum’s not dead’, it reminds me of the Swans, Pink Floyd and the Velvet underground, would you agree with that?

-A: Sure, I was really into Syd Barrett, and we heard a lot of the early Beach Boys, sort of very natural and relaxed ways of recording that I think we were very interested in: we wanted to be in a room together and use the acoustics. On the ‘Drown’ record, we were in a basement, and a lot of it was played separately. This time, we really wanted to try to get that whole feeling.

-You said, about downloading, that artists must take their responsibility of their product, and it’s very uncommon, people only talk about money, but never about records being expensive or simply bad…

-A: It’s strange to me and I think the problem starts with records companies, because other ones take the control out of its hands, and really that’s where they’re losing their edge, because they’ve got artists to think creatively, they should be calling up their artists every day, asking them what new thing they can do, and I guarantee all these people have ideas, but they’re so afraid. Record companies know everything, record business is constantly changing, and people who were working in it ten years ago may feel they know how to make business work but in reality it changed quite a lot, and ideas like making for a record animation on the street is in a sense very archaic to me, very dated. It might have worked ten years ago but now we have technology like the Internet, and that’s where we need to start thinking about how to connect with all those people in this day and age, as opposed at what you did ten years ago. It’s a very big difference, and the technology is there.

-Another thing is that blank tapes, and now DVDs, have been created by those same majors, who now want to sell records, blank tapes and DVDs but not that people use them: buy a car, buy gas, but stay home, it’s cleaner and good against traffic jams!

-A: Yes, it is ridiculous, and on the same level of idea, you put out an album, a friend of yours is remixing it and maybe you have a live record out it, so it’s three ways for the record companies to get money, it’s amazing! And then, they wonder why they’re not selling!

-What can we expect in the future from the Liars, if someone can imagine that?

-A: The way we work is in cycles, and that’s got to do with deciding where we will record next. In the past, I’ve been very ultimate about this, I said I’m moving to New Jersey, I’m moving to Berlin, I was always saying where to go, and I’m really hoping that this time the ‘other two’ make a decision about where they want to go, and generally what that means is that I’ll move there, to get involve with them. I’m afraid that they come with the easy decision to record in L.A ‘cause their families are there…

-Come over here!

-A: Yeah, if we could find something cheap, I’m sure we would!

Interview conducted on March 15th, 2OO6 by Jean Paul Coillard.

Photos : JP Coillard.

Thanks to Emmanuel, from Labels.