Q&A with matt from foreign born (officially cool as f*ck!)
the recent pitchfork review of foreign born's album on the wing now was chock full of u2 and bono references. the band is good. and the review gave them lots of praise. it also called them a "baby u2" and had lines like this one, describing the vocals as always containing "a glimmer of hope, a trick no doubt borrowed from rock's guardian angel laureate, bono."
i got in touch with the band to see how they were doing as far as coming to terms with their inner bono-ness. singer matt popieluch answered some of my questions. dude is funny...
Pitchfork just gave your album On the Wing Now a very fine review and included Arcade Fire, R.E.M. and several U2 and Bono references. Be honest, those U2 references freaked you out just a little. Didn't they?
Matt: No! They were right on the money! Just like always.
People also like to compare you guys to Echo and the Bunnymen. But I feel like you have a jam band aura about you, too. If you had to pinpoint a few bands as influences, which ones would you highlight?
Matt: U2, U2 and umm U2, for sure.. anything they did. What kind of question is that?!!
Who was the first band or artist you ever really loved as a kid and why?
Matt: Whatever Bono was up to, I was completely dialed in, even at 5 or 6. If he sneezed I was blown away. Sometimes it's not easy having him as your "rock guardian angel laureate."
What is your lead guitarist Lewis's favorite guitar? And can you tell me what your gear set-up is like when you play live?
Matt: For his guitar and pedal set-up, Lewis studied hours of YouTube footage of The Edge. Drew out diagrams, really picked his brain.. So whatever guitar The Edge plays, I'm sure Lewis has some kind of forged signature edition.. and, of course, a mirror of his pedal arsenal.
Your drummer Garrett is freaking awesome. Maybe that's not a question really. But how did he get so awesome?
Matt: He was born awesome.
Can you tell us a secret?
Matt: I'm biding my time until I start permanently wearing shades and introduce my alter-ego! I'm already talking to GAP about something..
is dude making fun of me?! he's definitely making fun of somebody. foreign born's music is worth a listen. the guitars are sublime, the drummer really is freaking awesome, the harmonies are killer and the lead singer, well, see above and below.
video: letter of inclusion
sidenote: my crack team of '80s music experts (aka bob and colin), has confirmed that foreign born's sound is reminiscent of not only u2, arcade fire, r.em. and echo and the bunnymen, but also adorable, teardrop explodes, the ocean blue, stephen "tin tin" duffy, trash can sinatras, the adventures, an emotional fish and power of dreams.
[mp3]
in the shape - foreign born
from the lp on the wing now.
[mp3]
we had pleasure - foreign born
from the ep in the remote woods.
buy / myspace / read pitchfork review
~ peace
i got in touch with the band to see how they were doing as far as coming to terms with their inner bono-ness. singer matt popieluch answered some of my questions. dude is funny...
Pitchfork just gave your album On the Wing Now a very fine review and included Arcade Fire, R.E.M. and several U2 and Bono references. Be honest, those U2 references freaked you out just a little. Didn't they?
Matt: No! They were right on the money! Just like always.
People also like to compare you guys to Echo and the Bunnymen. But I feel like you have a jam band aura about you, too. If you had to pinpoint a few bands as influences, which ones would you highlight?
Matt: U2, U2 and umm U2, for sure.. anything they did. What kind of question is that?!!
Who was the first band or artist you ever really loved as a kid and why?
Matt: Whatever Bono was up to, I was completely dialed in, even at 5 or 6. If he sneezed I was blown away. Sometimes it's not easy having him as your "rock guardian angel laureate."
What is your lead guitarist Lewis's favorite guitar? And can you tell me what your gear set-up is like when you play live?
Matt: For his guitar and pedal set-up, Lewis studied hours of YouTube footage of The Edge. Drew out diagrams, really picked his brain.. So whatever guitar The Edge plays, I'm sure Lewis has some kind of forged signature edition.. and, of course, a mirror of his pedal arsenal.
Your drummer Garrett is freaking awesome. Maybe that's not a question really. But how did he get so awesome?
Matt: He was born awesome.
Can you tell us a secret?
Matt: I'm biding my time until I start permanently wearing shades and introduce my alter-ego! I'm already talking to GAP about something..
is dude making fun of me?! he's definitely making fun of somebody. foreign born's music is worth a listen. the guitars are sublime, the drummer really is freaking awesome, the harmonies are killer and the lead singer, well, see above and below.
video: letter of inclusion
sidenote: my crack team of '80s music experts (aka bob and colin), has confirmed that foreign born's sound is reminiscent of not only u2, arcade fire, r.em. and echo and the bunnymen, but also adorable, teardrop explodes, the ocean blue, stephen "tin tin" duffy, trash can sinatras, the adventures, an emotional fish and power of dreams.
[mp3]
in the shape - foreign born
from the lp on the wing now.
[mp3]
we had pleasure - foreign born
from the ep in the remote woods.
buy / myspace / read pitchfork review
~ peace
posted by c at 2:00 PM
6 Comments:
This band has a great sound, thanks for the heads up. I really enjoyed everything I heard over at myspace. I also enjoyed your weird interview with them. Look forward to seeing you next week...
They sound like dreams I've had when I've fallen asleep to my iPod, and the Bunnymen, U2, and Arcade Fire all get mixed up in my head. They can't go wrong by watching hours of The Edge (I've done that, too, but not for guitar technique exactly...)
hey c,
One of our local tabloids has a write up on Daniel Lanois. Did you know he's made a documentary about himself? Not sure if yer man makes an appearance in it, but LAnois did have a few things to say about the new U2 album.
Check it out.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Entertainment/Music/2007/09/05/4470928-sun.html
i'm glad you guys like foreign born. they get bonus points for having a sense of humor.
nastyboy: yeah, that movie looks quite interesting and the band is in it supposedly from when they were writing songs in morocco.
the last graf in that article you linked to RULES.
"Larry Mullen's one of my favourite drummers, so I like to be in his presence and I know what he's great at and that's what I want to get on the record."
Ha! Just saw this...
At least the guy has a personality and sense of humor. Good stuff!
Great band with an original sound...
that and their bassist was the singer/guitarist of seminal 90's ska rock act, the hippos.
bang a rang
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