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Phoenix was one of the “break out” bands of 2009, despite being around for a few years. Up for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, frontman Thomas Mars took a few minutes to respond to our questions. We knew already how talented Phoenix is but we didn’t know that they were this witty. Check it out below and make sure to go to WeArePhoenix.com and www.MySpace.com/WeArePhoenix.
, CD
, Vinyl
The Audio Perv: You released your current album on Glassnote Records/Loyaute after having been on EMI for a while. What benefits/advantages did you have with Glassnote that may have been missing before?
Thomas Mars: On previous records we had to wait at least 4 months once the record was done before people could hear our music. We didn’t want to repeat this and these days you can give songs for free on the internet and the people we worked with understood it is not a commercial or financial suicide.
The Audio Perv: What’s the biggest misconception that you had about the US?
Thomas Mars: We thought it was an impenetrable fortress
The Audio Perv: You’ve had much success internationally but you exploded in the US with your new album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Was it frustrating for you at all to have to prove yourself here even though you’re famous and established everywhere else?
Thomas Mars: We are not famous anywhere really… as for established it is something we are in denial about so no frustration
The Audio Perv: There was some initial resentment in France towards you because your lyrics were in English. How do you feel now towards them now that they are more accepting and welcoming of who you are?
Thomas Mars: we are still not accepted by most and not welcomed…
The Audio Perv: On your previous albums, it seemed as though you were still discovering your style. On Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, you’ve really found your sound. What did you do differently on this album when compared to your previous work?
Thomas Mars: this time we didn’t want to be as good as our heroes, we wanted to be better!
The Audio Perv: Why is history such a big theme in your music?
Thomas Mars: I guess cause we are somehow trying to built our own mythology or talk of things that are closer to us. We grew up in Versailles and it felt like living in a museum — beautiful but not fun !
The Audio Perv: “1901″ is featured in a Cadillac commercial. How did you feel when you first saw it? And was there any concern on your part in licensing a song to be used in a car commercial?
Thomas Mars: I grew up discovering Prince on a car test driving TV program. In France you can’t say no if people want to use a song on TV.
The Audio Perv: Are Thomas Hedlund and Robin Coudert official members of the band or are they strictly session recording/touring musicians in the band?
Thomas Mars: They have other projetcs they work on too. Thomas Hedlund is in a swedish band called the Deportees and on other ones too. Rob is a music producer and made a serie of recordings called “dodecalogue”.
The Audio Perv: Though you’ve toured through the US before, it hasn’t been as extensive as it was this year. Will there be another full US tour in support of this album or will you be taking some time off?
Thomas Mars: There will be more !
The Audio Perv: Which would be more meaningful for you: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix becoming a platinum album or winning the Best Alternative Album Grammy?
Thomas Mars: We want a platinum grammy
(Photo credit: Sam Teich)
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