On June 20th Bi fm published a video interview with Patrick Hallahan and Bo Koster.
Keywords:
Bo Koster: We haven't really seen much, we just pulled up and sound checked, but we played here 2006 and we always remember it fondly. We had a great time in 2006, so we're hoping that tonight will be even better.
Keywords:
Bo Koster: We haven't really seen much, we just pulled up and sound checked, but we played here 2006 and we always remember it fondly. We had a great time in 2006, so we're hoping that tonight will be even better.
Patrick Hallahan: Yeah, yeah, we have a couple of friends on the bill that we are excited to see, M. Ward and North Mississippi Allstars are here. So it's kind of a nice little re-union to see those guys
BK: Skynard. I've actually never seen Lynard Skynard. I had to come all the way to Spain...
PH: [laughs]
BK: ...to see
PH: I know, yeah, yeah
BK: So that's pretty cool
PH: This is kicking off, yeah this is kicking off the, it's the first European date. Where are we going? Oh we're heading north from here all the way, we'll go as far as Norway and Sweden.
BK: Yeah
PH: So, from Spain to Sweden.BK: Tonight's the first night that we're doing our Spontaneous Curation Series, where we are asking fans to help us decide what songs to play in the set. Especially what song we open with. And so it's kind of forcing us to get out of our comfort zone and play different songs and put them in different orders. And taking the control, giving the control to the fans.
PH: I think internet can be a double edge sword, but we try to use it for good and you know really. I think internet has knocked down that wall between fan and band. So there's a, I do, I think we miss the mystery between fan and band, but at the same time it's a beautiful tool to do what you're saying, to create situations like this where they're picking songs on our setlist and winning autographed things from our repertoire on a day by day basis. We really like to use the internet as a positive tool.
BK: I think it's still bigger in the states. We're making headway over here though, it seems like every time we come over more people know about us in different countries and we... It seem to be a... I don't know.
PH: I think our popularity is relative to how much we tour and we had to cancel a couple of tours in Europe. So we don't really have any radio singles, our songs are too long usually, so we need to tour more over here and we're starting to feel the effects of it, it's really nice.
PH: I'll tell you what, there's a great differenced between why I like Bonnaroo and why I like the Azkena festival . This festival is really special because there's only two stages and that's one thing that... There's three this year? Well when we first came it, there were only two stages here and it was great because there was only one stage to play at once. So everybody at the festival would go to that stage and then the next band would play and they'd go to that band. Whereas Bonnaroo is, God how many stages are at Bonnaroo, like 15 stages, yeah. And it's just a huge widespread area, which is, it's awesome, it has its own magic to it. But we really like this feel of this festival, it's much more intimate.
BK: The thing about Bonnaroo that's so special is that you get 90,000 people to camp. They're all camping, like some people stay in hotels, but there's very limited hotel space right? So you really have to commit to the whole experience. So it's down and dirty, like you're not gonna get showers, you're not gonna like have your normal amenities. So I think it puts people on this frame of mind where they're all in to use a poker term. They're ready to do whatever it takes to make the weekend fun, so the spirit is high there. 'Cause people are like geared up to do it, 'cause they give y'know? Instead of going back to your bed, your home.
PH: We've been kind of buddies with those guys [Band of Horses] for a little while and they have always said that they wanted to play shows with us and then we were kind of looking for an opener for the Madison Square Garden show last December and we had them open up. And it was just like a perfect fit, our fans and their fans are kind of along the same lines and we got along with them really well. We feel that our music matches well together and I don't know, they're just great guys. We thought it would be a good fit.
BK: And honestly they're almost doing us a favor by opening up for us, 'cause they could easily headline their own tour of this similar size.
PH: Yeah, that's very true.BK: So we feel lucky and grateful that they're gonna do it, 'cause they're good people and they make great music.
PH: This is something that has been in the works for a long time and actually [laughs] our career has delayed his solo albums. So y'know it's was just kind of an understood thing that at some point he would go off and do a solo album. He's pretty much gonna put that out, tour for a month and then we start recording another album. It gives us more time at home. [laughs]
BK: Yeah everything's healthy y'know, it's all healthy kind of creative environment that we're all in, like we're all open to doing things with other people. Him doing a solo record is just about feeding the creative desire, we're still gonna do our thing and it's great. It's good for everybody.
BK: Hopefully sooner than later.
PH: Yeah, yeah, I guess we'll probably start recording in spring of next year. I'd say probably April or May. Isn't that when we kind of slotted the time?
Jim James: [walks past interview] That's not true!
PH: You get out of here! You've had your time!
