A Chat with Win Butler of the Amazing Arcade Fire
I'm not sure I remember when I first heard Arcade Fire, but I'm pretty certain it happened during that era of my life (1984-2006) when I had the time, energy and cash to enjoy new music on a ridiculously regular schedule. And since the Canadian wundergruppe isn't all that old, I suspect the love affair started with the release of the celebrated 2004 release, Funeral.
Paste Magazine recently chatted it up with Win Butler, Arcade Fire's frontman about the band's new film:
Paste: What do you hope people understand better about Arcade Fire after watching this film?
Butler: We didn’t have any goals of putting across anything specific. But it’s more just a representation of how we just joke around when we’re just hanging out. It doesn’t really fit with our austere image that’s not really us. I think that happened when Funeral came out and we had like four photos, all with us just looking sad in our ties. And it just stuck. But, when I watch like a Rolling Stones documentary, the parts that I find most interesting are like when there’s a microphone in the background—the little moments from the recording process.
Paste: So what’s next for you guys? It’s been a while since you’ve toured; are you buckling down for a busy 2009?
Butler: We’ll see. The last five years were so insane for this band. Our goal is to take a break and come back together when we feel like it’s right. When we recorded Funeral, we didn’t have a drummer at the beginning. We’d just get together and play in small groups. We’re kind of in that frame of mind again. Guys were just coming over in the afternoon and working on songs. The first time you play a song and it comes together, that’s just the most exciting thing.
Butler: We didn’t have any goals of putting across anything specific. But it’s more just a representation of how we just joke around when we’re just hanging out. It doesn’t really fit with our austere image that’s not really us. I think that happened when Funeral came out and we had like four photos, all with us just looking sad in our ties. And it just stuck. But, when I watch like a Rolling Stones documentary, the parts that I find most interesting are like when there’s a microphone in the background—the little moments from the recording process.
Paste: So what’s next for you guys? It’s been a while since you’ve toured; are you buckling down for a busy 2009?
Butler: We’ll see. The last five years were so insane for this band. Our goal is to take a break and come back together when we feel like it’s right. When we recorded Funeral, we didn’t have a drummer at the beginning. We’d just get together and play in small groups. We’re kind of in that frame of mind again. Guys were just coming over in the afternoon and working on songs. The first time you play a song and it comes together, that’s just the most exciting thing.
