Weekly > Interviews
Chairlift
Chairlift burst onto the scene on the other side of the Atlantic last year with the release of their debut album Does You Inspire You. Originally release on the independent Kanine label, the band have recently signed to Columbia and re-mastered the album with two additional songs now making it into a brilliant thirteen tracker.
The album has just been re-released this month (scoring 5/5 on our site) along with the single Evident Utensil. We thought it was an appropriate time to catch up with the band and put some questions to Aaron Pfenning from the band.
You initially released your album last year to massive critical acclaim, were you ready for the reaction it got and the subsequent exposure?
We really had no idea the kind of reception our album would receive. We made all the recordings in a series of places – old houses in the woods, Brooklyn basements with no heat, and nice Chelsea studios. The end result was just what we wanted to make and we had no idea what others would think of it.
Following on from that you’ve now signed to Columbia, has the success of the album and the label move brought you any additional pressures?
We put the pressure on ourselves – we always have. Pressure to perform live, pressure to make better recordings…It’s like the three of us are characters from the 90’s movie Speed: One of us is the madman creating explosives, one of us is Keanu Reeves, and one of us is Sandra Bullock. It’s a weird and charming mix.
What have the label said their expectations of you are?
I think they want us to make a movie that tops Speed!
The album is getting a re-release with two additional tracks and is re-mastered, how do you feel about it coming out again slightly different to the original?
It feels appropriate. The two additional songs were meant to be on the first pressing and now it’s all there. Plus we got to work with Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) and that really tore my mind up.
What has the remastering ironed out this time round that you weren’t happy with the first time round?
It was re-run through a new “all-analogue” board. All the ideas are the same and the concepts haven’t changed, but the audio quality has increased.
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Add to favouritesIs there a part of you that is already getting tired of playing the songs live from this album and would like to be onto something new?
Of course. We go through shifts in which we omit songs for a few weeks then play them again and say to ourselves “whoa that feels good to play again.” We have something like nine new songs written we just haven’t had time to figure out how to play them live.
How prolific are you as a band and related to the previous question, how far on are you with writing or recording a new album?
It’s almost all written, or at least the ideas are there. It’s only a matter of figuring out a place and time to get them recorded.
You have a new single out at the moment from the album, what can you tell us about Evident Utensil and the accompanying video?
It’s a song about the birthplace of ideas. Ideas start someplace in your mind and eventually they have to be written down and translated into some medium. Like- an architect has a vision, then writes it out, and gets the permits, gets the steel, gets the crew, and makes the building. The video was the same process – finding the right crew and director. The crew were our friends and the director was Ray Tintori.
Are you booked in to play many Festivals this summer and which line up in particular is exciting you?
Bonnaroo! I can’t wait to get down south and eat mashed potatoes & green beans. Seriously.
Who else do you currently admire from the current music scene?
Currently I am digging Angel Deradoorian and her current EP (mindblowing drone harmony bliss!). The current Suckers EP. And the current Kuroma disc.
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