DeadJournalist.com Exclusive Interviews:
Passion Pit

Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com
07.22.09

 

Twice I've been on the way to Nashville from Atlanta and have had a band make such an impact that I know the exact place on I-24 where I first heard them. In August 2006, I slid The Knife in my CD changer just past Chattanooga as I headed along side the Tennessee River headed toward the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The next 30 minutes of that morning's drive I was lost in the music and the mountains. I was in Tennessee (and then Georgia, and then Tennessee again because of the dip I-24 takes) but I might have will been on Mars. Incredible experience.

Jump forward to last Fall. October to be exact. My wife and I were heading to Nashville, listening to XM, when I heard this song come on just outside of Monteagle, TN. Maybe I had heard part of the song before, but this time, I heard it from first note to last. For the next 15 minutes I couldn't stop talking about the song. I couldn't get over how amazing it was. I wanted to hear it again and again. Luckily, I did on the way back to Atlanta and I immediately downloaded the song as soon as I got home. Then bought the EP.

The song was "Sleepyhead" by Passion Pit and it had given me another unforgettable musical moment.

 

As I mentioned in the Here We Go Magic interview, songs and artists grab me in different ways. Sometimes my initial reaction is 180 degrees from my final opinion of a band (pointing a finger at McClusky circa '02 and Art Brut in '06). But sometimes, that first gut reaction couldn't be more spot on.

I typically don't give back stories on interviews, but I first contacted Passion Pit about an interview in early January 2009. As happens from time-to-time, bands blow-up in the midst of the process, and sites like this become a back burner or forgotten altogether. No hard feelings - it is the way the business goes. But a funny thing happened when I reached out to the band in June to see about resurrecting the interview ... it came back to life.

So I am more than a little happy to bring the readers of DeadJournalist.com this interview with Passion Pit - one of the hottest (and best) bands of 2009.

The band, Michael Angelakos (vocals/keyboard), Ian Hultquist (guitar), Ayad Al Adhamy (keyboard), Jeff Apruzzese (bass) and Nate Donmoyer (drums), was formed in Boston in 2007. Their rapid ascension to popularity underscores how quickly a talented group of musicians came spring to relevancy from obscurity.

After releasing their Chunk of Change EP in 2008, the band followed with Manners, the full length album that is sure to find itself of most Top 10 lists for this years. Mixing pop sensibility with an experimental electronic under-base has proved a successful combination for the band.

The band is playing dates across the US, Canada and Europe through November - of which a great number have already sold out. It was also just announced that the band will be performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 29, 2009.

Like a number of bands, they are keeping a tour blog which came be visited at passionpit.wordpress.com or by going to their Web site www.passionpitmusic.com.

So with great pleasure, DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Nate Donmoyer of Passion Pit.

Within the last 12 months, the band released a critically acclaimed EP, Chunk of Change, and followed it with the recently released LP, Manners. Personally, what are most satisfying aspects of the band’s success?

ND: Definitely the shows. Compliments and blog reviews are nice but to actually make people move at a show or get excited when we start playing a song feels really good and unique.

Did the success of Chunk of Change add any additional pressure on the recording process for Manners?

ND: Definitely, but I think more positive pressure than anything else. I think it pushed us to work harder and longer and not settle for less because we wanted to exceed the hype.

Talk a bit about Manners; what was the primary influence behind the sounds on the album? How did working with Chris Zane influence the album?

ND: The primary influence is definitely pop, more specifically pop that makes you dance from all eras. Sometimes we would put on a Michael Jackson track to get warmed up sometimes a capsule track sometimes a Daft Punk track.

Working with Chris really heightened that energy that is required for that kind of production. He would turn it up and keep us going late into the night when otherwise we would have went on hulu.com and fell asleep.

He also contributed a lot to us expecting more of ourselves. He is responsible for putting it in our heads that we dont have an album or song or second to waste. It gave us the attitude that we had to make the best album we could this time because we might never get to do it again if we don't.

Some of the creative process behind the creation of Chunk of Change is detailed on the band’s Web site. How would you describe the process behind creating new music together?

ND: Mike is still the songwriter; but not only does he now write with a band in mind, we get to flesh out the arrangements, contribute to production, sound design, programming etc. and just add a fresh filter on things that might make him happy but not all of us.

Given the dramatic shift in media during this decade; what do you find most challenging finding and maintaining a digital audience?

ND: I dont believe it really is difficult at all to find an audience. We are in such a period of simultaneity that no matter what you want, you can find someone making it. Especially in the digital realm.

Maintaining an audience is difficult though, we haven't to do that yet because it's all so soon. I guess we now have to top Manners with our live show and then top both with our next album. That would be ideal.

The band has released fantastic videos for “Sleepyhead” and “The Reeling”. What do you think videos can express about the band that a listener might not be able to pick up from solely listening to the album itself?

ND: Hopefully music videos can visualize a theme in the song that might not always be obvious or literal. I think our next video captures that. I honestly don't think the previous two did. Although they are great videos, I am hesitant to say they revealed anything about the songs.

Passion Pit | To Kingdom Come from EFFIN' MEGA VIDEOS on Vimeo.

Which do you enjoy more, performing live or writing and recording?

ND: They all have different satisfactions but nothing is like playing songs you have written and recorded live in front of people.

You’re touring through out North American and Europe for most of the year – with many shows sold out. How does it feel to know that so many of these shows have sold out months ahead of time?

ND: It's insane, and exhilarating. The energy at a sold out show is so much more pent up and explosive. Maybe people feel like they are experiencing something more exclusive? I'm not sure but it does kind of put the pressure on us to make sure the people who didn't get tickets regret not buying them.

To the band, what is the most important aspect of a live performance?

ND: I think fidelity and musicality come first. Without a good sounding band what's the point? Albeit, we rarely achieve what we want so sometimes it really just comes down to putting your heart into every note, I think thats what people respond to the most, few people actually know what really sounds good anyway.

What is the most bizarre event that has occurred to you while on tour?

ND: Some one shat on Ian's and my luggage in Manchester, England. I've never laughed so hard in my life.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

ND: Zomby, St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors, Joker, Rustie, Emvee,

What were you listening to in 1999?

ND: Probably The Prodigy - Fat of the Land

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

ND: Depends on the setting but CD-quality is fine. 320k mp3s are fine and convenient as well.

One Drink; One Movie; One Album:

ND: Cider, Wild Zero, Discovery