Yeah, seriously. We’re so excited to see Kurt Vile rock out at Boston Calling that we couldn’t resist giving him a call and asking him a few questions ahead of time.
AP: When you begin writing a song, do you think about how it’ll be performed live or how you’ll record it?
KV: When I write a song I sort of picture it a certain way in my head. I dunno how often it comes out the way I think it will. Then again some songs I work on…I’m working on these old banjo songs at the moment- I’m going back to them…they’re very bulky and in the moment. I assume they’ll come out pretty raw. I was traveling, touring and playing some of these songs that haven’t been recorded live recently. I’m assuming they won’t stray too far, they’ll come out as raw rock songs, ideally that’s how they come off. But when you’re in the studio you’re kind of in the moment too, it’s just what comes out good you know? I was just in Athens recording with my new drummer and I was singing vocals…at the end I had this guitar in my hands so I could figure out how to sing it, and I ended up playing this one solo without thinking about it…it ended up being the most hilariously great solo ever. I didn’t think there would be that weird solo in there. In recording you don’t know what’s going to happen, you have to work on the fly, and that’s the most real way to work because it’s not contrived at all it’s like reaction. You know that’s kind of the best way to fill up a recording. You never decide fully. Ideally you shouldn’t think too much about it.
AP: Did you say you’re recording on the banjo?
KV: Yeah I just got this new banjo, it’s amazing, the company is called Buckeye. My first string instrument was a banjo. I do have some songs…one or two in particular that I would play live sometimes and I was tempted to record them in the past, like during smoke ring but I just wasn’t ready yet. But there’s gonna be a banjo record on my next album…among other things I mean I’m not doing a banjo record I’m not doing like Eddie Vedder’s ukulele collection or something.
AP: How do you feel your band members influence the creation of new material? How involved are they when you’re first writing songs? Do you write your part and bring it to them or is it more collaborative?
KV: No, I mean we’re all like minded individuals and we work together the same way as I was describing before, we never know what’s gonna happen, someone might latch on to something really cool, we talked about practicing before we go into the studio but honestly, I feel like I write the songs and I have a certain vision and you chase it. When you get there one member might latch on to one thing more than another. But they’re never like working out arrangements or adding a chorus in like a Lennon McCartney way…I mean they obviously all have these really cool things in certain songs like Jessie has this really cool trippy part in a Girl Called Alex, for a small example. We just never know until we get there. I don’t know how the next record is gonna go down, I know they’re all gonna be involved at certain times and if its not the way I’m feeling it ultimately I’m gonna have to take control, for sure. We are a band, I’m not a control freak or anything like that I just have a certain vision for it. But we are working like a real band, just figuring it out.
AP: You’ve spoken a lot before about being from Philadelphia. Do you feel like there’s anything about your music that’s uniquely Philadelphian?
KV: Yeah I mean I feel like I’m defiantly influenced by…I think everyone is influenced by their surroundings. Maybe without thinking about it in the past my surroundings and my friends and how I was brought up and where I was brought up definitely effects my music but now…I’ve been around so much and people associate me with Philadelphia a and stuff and that inspires me too, I feel more Philadelphian ever or something. The Philadelphian sense of humor, I totally embrace. Its fun to go to the west coast and be ball busting…being really ball busting with someone I love and it being misconstrued. I dunno lately I think about like…west coast particularly LA vs. Philly because I love them both and all the laid back hippie types I’m friends with…I think there’s a place for harmony in there, the yin and the yang.
AP: You’re worked with a lot of big names and toured with a lot of famous musicians, have there been moments that you’ve felt star struck?
KV: Probably everyone from like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth and now I know those people very well… but I can tell you I’m very anxious to meet Nick Cave. He in particular has such a personality. He’s one of the greatest performers today, really. He’s sort of taking everyone back to school. I’ve also heard Nick Cave in in interviews and he’s really outspoken and not afraid to say he doesn’t like something. I’m sure I’ll be really nervous. I hope we’ll be good that night you know? We don’t play a perfect show every night by any means. I hope it’s really good, I hope we really hit it off but even if we don’t…I still get to play with Nick Cave ya know?
AP: Do you consider yourself a private person? Do you like doing interviews or do they feel strange?
KV: I am a private person and definitely introverted…but I kind of like doing interviews now, it’s part of my life. I feel like I’m more honest than ever, I get to answer whatever I want to answer. Before, when I did interviews I used to just give all the same answers I get things down…not every time…but you kind of learn about yourself. Like I just did this Bret Easton Ellis podcast, which was great, I love him I love his books and to finally have a conversation with a great, intelligent writer. I was sort of thought I blew it, but when I listened to it, it was actually okay even though I stutter a lot. But yeah I like them, not all the time but it’s part of my life.
AP: Do you like playing small venues or bigger spaces? Do you have a dream venue?
KV:I like both, they both have their dream zone. There’s a perfect night, like the time we played the primavera the first time and the sun was coming down…I had a bunch of records out but I finally had a record out that did well and there were people like yelling for me and telling me I made them cry, and then I play little clubs in east bumble fuck no where with walls that make everything really rock and roll. I can’t say I have one dream one because I like the variety.
AP: See you at Boston Calling! Thanks so much for giving us your time, I know you’re really busy.
KV: Haha yeah uh you know…I’m not THAT busy.
Check out this video bellow of Vile playing on KEXP, and swing by Boston Calling on Sunday to see him in person