Michael Angelakos - Passion Pit (25/06/2013)
Returning to Australia for appearances at Splendour in the Grass and a headline slot at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival, The 59th Sound spoke with Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit about their second LP, Gossamer, touring down under, and mental health.
Passion Pit are once again heading to our amazing Aussie shores, what do you love most about touring down under?
The most amazing part is that, if you really sit down and think about it from our perspective, we're traveling to the other side of the world to play to fans. It's a pretty surreal thing to think about, really. The fans are so great, they understand us, we can be ourselves and do what we do and not think about it too much. Australia has always been a country that's thoroughly understood us. And it's also grown with us, so it's unlike any other international experience for us because, distance aside, Australia has always "gotten it," which makes up for the 40+ hours total of travel, to and fro.
Splendour in the Grass is an incredible festival, having played quite a few yourself, what gets you most excited about signing on for these gigs?
I've gone on the record many times saying that the last time we played Splendour was insane - possibly the most memorable and wonderful of all my festival memories. Festivals typically aren't super pleasant, but something about Splendour felt so great, it was like catching lightening in a bottle, really magical. We're hoping to bring our new and better show back to a festival that we've always recalled as being fantastic.
Last year saw the release of your second LP Gossamer, how do you think the follow-up to 2009’s Manners has resonated with your fans?
As I suspected, it's grown, but I didn't expect it to grow in the states as much as it has. "Take a Walk" almost didn't make the record, and it's still just gaining momentum each week, it's almost uncanny. As for the album in general, a completed body of work, it seems like those who were initially not so into have really grown to respect it at least. I like that people have favorites and that Gossamer brought about a whole new group of fans. But Gossamer wasn't ever meant to be a flash-in-the-pan thing, it's a process record. It details all the emotional struggles I went through as much it shows the normal growing pains of any other musical artist dealing with a second record. I see it as a success because on repeated listening it's taken on new meanings and hasn't gotten completely irritating. It's a testament to how hard I worked. Do I think I can and will make a better record? Of course, but I'm happy where Gossamer sits now and am excited to watch it continually grow.
Passion Pits music is often associated with soundtracks of good times, although your songwriting covers a myriad of topics even economic stress in your country, do you feel like your songs have sneaky meaning?
Well, it doesn't actually detail economic stress in my country. I don't have a voice for that type of thing. "Take a Walk" is confusing in that sense as it discusses issues that describe familial struggle due to financial issues, issues that happened during some of the greatest booms in our economy, actually, as it's the story of my two grandfathers and another family member. Sneaky meaning is, well, one way of putting it. But with Gossamer the language is fairly obvious and less poetic, more like a transcript of recorded confessions or something. I wasn't aiming to pin poetry to music. That people do not delve deeper into song meanings is totally fine with me. I like that a song can exist on a multitude of levels, to me that shows a pop song's strength: you can dig into it if you wan to, if not you can just graze over it and still enjoy it at face value.
I’ve read that you don’t feel comfortable discussing the writing of ‘I’ll Be Alright’, what is it like to write and play a song so personal and share it with the world?
I don't know where that came from but none of the songs bring about happy memories. It's a very sad, upsetting record for me personally, but I'm not uncomfortable about anything. I'm proud of making myself as open and vulnerable through my work. Sharing those moments with people make any type of discomfort kind of disappear. I'd have quit music if it really made me uncomfortable, or, actually, I probably just wouldn't have been as open with the press as I have been. Sharing your stories with the world is a really incredible feeling. At certain points you wish no one knew anything about you, but because I shed some insecurities and just went for it, I see how much I've been able to connect with people. As an artist of any medium, that's kind of the whole point.
Now apparently once upon a time a nurse gave you a speech about how you should never be a musician, what do you think would have happened had the band took the advice?
She basically said that I shouldn't tour again, because touring is insanely unhealthy, for anyone let alone someone who suffers from a mental disorder. Along with tour comes press, like this interview, that asks questions like these. That invasiveness was what she was commenting on. I disagreed with her vehemently, clearly, and so far I've never felt better. Is touring fun? Not all the time. But if I had stopped touring then I would have allowed for an ill-informed, second-rate nurse who had no idea what level of touring I'd get to, shoot down all the growth and maturity that came about as I worked against the adversity she described. She subscribed to the "give up" camp before I even had a chance of giving it a shot. I agree that it's unhealthy, so I made it healthy, have a career, and instead of giving up, I just made it work. If I took her advice I'd probably be regretting it to this very day and we wouldn't be discussing this, and a completely manageable mood disorder would have won out. I got better doctors, better support, and, again, figured out how to make it work.
The band has spoken quite candidly about mental health in the past. Music in itself can be a therapy, what songs have gotten you through a shitty time?
Nothing specifically. One of my coping mechanisms is listening to music in general, of any genre.
The last track ‘Where We Belong on the new album is quite epic and ethereal. You’ve said that this will set the pace for the next record, is this the direction you want to take the next release?
I don't know. We'll see where we end up. I've been working out ideas and it doesn't really have too much in common with "Where We Belong" besides the single track vocal, which will probably start being more of a common thread. That's a massive change for Passion Pit, though.
Will fans get to hear any new songs this year at Splendour and Spin Off?
Not this time, but there will be lots of Gossamer, good deal of Manners, some b-sides, and a bit of Chunk of Change.
You’ve achieved a lot in five years with two albums, massive tours and travel - what moment would you say has been the pinnacle of reward for you?
Feeling like we're just getting started and that we're already connecting with such a wide range of age groups. We have high school kids to middle-aged couples at our shows. It's amazing, it's not just a bunch of drunk twenty-somethings. We're connecting to lots of different crowds which means there's something universal going on. The more we see that, the more meaningful this all feels.
And finally, it’s already halfway through the year, what do you feel are the best records of the year so far?
Oh, it's been a great year for music. Vampire Weekend's new record is great, so are Disclosure's and Daft Punk's new records. James Blake, Jon Hopkins, Sigur Ros. So far, so good.
Passion Pit play Splendour In The Grass and Spin Off Festival this July/August.
Samantha Dickson
If you need information on mental health, or where to get help please call Beyond Blue's support service (24hr) on 1300 22 4636 or you can email or web chat at http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
Passion Pit are once again heading to our amazing Aussie shores, what do you love most about touring down under?
The most amazing part is that, if you really sit down and think about it from our perspective, we're traveling to the other side of the world to play to fans. It's a pretty surreal thing to think about, really. The fans are so great, they understand us, we can be ourselves and do what we do and not think about it too much. Australia has always been a country that's thoroughly understood us. And it's also grown with us, so it's unlike any other international experience for us because, distance aside, Australia has always "gotten it," which makes up for the 40+ hours total of travel, to and fro.
Splendour in the Grass is an incredible festival, having played quite a few yourself, what gets you most excited about signing on for these gigs?
I've gone on the record many times saying that the last time we played Splendour was insane - possibly the most memorable and wonderful of all my festival memories. Festivals typically aren't super pleasant, but something about Splendour felt so great, it was like catching lightening in a bottle, really magical. We're hoping to bring our new and better show back to a festival that we've always recalled as being fantastic.
Last year saw the release of your second LP Gossamer, how do you think the follow-up to 2009’s Manners has resonated with your fans?
As I suspected, it's grown, but I didn't expect it to grow in the states as much as it has. "Take a Walk" almost didn't make the record, and it's still just gaining momentum each week, it's almost uncanny. As for the album in general, a completed body of work, it seems like those who were initially not so into have really grown to respect it at least. I like that people have favorites and that Gossamer brought about a whole new group of fans. But Gossamer wasn't ever meant to be a flash-in-the-pan thing, it's a process record. It details all the emotional struggles I went through as much it shows the normal growing pains of any other musical artist dealing with a second record. I see it as a success because on repeated listening it's taken on new meanings and hasn't gotten completely irritating. It's a testament to how hard I worked. Do I think I can and will make a better record? Of course, but I'm happy where Gossamer sits now and am excited to watch it continually grow.
Passion Pits music is often associated with soundtracks of good times, although your songwriting covers a myriad of topics even economic stress in your country, do you feel like your songs have sneaky meaning?
Well, it doesn't actually detail economic stress in my country. I don't have a voice for that type of thing. "Take a Walk" is confusing in that sense as it discusses issues that describe familial struggle due to financial issues, issues that happened during some of the greatest booms in our economy, actually, as it's the story of my two grandfathers and another family member. Sneaky meaning is, well, one way of putting it. But with Gossamer the language is fairly obvious and less poetic, more like a transcript of recorded confessions or something. I wasn't aiming to pin poetry to music. That people do not delve deeper into song meanings is totally fine with me. I like that a song can exist on a multitude of levels, to me that shows a pop song's strength: you can dig into it if you wan to, if not you can just graze over it and still enjoy it at face value.
I’ve read that you don’t feel comfortable discussing the writing of ‘I’ll Be Alright’, what is it like to write and play a song so personal and share it with the world?
I don't know where that came from but none of the songs bring about happy memories. It's a very sad, upsetting record for me personally, but I'm not uncomfortable about anything. I'm proud of making myself as open and vulnerable through my work. Sharing those moments with people make any type of discomfort kind of disappear. I'd have quit music if it really made me uncomfortable, or, actually, I probably just wouldn't have been as open with the press as I have been. Sharing your stories with the world is a really incredible feeling. At certain points you wish no one knew anything about you, but because I shed some insecurities and just went for it, I see how much I've been able to connect with people. As an artist of any medium, that's kind of the whole point.
Now apparently once upon a time a nurse gave you a speech about how you should never be a musician, what do you think would have happened had the band took the advice?
She basically said that I shouldn't tour again, because touring is insanely unhealthy, for anyone let alone someone who suffers from a mental disorder. Along with tour comes press, like this interview, that asks questions like these. That invasiveness was what she was commenting on. I disagreed with her vehemently, clearly, and so far I've never felt better. Is touring fun? Not all the time. But if I had stopped touring then I would have allowed for an ill-informed, second-rate nurse who had no idea what level of touring I'd get to, shoot down all the growth and maturity that came about as I worked against the adversity she described. She subscribed to the "give up" camp before I even had a chance of giving it a shot. I agree that it's unhealthy, so I made it healthy, have a career, and instead of giving up, I just made it work. If I took her advice I'd probably be regretting it to this very day and we wouldn't be discussing this, and a completely manageable mood disorder would have won out. I got better doctors, better support, and, again, figured out how to make it work.
The band has spoken quite candidly about mental health in the past. Music in itself can be a therapy, what songs have gotten you through a shitty time?
Nothing specifically. One of my coping mechanisms is listening to music in general, of any genre.
The last track ‘Where We Belong on the new album is quite epic and ethereal. You’ve said that this will set the pace for the next record, is this the direction you want to take the next release?
I don't know. We'll see where we end up. I've been working out ideas and it doesn't really have too much in common with "Where We Belong" besides the single track vocal, which will probably start being more of a common thread. That's a massive change for Passion Pit, though.
Will fans get to hear any new songs this year at Splendour and Spin Off?
Not this time, but there will be lots of Gossamer, good deal of Manners, some b-sides, and a bit of Chunk of Change.
You’ve achieved a lot in five years with two albums, massive tours and travel - what moment would you say has been the pinnacle of reward for you?
Feeling like we're just getting started and that we're already connecting with such a wide range of age groups. We have high school kids to middle-aged couples at our shows. It's amazing, it's not just a bunch of drunk twenty-somethings. We're connecting to lots of different crowds which means there's something universal going on. The more we see that, the more meaningful this all feels.
And finally, it’s already halfway through the year, what do you feel are the best records of the year so far?
Oh, it's been a great year for music. Vampire Weekend's new record is great, so are Disclosure's and Daft Punk's new records. James Blake, Jon Hopkins, Sigur Ros. So far, so good.
Passion Pit play Splendour In The Grass and Spin Off Festival this July/August.
Samantha Dickson
If you need information on mental health, or where to get help please call Beyond Blue's support service (24hr) on 1300 22 4636 or you can email or web chat at http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support