Interview with Graham Wright
Do you have musical heroes?
For me it will always be bands like The Beatles and Radiohead, bands that consistently challenged themselves and pushed the envelope. It gives me confidence that you can make interesting music and have a dedicated following, which sometimes seems impossible in today's musical climate.
Was there a specific concert you saw that made you want to be in a band?
Radiohead. I was 13, and it was the first concert I ever went to. We were all right up front, and anyone who's ever seen them play will understand what an incredible experience it was. It basically defined for me what a rock band could achieve, and I always have it in the back of my mind as a goal.
Now that you play your own shows--and legendarily energetic shows as that--do you have a pre-game ritual?
I like to eat a banana about 20 minutes before we go on. I heard once that it takes about half an hour for the energy to get unleashed (I think that's a good term for it), and although I'm not sure if its true, I still do it. Bananas are good.
We heard you also have cereal on your rider.
People are always surprised that's on our rider, though it doesn't seem strange to me. The problem is that no one ever thinks to give us bowls, spoons, or milk, so we just end up shoveling it into our mouths like six-year-olds. And enjoying every minute of it.
What's the coolest thing to happen to you this year as a result of the band?
We met Hulk Hogan. How cool is that?
You guys have benefited a lot from the people sharing your music, creating a fanbase. What about the other changes being wrought by the shift of music to digital distribution--do you think the album will die?
I hope the album format never goes away, and as long as there are good bands making good records, I don't think it will. Sadly, it probably will start to become more of a niche interest, which sucks. A cool song will never be as good as an amazing record, and everyone should have that one album that changed their life and that will always be precious to them. You can't have that relationship with a ringtone or whatever.
What's the album of choice in your bedroom?
Radiohead's Kid A.
