More talk with VHS or Beta
The following is an extension of my interview with VHS or Beta frontman Craig Pfunder. The band plays The Glass House on Sunday.
Q: A few years have past since “Night on Fire” came out. Everything changes so fast in the music industry these days. Did you wonder whether fans would remember you?
A: No one wants to stay away that long, but we had some situations stacked on us that we had to deal with - one of those being figuring out how to write as a three-piece. We took that time to make the moves we wanted without sacrificing what we felt was real and honest. It was better we waited than to force out another record when we weren’t really sure of the feet we were walking on yet. We felt kind of newborn and clumsy. I felt like the wait was necessary for us. I think the maturation of the sound in the band is evident. Hopefully people will feel like the wait was worth it.
Q: Were you in a darker frame of mind when you wrote “Burn It All Down” and “Take It or Leave It” off the new album?
A: This was my first time writing songs that offered more things that weren’t just pop elements. Even though the record is really poppy, there’s some lyrical content that isn’t as happy. (For “Burn”), we tried not to completely take on a political ideal, but I think we made some statements without coming off too much like Fugazi. “Take it or Leave It” was written about a friend of mine that’s no longer here.
Q: Turning to a bit of history, what was the music scene like in Louisville when you started?
A: The music scene has always been there. The artists who have been prosperous remain so. There are only a couple new bands that are even trying - probably more than I even know, even though I try to go to as many shows as I can. It’s a place you can always expect to get good things out of and it’s proven itself over a long period of time.
Q: Since the band dabbled in French electronica at one point: what do you think of the Daft Punk resurgence?
A: I’ve been a believer of that whole movement. The more people that can listen and appreciate it (the better). “Homework” sold a ton of records. They’ve been big around the world. It’s neat to see that happen in America.
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Is anyone as enamored with the band's latest effort "Bring on the Comets" as I am?