As your new album starts with Total Football – what sports do you like and what sports are you good at?
I don’t think any of us is a athlete – but watching sports, sure.
Why did you choose to write a song about football?
It’s not a song about football. It’s the idea of making a comment on this kind of community and the relationship with individuality. And how people, especially young people in our country craving for this new type of selfexpression. It was the »Dutch Theory« of total football, that gave me the idea.
Your lyrics feel very heavy and loaded with anger – what would you say is the record about?
The record is about everything which is going on right now in our country and globally. It was a important thing for us to express our feelings, emotions and thoughts about what’s happening in America in 2018. We think it’s a significant time.
How is it to live in the US for you at the moment?
You never know what to expect. It’s a new thing everyday. You find yourself not being surprised by something that should be totally shocking. That become this new uncomfortable type of normal.
When did you last start a fight? What about?
A physical fight in the high school – probably about something stupid.
»I’m in the chaos dimension, trapped in a brutal invention«: When did you come up with those lines?
We played a show in Atlanta and there were a Trump supporter, that came with a Trump hat. And I really had a moral conflict – I really wanted to fight this person, but on the same time this person is a fan of the band. Do I allow him to express himself? It ended up that this person getting kicked out of the show for his behaviour. But it was kind of a moment when I was wondering – what is the appropriate way to react to this person? I mean these people are expressing a ideology which is against everything that I stand for – and the band stands for. It was the conflict of my feelings having someone come to approach my art with kind of extreme right wing opinion.
Like your record a lot of American artists are covering political issues at the moment – do you have the feeling that there is a change in art especially in this whole situation with Trump?
I think people feel obligated to talk about it.
Although the heavy topics the bio for Wide Awake says that this record is also about love – how would you describe that?
It’s a duality between anger and joy.
Also it says that you were influenced by bands like Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits and Black Flag on this record – what did you try to transport from their music to your own?
This hardcore has this kind of anger but also positivity, especially those straight edge bands. We were thinking about how to express feelings like love and joy at the same time. I think this is really the heart of the record: it could be considered as optimistic record – but how do you pair this with scepticism and criticism.
In an interview you said that Human Performance was your poppiest record up to now…how would you describe Wide Awake?
Human Performance was more a melodic record and wide awake is more rhytm focused, higher energy record.
You both are writing lyrics, sing and play guitar. How is your work split there?
Lyrics are pretty much written by the person who is singing them.
About the artwork – how did you come up with the new artwork? How does it fit to the record?
It got people dancing on it. So it got some sort of suggestion on it, how to react to the album. With every album artwork the idea is to spark some sense of curiosity. For me colours are very important. And to make a visual, that is kind of strong but giving not too much information.
2017 was a very productive year for you – with the release of your collaboration with Daniele Luppi + Andrews solo record. This year we have the new Parquet Courts record…are you always working on new music, what will be next?
We are already working on new music. We want to stay productive, stay sharp and try new things. We want to be able to stay limber and diverse with creative projects that we work on. I think this mentality is a really important part of the group.
Your debut was released on limited cassette in 2011, one big German magazine just had a cover story about the comeback of this format. How do you feel about Spotify, the digital age for art and what it’s like to be a musician in this time?
That was a german label, who put that tape out. In this case we only need to have a physical release. Digital Streaming and stuff – that’s all fine. It’s part of all of our lives. I use it, too. What ever there are a few bands who put out tapes because there are so easy to make. Especially experimental stuff and bands with a smaller audience.
Last but not least: On Rough Trade there is another band – the sleaford mods – which has – at least in my opinion – in common with you. They are also try to change injustice with their music. How do you feel about them?
Big Sleaford Mods-Fan, amazing live band – I am very proud there are on Rough Trade, too. Lots of great artists popping up at Rough Trade right now, like Princes Nokia. Yeah Sleafords … don’t have enough good words.
Parquet Court – Wide Awake
VÖ: 18. Mai 2018, Rough Trade Records
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