  Interpol. |
TORONTO – Sunken in behind his drum kit every night, it’s hard for Interpol’s Sam Fogarino to see anything much past bassist Carlos Dengler’s incessant cigarette smoke. But then, he spots them.
“There’s always a few people in the first couple of rows, be it men or women, that just look good,” he says, as a mild summer breeze rinses over the rooftop patio at his downtown hotel. Before he goes any further, Fogarino’s no-nonsense expression softens. “Let’s just thank the higher power, whoever it may be, for gracing us with such a good-looking audience ‘cause it happens everywhere we play.”
Known as much for their close attention to style as they are for attracting fans like Brad Pitt and David Bowie, there has been a cultish obsession surrounding the New York City-based band ever since the indie-label debut, “Turn on the Bright Lights,” hit shelves in 2002.
Anchored by guitarist Daniel Kessler’s slinging riffs, that record’s standout track, “Obstacle 1,” showed a band intent on reviving sounds from Manchester’s ‘80s post-punk scene.
Played in virtual darkness, their live gigs ensured the group’s enigmatic identity, while a sinewy mix of guitar, bass, keyboards and drums added ongoing drama to Paul Banks’ moody vocals when a follow-up disc bowed in 2004.
But after the commercial and critical hit, “Antics,” had run its course late the following year, the band did an uncharacteristic thing. They took a break.
“Those first few albums, there was a lot of work done out on the road in such a short period of time,” Fogarino says. “There wasn’t much time to write ‘Antics’ or record it, then the next thing we knew, we were right back out on the road again. Finally, when we played our last show for the ‘Antics’ record, we needed three months off from one another.”
Fogarino in Vancouver working on material with Melissa Auf der Maur, the band hastily reconvened in New York early last year when Kessler hatched the opening chords for the first single from their upcoming disc, “Our Love to Admire.”
“I still don’t know what ‘The Heinrich Maneuver’ is,” he says, grinning. “I don’t know if I want to know.”
With its rigid wall of guitars, the song’s snapping drums and itchy bass were the jump off point for “Our Love to Admire’s” bombastic slice of end-of-the-world rock.
Opening with the paranormal “Pioneer to the Falls,” the disc stitches together noirish synth and guitar (“No I in Threesome,” “Pace is the Trick,” “Rest My Chemistry,” “Wrecking Ball”) with jaunty percussion (“The Heinrich Maneuver,” “All Fired Up”) and a lungful of Banks’ caustic wit (“We should dance like two f--king twins/ Just spare me the suspense,” he intones somberly on the aggressive “Mammoth”).
And though the canvas might be bigger, thanks to a new deal with the deep-pocketed Capitol Records, Fogarino says that other than the music getting better, not much changed when the dapper quartet holed up at Electric Lady Studios early last year.
“There was no change in our process,” he says, lighting a Nat Sherman. “Everyone at the label seemed to have a genuine interest in the band; they seemed to be fans first.
“And I didn’t think it would be otherwise,” he continues, “because if you’re going to work with us, you should know who we are. If you know who we are, then you know how we work. There are no negotiations in terms of how we do things. There’s our way and that’s it. Make it happen.”
So why leave Matador and their indie origins behind? “We felt there was newer ground to be covered,” he says. “And we wanted there to be no cap on possibilities for us.”
Calling their work with producer Rich Costey one of the best experiences he’s ever had as a musician, Fogarino says that after recording the first two albums in Connecticut, it was great to make “Our Love to Admire” in the city. “Being in New York and having the convenience of the city and our familiar surroundings was a big plus.”
Which brings us to the jarring artwork that adorns the disc’s cover. In stark contrast to the minimalist design of “Turn on the Bright Lights” and “Antics,” “Our Love to Admire” features a pride of lions taking down its prey. Why would a band so hip to its image opt for something so, er, carnivorous?
“Unfortunately, time’s short, but that’s a good last question,” he exhales. “It can be taken in many different directions. I personally think it’s a title that has such a good sentiment to it; it’s a very positive and giving statement. Juxtaposed, superimposed on something that’s really ultra violent, though, that image coupled with the words ‘Our Love to Admire’ is really us ripping you apart.”
Fogarino stubs out his cigarette and stands, offering no further explanation. He’s about to catch an afternoon flight to San Francisco. “Don’t worry,” he smiles, “I’ll say hello for you.”
“Our Love to Admire” is in stores tomorrow.
Here are Interpol’s upcoming North American tour dates:
July 2007
19 - Rochester, NY - Harro East Ballroom
20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Music Box @ Borgata
21 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
23 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
24 - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham
25 - Columbus, OH - The LC Amphitheatre
27 - Grand Rapids, MI - Orbit Room
28 - Detroit, MI - State Theatre
30 - Milwaukee, WI - Rave
31 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Theatre
August 2007
1 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
3 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre
4 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
5 - Baltimore, MD - V Festival
September 2007
8 – Toronto, ON – V Festival
9 – Montreal, PQ - Osheaga Festival
