|| unofficial interpol faq
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E&OE
this faq is dated February 7, 2004 V 0.09 BETA
Who are the members of Interpol?
Who is Eric?
Who is Greg?
How did they form?
How did they get their name?
What are the band's ages?
What equipment do they use?
What record company are they signed to?
Where is the Interpol Discography?
Where is the Interpol Live archive?
Where can I buy their recordings?
Where can I get Interpol Merchandise?
What are Interpol like in concert?
Where / When are they touring?
Are there any Interpol Bootlegs?
Which songs did they play at the concert on xx/xx/xx?
I’ve heard Carlos does DJing, is this true?
When was TOTBL recorded/ released?
Where was TOTBL recorded? NEW
How many different versions are there of TOTBL and which bonus tracks can be found on them?
Where can I find the lyrics?
Have Interpol done any videos?
Why does the Black EP sound so quiet on my stereo?
What is Dan singing in PDA? Updated
Is there a recording of Precipitate / Specialist?
Is there an Interpol DVD?
How many different versions are there of PDA/Roland/Obstacle 1?
Where can I get the PDA/Precipitate/Fukd ID #3 EP?
What's the correlation between Obstacle 1 and 2? NEW
What new songs have been written? NEW
When are the band going into the studio? (coming soon)
When will the new album be released? (coming soon)
Where can I get the new songs? (coming soon)
Is there a fan club?
How can I contact the Manager?
How can I contact the Band?
Who is responsible for the cover artwork?
What kind of equipment do Interpol use?
I Heard Interpol had some kit stolen, is that true?
Have Interpol ever covered Joy Division?
Who is the real Stella?
What happened to Sam in Italy?
What nationalities are the members?
Where can I find pictures of the band / a certain member?
What music do the guys listen to? Updated
Do Dan/Paul/Carlos/Sam/Eric have girlfriends?
Where can I find Interpol guitar or bass tabs? Updated
Who is the main songwriter in Interpol?
Where can I get more information on Interpol?
What's the Interpol Font? NEW
Trivia Interpol Updated
FAQ Credits / Disclaimer
Revision History
BEGIN INTERPOL |
Interpol are a four piece rock band, from New York City, NY USA. The best and most accurate biography written so far is this, taken from http://www.interpolny.com and reproduced without permission:
“Interpol was created in New York City in 1998. The original line-up of the band was Greg on drums, Daniel on guitar, Paul on vox and guitar, and Carlos on bass. Between '98 and 2000, the four lads forged a unique sound in a variety of the city's decrepit and shady rental rehearsal rooms. Paying by the hour, they cultivated a unique aesthetic and developed their notoriously delicate and complicated creative process. In 2000, Greg and the band split leaving Daniel, Paul, and Carlos with a significant and reflective hiatus. It soon came about that Interpol would try out Sam, whom Daniel knew through the record store where Sam worked. Sam was perfect for the band as he gave Interpol a healthy shot of punk aggression and rhythmic backbone.
Now with the line-up revitalized, Interpol resumed gigging at venues like Brownies, Mercury Lounge, and The Bowery Ballroom. Throughout 2000 and 2001 they opened for bands like ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Arab Strap, and The Delgados. Then came Interpol's first release, at the end of 2000, in the form of the third installment of the FukdID EP series on Scottish label Chemikal Underground. Around the same time, the band also contributed an unreleased track, "Song Seven," to the Fierce Panda Records compilation Clooney Tunes.
Popularity abroad increased as a result of regular rotation on London's XFM. In April 2001 Interpol played in Glasgow, Manchester, and London, capping off their visit with a session for the famed John Peel. Later on in August and November, the group visited France with appearances at festivals La Route du Rock (St. Malo) and Festival Off (Paris) respectively. In November of 2001, the band tucked themselves away in Connecticut at Tarquin Studios to record their debut full-length. The album was recorded and mixed by Peter Katis (Mercury Rev, Clem Snide) and Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Clinic.)”
This text is © Interpolnyc.com
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Who are the Members of Interpol?
Paul Banks – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Daniel Kessler – Guitar, Vocals
Carlos Dengler – Bass
Sam Fogarino – Drums
[back]
Eric Altesleben has been Interpol’s touring keyboardist since 2001. He plays Carlos’ recorded keyboard parts from TOTBL and sings backing vocals on several songs. Despite rumours to the contrary, Eric is not a full time member of the band, and has no plans to join. Eric is also a guitarist and has been in bands previously.
[back]
Greg Drudy was Interpol's first drummer. He left Interpol in 2000 to be replaced by Sam Fogarino who occupies the stool to this day.
Daniel took the lead in forming the band through his studying at NYU (New York University). He met the band’s original drummer Greg, and began jamming with him. Dan recruited Paul (whom he had previously met in Paris on a summer programme) and Carlos (whom he approached after discovering they shared common musical tastes).
“I was just happy to have someone to play with, to tell you the truth. I had a very hard time finding musicians to play with-- musicians at all, really”
- Dan, from a 2002 Pitchfork media interview. Sam joined in 2000 after Greg left.
[back]
Paul: Born, Essex, UK May 3rd 1978
Carlos: April 23 1974
Daniel: Born London, UK September 25 1974(?)
Sam: August 9th 1968
[back]
From a Pitchfork Interview:
“ I read that it was from the way a friend pronounced Paul's name.”
Daniel: That's what put it in Paul's head-- I mean Paul's the
one who found the name but it immediately stuck with us; the
idea sort of matched us and it sounded good and simple.
It has been suggested that Paul's friend would say: "Paul... Paul... Interpol"[back]
Where is the Interpol Discography?
The one on Matador’s website is broken, but thankfully there is one here: http://www.interpolny.com/disc.php
alternative: http://theinterpol.free.fr/music/disco/index.html
[back]
Where is the Interpol Live archive?
Lamestain has written the excellent Interpol Concert Chronology, which traces Interpol’s live performances over the years, it also contains setlists, concert photography and other misc. information. Go to the Interpol Concert Chronology website at: http://www.interpol.net.ms/
BUY INTERPOL |
Where can I buy Interpol’s recordings?
You can purchase a lot of their rarer material, including the DVD and the singles, from the shop at their website: http://www.interpolny.com/shop/ additionally, stores such as http://www.cdwow.com, http://www.101cd.com (great for Europe) and of course, http://www.amazon.com stock copies of Interpol’s releases.
[back]
Where can I get Interpol Merchandise?
The official Interpol merchandise shop is located at: http://www.interpolny.com/shop/
It sells most of their recent recorded material, along with clothing and various other promotional items.
Unofficial merchandise, bootleg recordings, EP s etc, often turn up on auction sites, such as http://www.ebay.com
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LIVE INTERPOL |
What are Interpol like in concert?
If you’ve never seen them, then you should attempt to do so as quickly as possible. Seeing Interpol live in concert is like being hit with a slice of lime wrapped around a velvet cobblestone. It’s a sensual, uplifting and above all cathartic experience. Enough of this reviewers opinion: Interpol live replicate the sound of their recordings quite accurately, and often throw in new songs, or rarities, such as Specialist or Song Seven. Their lightshow is often very good, and they have a good, commanding stage presence.
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Where / When are they touring?
No plans have been announced for tours in 2004.
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Are there any Interpol Bootlegs?
Yes. Shows have been bootlegged and are widely available on the Internet, although I have personally never seen a commercial CD bootleg release from one of the major bootleg firms, but this may change in time. Please do not email me asking where to get Interpol bootlegs, as your email will be flambéed in Cointreau and served to the dog.
[back]
Which songs did they play at the concert on xx/xx/xx?
For full details on their live performances, check out Lamestain's’s excellent Interpol Concert Chronology website at: http://www.interpol.net.ms/
[back]
I've heard Carlos does DJ Sets, is this true?
Yes. Details of Carlos D's DJ sets will shortly be posted here.
[back]
RECORDED INTERPOL |
What record company are they signed to?
Interpol have a deal with Matador Records, an eclectic Indie/Rock label, (who have recently branched out and found success in other genres, most notably with the acclaimed Dizee Rascal). Matador is half-owned by label founder Chris Lombardi and co-president Gerard Cosloy, and half by Beggars Group, which used to be the very famous and highly influential Beggars Banquet label, from the UK.
Matador have their own little Interpol corner on their website: http://www.matadorrecords.com/interpol/index.html
[back]
At Tarquin Studios in Connecticut - Tarquin Studios occupies the top floor of a 150-year-old house, which once served as a hospital for
mentally impaired children. You can see photographs of the recording process here: http://www.garethjones.com
When was TOTBL recorded/released?
Turn on the Bright Lights was recorded in the autumn (fall) of 2001. It was released on August 20th 2002.
[back]
How many different
versions are there of TOTBL and which bonus tracks
can be found on them?
US Version
released: 20/8/2002.
Label: Matador
Track listing: Untitled/Obstacle 1/NYC/PDA/Say Hello to the Angels/Hands Away/Obstacle 2/Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down/Roland/The New/Leif EriksonKorean Version
released: 2/6/2003
Label: Ales Music
Track listing: Untitled/Obstacle 1/NYC/PDA/Say Hello to the Angels/Hands Away/Obstacle 2/Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down/Roland/The New/Leif Erikson/Interlude/Specialist
Jin from the excellent Japanese Fan site located at: http://sound.jp/interpol has written this splendid and comprehensive guide to the Asian/Eastern versions of Turn On The Bright Lights:
The Japanese Import Version
released: 16th July 2003
Label: Labels-Japan
Track listing: Untitled/Obstacle 1/NYC/PDA/Say Hello to the Angels/Hands
Away/Obstacle 2/Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down/Roland/The
New/Leif Erikson/Hands Away (Peel Session)/Obstacle 2 (Peel Session)/ PDA
(Enhanced video)/NYC (enhanced video)/Obstacle 1 (enhanced video)
An additional Japanese version with two bonus tracks -released: 25th August 2002
Label: P-Vine
Track Listing: Untitled/Obstacle 1/NYC/PDA/Say Hello to the Angels/Hands
Away/Obstacle 2/Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down/Roland/The
New/Leif Erikson/Specialist/Interlude[back]
Full(ish) lyrics are available at the band’s website: http://www.interpolny.com/lyrics.php
[back]
Have Interpol done any videos?
Yes. Videos exist for “NYC”, directed by Doug Aitken . “Obstacle 1” directed by Floria Sigismondi and “PDA” directed by Christopher Mills. Videos are shown occasionally on the MTV 2 network in Europe and various other Cable and Satellite music video shows across the world.
[back]
Why does the Black EP sound so quiet on my stereo?
The Black EP was recorded by engineers from a French radio station, Inter Radio, on August 27, 2002 in a session for broadcast on radio. “Mastering” is part of the transfer process onto CD. During this process, it appears that the engineer decided to transfer at an unusually low volume. This may be have been an accident, or it may be designed to compensate for flaws in the original recording. Actually, it may be for a number of reasons, but a screw up during mastering or poor original sound seem the likely options.
[back]
There are a number of suggestions for this, here are the most common answers:
"Sleep all tight/ahh sleep all tight/Cannot follow/what the hell?"
“Sleep tonight, You're a simpleton, Sleep tonight, You're a simpleton, Sleep tonight, Cannot fall a... Sleep tonight, What the hell”
"You're a simpleton, You're a simpleton, Get up and follow"
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Is there a recording of Precipitate / Specialist?
There are several non-album songs that Interpol perform occasionally in concert. These songs are:
Song Seven (available on compilation “Clooney Tunes”)
Specialist (available on some Far-East imports of TOTBL and the PDA EP)
Precipitate (available on FUK I.D #3 and the self released "Precipitate" release)
[back]
Obstacle 1 was released on DVD. The track listing is:
1. Obstacle 1 video (Directed by Floria Sigismondi); 2. Specialist (Black Session); 3. Leif Erikson (Black Session)
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How many different versions are there of PDA/Roland/Obstacle 1?
We're working that out, and will post the answer shortly!
[back]
What's the correlation between "Obstacle" 1 and 2?
"Paul: Very little. We've never focused too much on titles for our
songs.
We work with working titles for a long time, and sometimes I'll come up
with a title from the get-go-- like "Stella was a Diver..." was a title
from the very beginning, before the song was even done. But I've always
kind of thought titles were a little... since the CD came about
everyone's like, "Oh, I love track five." Titles have kind of changed,
I think. I've never really liked song titles, which are kind of
arbitrary, like, "OK, take the chorus lyric and that's the song title."
[back]
What new songs have been written?
Several new songs have been written. These are the ones that have been publically performed:
Length of Love (premiered some time in December 2002)
NARC premiered 2003/09/16 - @ Club Soda, Montréal, QE, CA
"that new one" premiered 2003/04/11 - Schlachthof, Wiesbaden, GER
Not currently, although there are rumours that one may be set up at some point in the future.
[back]
You can try emailing or writing to them care of their record company, Matador records.
http://www.matadoreurope.com/ is currently down (as of Jan 18th 2003)
but you can reach their US site at: http://www.matadorrecords.com/index.html
If post is more your cup of tea then you could try mailing stuff to them care of Matador Records, 625 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Results may vary.
[back]
How can I contact the Manager?
Interpol’s manager goes by the name of Brandon Schmidt. Apparently he looks like Elvis Costello (!) and can be contacted by emailing management@interpolny.com
[back]
All of Interpol's published artwork to date is by the designer Sean McCabe, from http://www.wider-than-pictures.com/
A selection of unofficial wallpapers, desktop art, Buddy Icons and other Interpol related work is available from chavo's site at: http://chavo.net
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MISC Section |
What Equipment does Interpol use?
chavo and FORZAMODERNIST from the Interpol message board have compiled this list, E&OE.
Paul:
Black Gibson Custom Les Paul
Gibson Gold Top Les Paul
Fender Twin Reverb Amp
Boss Pedals (BOSS tremolo, compression and digital delay)
RAT DistortionDaniel:
Epiphone ES-330/Casino in Ice Tea finish
Rickenbacker 330 in Jetglo
2x Fender Twin Reverb Amps
An array of pedals (Including a ProCo RAT Distortion)Carlos:
Fender Jazz basses: 1 in black and 1 in orange
Ampeg SVT-CL amp
Ampeg Classic Series Speaker CabinetSam:*
GMS Drums:
14" snare
12"rack tom
16" floor tomCymbals:
PAISTE:
14" hats
16 and 18" crashes
20" ride
20" chinaEvans drum heads
Vic Firth sticks
(Sam has played rented kits when on tour, so you may have seen him playing a variety of different drumkits)Eric: (touring Keyboardist)
Yamaha keyboard (model unknown)
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I Heard Interpol had some kit stolen, is that true?
Yes. Two separate incidents occurred in 2002. Daniel and Paul's guitars were stolen before a show in Vancouver and Daniel's pedals were stolen before the Magic Stick show in Detroit. Paul's stolen guitar was recovered. Daniel’s pedals were replaced with similar models from eBay and several guitar stores.[back]
Have Interpol ever covered Joy Division?
Only in your wet dream.
[back]
A mystery, no doubt to be revealed by the sands of time. For the less romantic, here's Pitchfork:
" Who's Stella, if anybody? I was wondering if it was a
Paul: Which is one of my favorite movies. It's not, and I don't know
reference to, or was inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire.
when we wrote that if I had really seen it. I probably had seen it, but
no, it's not. I love the name. I went through a phase where I was
fixated on girls names that, for me, kind of represented something. So
in "Precipitate", Daphne is the character. It was actually more to do
with certain female names that were really interesting to me. I had
another song about a girl named Kat, too, but no, I don't know [a
Stella] and it's not directly related to that film, even though I love
that film."
[back]
What happened to Sam in Italy?
On 17th April, whilst performing in Bologna, Italy, Sam felt some discomfort and had to stop playing. Despite numerous attempts to continue, the pain was too much for him to go on, and the show was cancelled. Later, Sam was taken to hospital after collapsing backstage. After an examination, it was determined that he was suffering from a stressed nerve in his arm. He collapsed due to performing whilst suffering from the flu. Sam made a full recovery, and after treatment was able to play the following night at the rescheduled performance.
[back]
What nationalities are the members?
Both Paul and Dan spent some of their formative years in England. Dan has a British and an American passport. He lived in Britain until
he was five and a half. Paul's parents are both English.
[back]
Where can I find pictures of the band / a certain member?
Many sites carry images. Check out some of the fansites, over at the linkspage, or you could use one of the net-based images searches at altavista or google.
[back]
What kind of music do the guys listen to?
In May 2001, Carlos gave an interview to "Drowned in Sound" where he described the musical influences and current listening of Interpol very clearly:
"The Cure, Factory stuff, the Chameleons, etc. But I've also been listening to late 70s punk, mainstream rock stuff like Pink Floyd, and even rockabilly and classic country. Daniel isn't so into the Cure but from that late 70s/80s era he loves the Smiths, Television, the Clash, etc. . . He's also big on current electronica, a band called Clinic, stuff from the Domino label. Daniel has a very "connoisseur" sensibility in music: all his stuff is super legit. I, on the other hand, have a weakness for sweets so I'm going for the bubble-gum appeal a lot, and especially lately, I try to throw a modicum of kitsch into the mix, although Daniel, and the other guys Paul and Sam, downplay it a little. Paul's really into the Pixies and Frank Black, TransAm, others like Godspeed and contemporary hip-hop, while Sam, also into the Pixies, listens to Shellac and Low"
In the past, Fugazi, Led Zeppelin and a number of other groups have been mentioned. Dan is rumoured to like The Jam, The Style Council (his first ever musical purchases were “Our Favourite Shop“, along with The Smiths' “Meat Is Murder“), Fugazi, The Clash. Other influences have included John Frusciante's solo album, Trans AM: The Warlocks, Stone Roses and My Bloody Valentine.
[back]
Do Dan/Paul/Carlos/Sam/Eric have girlfriends?
A source close to the band has used this phrase to describe the response to this question: "the band likes to keep their private issues private".
[back]
Where can I find Interpol guitar and bass tabs?
http://www.geocities.com/interpoltabs/
http://www.guitarists.net/tab/bands.php/interpol.html
http://www.interpolny.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=7146
Bass tablature is available from:
http://www.mxtabs.net/songs.php?path=Bass,i,14513,Interpol
[back]
Who is Interpol's main songwriter?
Interpol appear to have a democratic approach to writing music, - They create all the music together, while Paul is responsible for the
lyrics. Here's a quote on where he gets his inspiration from:"For some reason, hangovers do it for me a lot. I've been inspired by hangovers. And girls. Girls and crazy hangovers."
In another interview Paul said that he draws inspiration mostly from hip hop-lyrics, especially from the Anti-Pop Consortium.
From another nterview:
"Q: Where does the intensity, or intense buildup, of Interpol's music
come from?Carlos D: Just from the way we write our songs. We always try to write the best possible song. We are all equally involved with it. Like I said
before, we are all 25% of the entire thing. "All songs are credited to Interpol.
[back]
The Interpol font is Helvetica Neu Bold
Where can I get more information on Interpol?
The best links page is currently located here: http://www.interpolny.com/links.php
[back]
-At the local cemetery near Tarquin Studios, where the album was recorded, Paul discovered two tombstones: "There was one that said
'BANKS' and then one that said 'PAUL'--right alongside each other" Banks recalls.-Daniel is a vegetarian.
-From 1990 to 1996 Sam used to play drums in a band called The Holy Terrors. Previous bands he played in were Napoleon Solo and The Wahoos.
-One of Interpol's early names was Las Armas (which means "The Weapons" in Spanish)
-Paul used to work for Interview magazine and at one point interviewed Brittany Murphy
CREDITS |
This FAQ was compiled from various sources and remains in the public domain.
Contributors include: lamestain, rexie, forzamodernist and chavo.
If you would like to submit a correction or contribute to it, please email the moderator at faq@dry.co.ukexcerpts appear from various publications without permission, the copywrite remains the permission of the respective owners.
[back]the information gathered here is done so in the public interest and represents reasonable journalistic endeavours to collect fact and opinion about the New York-based rock band Interpol, if you wish to reproduce this information, please have the courtesy to inform the authors at faq@dry.co.uk
Thank You.
20040119 0.01 not for publication, rough sketch
0.02 creating sections; assistance from rexie, added quotes [back]
0.03 tidying. added formatting and .CSS styles
0.04-8 preparations, reformatting, indentations, turned on bright lights
0.09 BETA release
0.10 Public release. 20040120 Updates to New section plus large section updates
from lamestain -thankyou-
0.11Added tabs. Thanks lamestain.fixed a few irritating errors. thanks cae.
0.12 20040128 added updates from Jin, Brett Lambe, FORZAMODERNIST and ZENABSTRACTORDRAGON.
Oh and lamestain (again!)
0.1320040207 added feedback link and updates from Zenabstractordragon
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