Joining host Brad Steiner this week for a special Audacy Check In is Interpol guitarist Daniel Kessler to dive into the arrival of The Other Side Of Make-Believe, the band’s first brand new collection of tracks since 2018's Marauder, and discuss how putting his efforts into a new album during lockdown became a welcome distraction.
LISTEN NOW: Audacy Check In with Interpol
Late last year, we caught wind of new Interpol on the horizon when guitarist Daniel Kessler revealed the band was "overjoyed to announce Flood & Moulder will be producing and mixing the next Interpol record," adding, "we are longtime admirers of their work and delighted to be in the studio with them. Starting this party right." The new album, The Other Side Of Make-Believe, has officially arrived following up this year's previous releases of the singles "Toni," "Something Changed," and "Fables." Earlier this week they dropped the fourth single, "Gran Hotel."
Kessler says although the band did experience the same issues as the rest of us during COVID, they still managed to stick to their usual four-year album cycle. “Usually the songs begin with me just writing at home, on the same guitar I’ve had since I was a teenager for the most part, an old classical guitar. Usually after taking a break from the touring cycle and so forth, we’ll start touching base seeing if we’re ready to start brewing on new ideas. This time, because we were in remote locations and there was a lockdown, we had to send things around. Essentially once I have a batch of material and we’re all feeling psyched to get going again, I’ll play the songs for Paul [Banks] and Sam [Fogarino] in person, or send them in this case, and we flesh them out together and make them into Interpol material together.”
Minor line up changes aside early in their career, Kessler attributes Interpol's longevity to the chemistry that continues to churn between the members. "It's very clear; the moment we start writing music it's just there, and you don't even need to converse, it's happening. So therefore it's the most illustrated reminder to why you're still a band. If it wasn't there, if it was like you had to bleed it a little bit, then we would stop or take a break. We've never had to force anything, which is very fortunate. I'm really grateful for it and I'm also just in awe that it's still there and it has this urgency."
Recognizing and sharing the nostalgia fans have for Interpol's early releases, Daniel compares his own experience growing up with Rock music to the way he sees the progression of all art: The latest work from any artist always feels like the most important effort, but that shouldn't discount anything prior. "To me, it's actually very important for all our records to feel really like this is a document of these three years or whatever of the writing and recording."
That's exactly how Kessler feels about the new record, which to him documents a specific time when the world was in lockdown and the writing, recording, and sharing of new music became an empowering and comforting distraction. "It reminded me almost of being a teenager," he explains. "I remember when I was a teenager I would put on my headphones and walk down the street and whatever thing that you were into became like a blanket or an armor... you just felt in your own world and, again, empowered. It kind of felt like that for me when I would take these tracks for a walk and try to think about the way we were moving them forward and the progression. It kind of put everything into it."
At the same time, Daniel feels it communicates how the group has continued to evolve: "I can see that Paul and Sam are getting better and better as artists and musicians, and I think we're becoming more and more experienced, as you would think. I think this record is as good as anything we've done previously."
WATCH NOW: Audacy Check In with Interpol
Check out Brad's full chat with Interpol's Daniel Kessler above and stay tuned for more conversations with your favorite artists right here on Audacy.
As you listen to the new album, consider checking out Interpol's global exhibition and pop-up, ‘Big Shot City,’ happening now for a limited time simultaneously in London, Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City, and Tokyo.
Listen to more of your favorite music on Audacy's all-new Alt Now, Indie Vibes, Rockternative, Drivin' Alt, New Wave Mix Tape, '90s and Chill, Alterna 00s, and ALT Roots stations -- plus check out our talent-hosted Kevan Kenney's Music Discovery, Megan Holiday's My So Called '90s Playlist, and Scott Lowe on the Go's Post Modern Music Box!
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram