music

Dena

Future Auto: Interview with Autolux

by D J Collacott

Eclectic L.A art rock trio Autolux have since their critically acclaimed 2004 debut album Future Perfect, toured with Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age and White Stripes to name but a few. The band have also collaborated with James Lavelle of Unkle and are currently recording their second studio album. We were privelidged enough to get an interview with uber cool drummer and vocalist Carla Azar (and the band) as we talked about their plan's for the future, career threatening injuries, upcoming musical collaborations, new material and inspirations, bare-footed drumming and more.

Who or what most inspired you to make music?

Carla: James Brown's dancing

Greg: The Beatles and food

Eugene: "My mom made me play music, no inspiration involved."

Your music is difficult to define and has been labeled art/alternative
rock shoe to gazer synth rock - how do you define your music?

We don't like labels. we tape over the labels on our gear.

Carla: One small detail, i've never worn shoes whilst playing the drums.

(to Carla) when you were told you might never play the drums again (after a stage fall) how did you cope, and how long did the recovery and surgery take?

Carla: I was only told by the first doctor that i saw that i would never have full use of
my left arm again. The second doctor (who specialized in elbows) told me he could repair it. the thought never crossed my mind that i wouldn't play drums again. I wouldn't allow the thought near my mind. I was playing drums 4 months after I fell.

How did you get involved with James Lavelle and Unkle and what was this like?

James contacted us after hearing Future Perfect. We loved the UNKLE record he made with Dj Shadow as well as the score he made for the film Sexy Beast, we were excited.
We did a trade with James - he did a dance remix of Turnstile Blues and in return we wrote
a song for the UNKLE record, War Stories. We loved working with him.

You have toured with some incredible artists from Trent Reznor to Elvis Costello, who of these did you befriend and who did you find to be nothing like their press or stage persona?

We played with a lot of incredible people - The White Stripes being one of them.
Jack white has an internal tornado of charisma and electricity constantly going on. He's as raw as his guitar playing and an incredible person. I really think he's black and he's trying
to throw people off with his last name.

Trent Reznor- smart, generous, kind, hyper-talented, a lovely man.
Josh Homme (Queens of The Stone Age) - a living, breathing, walking, fun museum filled with soul, on and off stage.

You are currently working on a follow up the superb Future Perfect, can
you gives us any information on this such as:

i) Album title
Can't do that. Must kill you if i do.

ii) Single releases
Not sure yet

iii) Concept or the albums theme/sound?

i) 12 cats swimming or floating in a gelatin pool with underwater
gear and access to oxygen?

ii) Sounds exactly like something you've never heard before. But you
have.

iii) Balloons and Trouble Makers.

iv) Release date
The plan is to release the record by the end of summer.

Do you have any further collaborations planned? Do you have any
other plans for 2008?

Collaboration no.1: I've just played on a PJ Harvey/John Parish
record that will be coming out in September. possibly doing a 3 week tour on the
record as well (when Autolux is on a break).
Autolux
Photo by Tim Roth
Plans for 2008 are:

1. Play Coachella in April
2. Go to Spain and play Primavera festival in may (mostly so we can
watch Public Enemy & Portishead)
3. Possibly going to Russia in June for 2 shows but this isn't
confirmed yet
4. New record comes out
5. Secret things
6. Tour like crazy for the next year or so.

How have the fans responded to you touring the new material?

From what i've heard, our fans are excited about us touring but ultimately are wanting our new record.

Will your next work take a different musical direction?

It's hard to say when I'm me or we're us. Everyone hears things differently.
We think it's different in a lot of ways but who knows what anyone else will think.
The envelope got heavier, but it's being pushed.
Autolux
Photo by Tim Roth
What is the story behind you being signed to a label part owed by the
legendary Coen brothers?

T Bone Burnett is the story. He's brilliant. He believed in us so he signed us to the label that he started with the Coen Brothers. We are no longer on that label, that label was under Sony Music, and it is no longer a part of Sony. We are currently deciding what our next situation will be and we're excited about it.

What is your career high-point/low-point so far?

I haven't felt a low-point really, so far. I think eugene and greg feel the same. We feel lucky to be here, things have gone pretty well for us. I don't know if it's a career high-point but one of the high-points for all of us was when we were asked by Portishead to play All Tomorrow's
Parties last December in England. After our set, Killah Priest from Wu-Tang Clan came up to us and said how much he loved our music and hugged me. he was there performing with GZA from Wu-Tang. We're fans so it was a huge compliment.

What was the last gig you saw or album you bought?

Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey EP (last record i bought)
PJ Harvey - at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct 15 (last
concert i remember)

Who do you tip to make it big in 2008?

Greg and Eugene

Have you ever been approached to be involved in TV/Film scores?

Constantly. Nothing that we've said yes to as of yet. We want to work with jonathan glazer (Sexy Beast director) one day.

What is the weirdest story behind one of your songs music or lyrics?

!@#$%^&*()_++_)(*&^%$#@!

Does the band have an opinion on the whole 'online music/stealing/itunes/marketing prices record industry' debate?

I think i can speak for the whole band.....we're not against music sharing. major labels have been a huge part of creating music sharing. Whether they know it or not. because most major labels are run by older men that aren't aware of what's going on in the world today with kids, they tried (and are trying) to fight against music sharing instead of getting up to speed with the future of music and the internet. Music will probably be free one day. and the only way artists will make money is playing live, selling merchandise, and/or licensing their music for films/commercials/television/video games, etc. This is fine with us.
basically, we love writing and playing music. We aren't too concerned with how our music reaches people. Obviously, we would never be a part of something that we don't believe in or isn't right for Autolux just to get paid. But, we are in a new era in the music industry and i feel that it's more positive than it's ever been.

To listen to Autolux and find out more about the band visit here