Liars latest experiment: Writing actual songs. Liars at The EARL Feb. 14th
You'd be hard pressed to find a t-shirt or bumper sticker declaring that "Liars are for Lovers," but that's what Atlanta is getting on Valentine's Day. Three-piece experimental rock outfit Liars are coming to The EARL in support of their latest, self-titled release. While Liars' previous records have been largely conceptional, "Liars" has shocked critics with its relatively straightforward approach. TA live gave Liars singer Angus Andrew a ring in Los Angeles to learn more about his unique development as a songwriter and what we can expect on this upcoming tour.
TAlive: Hey Angus how are you?
Angus: I’m good. How are you?
TAlive: Excellent. Where are you right now?
Angus: I’m in downtown Los Angeles. Where are you?
TAlive: We’re in Atlanta, and we’re looking forward to having you back here soon.
Angus: Oh yeah! It’s going to be fun.
TAlive: Last time you came down here you ended up stealing away one of our bands. You grabbed Deerhunter and took them off on tour with you.
Angus: That’s right.
TAlive: Was that the first time you had seen them [opening for Liars at Drunken Unicorn] or had you heard them before? What drew you to their music? How did the tour go?
Angus: Oh it went awesome! I forget how we knew them. I think we knew them from them playing a show in L.A. But yeah, we took them on that tour of The States and then right after that we took them to Europe as well. That was really fun because they had never played Europe before.
TAlive: Right, I know they were really excited about that opportunity.
Angus: Yeah, man. It’s totally cool to see someone’s face when they see Europe for the first time.
TAlive: So, when you come back to Atlanta it’s going to Valentine’s Day!
Angus: No way!
TAlive: Do you think Liars would be a good date night show?
Angus: Oh well, I’m definitely going to try and make it now that I know it’s going to be Valentine’s Day. We’ll play only love songs. So, everyone should come with their dates.
TAlive: If you had to pick, do you think there is a Liars song that has a bit of romance in it? A little bit of love?
Angus: Yeah, it would probably “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack,” I guess.
TAlive: With this new record, “Liars,” you recorded your parts in Berlin. What drew you to Berlin?
Angus: It’s like escapism, really. When I first went to Berlin, it was mostly because I was freaked out about living in America. I wanted to go somewhere in Europe, and preferably where I didn’t speak the language, so that I would be like an alien and nobody would talk to me, and I could get some work done. The history of the place is amazing.Berlin particularly because they are so aware of their history there. They’re extremely on the other end now, you know. It’s all about individual’s rights, and I’m really down for that.
TAlive: Did you feel like the city inspired your song writing at all?
Angus: In a way. It’s kind of more to do with how much solitude I could get. In that way, it helped a lot. Because, like I said, I don’t speak German. It meant that just going to get the milk in the morning was a big ordeal. That makes it fun and interesting. And, Berlin is just so full of historical bits and pieces, you know? There’s still bullet holes in the walls. You can be inspired just by going out and getting the milk. I think it does help any kind of creativity, really, by putting yourself in a position that you’re not used to. It helps you to redefine yourself.
TAlive: It seems that that need to be challenged by new places and new things is reflected in your lifestyle as much as your music. You’re moving around constantly, and your albums each have their own identity.
Angus: Yeah, that’s just how I was brought up. We were always moving around. I was born in The Philippines and I lived in Australia for a while. I always got a sense that there were so many opportunities for different types of lifestyles around the world, and I guess I’m interested in trying as many of them as possible. I think that any time you make some sort of drastic change like that it gives you the rare chance for reevaluation. And, it helps to redefine yourself each time, I suppose. That’s what’s fun about it. I think the music can only benefit from that, in a sense. I find it difficult to imagine sort of staying in one spot forever just as I imagine it difficult making the same type of music for every record. It just comes naturally, I think.
TAlive: When you approach a new record, is the goal of the record premeditated or do you just start writing and end up piecing together the concept later?
Angus: Well, each of the records that we did before this album we would sit down and discuss it a lot and make sure that there was sort of a thread, at least, that we could tie up the whole album with and make it neat and have a bow on it.
But, this album was completely different in that way. We began writing without any kind of discussion and just went off and had fun with it, really; just going in any direction we wanted. Aaron [Hemphill] and I did end up coming together on one idea, which was that we just wanted to concentrate on writing songs rather than being concerned about the album as a whole. We began to think of songs in particular that we appreciate because of what they are and what they talk about. Particularly, what it’s like to be younger and to appreciate music and how, when we were younger, it was more about like, the guitar solo, rather than where the record was made or who made. So, we just tried to think about music as a more visceral thing rather than a conceptual, mental process. We were going for the gut rather than the head sort of thing.
TAlive: That’s interesting because it seems like the opposite direction of most bands’ growth. Usually they start out with a more straightforward, simple approach and then later in their career they feel they need to be more challenging and go for a concept record. Whereas, with Liars, you seem to have deconstructed instead.
Angus: Yeah, I know...I think we began with sound rather than notes and pieces rather than songs. It’s just been this sort of backward progression towards a more traditional approach and a more basic sort of appreciation of song. It’s interesting because it’s valid to say that this album is an extreme commercial album. In the end, it’s really our most experimental because we’ve never gone so far as to try and make real songs!
TAlive: It’s all relative, I guess, to the artist.
Angus: It’s all relative in a sort of reverse dynamic. (Laughs)
TAlivE: Along the same lines, you had said in a previous interview that you never felt like a songwriter until this album. How did you view yourself as a musician earlier?
Angus: Just piecing ideas together. I came into music on the backend of visual arts. It seemed like another medium, you know? Using sound and instruments together to create, I found it relatively easy to create pieces or songs with lyrics and things like that. And slowly I learned to make those things more and more cohesive. I never really ever felt I could, I don’t know, sit down and just play and sing a song to anyone. Like, a really musician guy. I think that’s where people start! But, that’s not where I began. So, it’s only recently that I’ve come to be able to do that sort of thing, and I have a real appreciation for being able to do that sort of thing.
TAlive: Do you still find time for photography?
Angus: No. When I finished art school and actually a bit earlier, I sort of stopped taking photographs all together. I came to some sort of theoretical crisis about how many photographs have been taken by so many people in the world. It’s just a point I reached at school where I found the limitations of a two-dimensional image to be too much. I first began to work with video and computer animation and sound. That was just the final link before I started making songs. So, no, I haven’t taken photographs in a long time. But, still video I love to make, and I still do computer graphic stuff.
TAlive: What can we expect as far as a set list for the upcoming tour?
Angus: It’s funny you should mention that. It’s been interesting to look and recognize that we have a bit of a back catalog. I love that statement, “back catalog.” Haha! So, there’s a lot of songs to choose from actually, and it’s a lot of fun to put together a set list in an interesting way. It won’t just be from our new album, but certainly the new album stuff is meant to be live and we do concentrate on that. It’s fun, though, to pull out some stuff from years past. You can expect a lot of….stuff.
TAlive: Is it too early to determine what’s next for Liars after this supporting tour?
Angus: We’re going to try to take a little bit of time, a little bit longer to make the next record. I intend to live in Los Angeles with the other guys, so I suppose one thing is we’re going to try to work together which we’ve never really done before.
TAlive: That makes me wonder if you ever compose while on tour since that’s one of those rare opportunities when you all have instruments and you’re all together.
Angus: It’s not from a lack of being together that we don’t write together. It’s more the idea that.. it just doesn’t work. We’ve certainly tried it; just stand together and play. But for some reason, it’s just not the most productive way for us. I just sort of think we can go around that somehow. But no, we don’t write anything on tour. I find it difficult enough to just… tour! (laughs)
TAlive: Well, from what you’ve said about your time in Berlin, it sounds like you are the kind of person who prefers to just work alone with your creativity.
Angus: Yeah, very much so. I appreciate any kind of solitude at all. It’s really good for me. I almost find that the process of writing together in a group is almost illogical. To me, it seems like if we’re going to do a painting, and we all decided to paint at the same time on a board as opposed to one of us taking initiative to map it all out. I think the latter always works for a better song, but I certainly am aware that the majority of great songs have been written in band format.. so there must be something to it!
TAlive: I guess if you are following the laws of music a little more closely as far as playing in a certain key, than you can improvise together more smoothly.
Angus: I know, but you gotta know notes and keys, don’t you?
TAlive: It’s a more technical approach, but maybe a little more boring because you become limited within that box.
Angus: That’s certainly the way I’ve been thinking…but as you know I’m slightly on this revised mode, leaning more and more towards the norm or traditional.. and whether or not I’ll allow that to happen is another question. It’s certainly something new for us, and, therefore, interesting and worth the challenge.
Angus: I’m good. How are you?
TAlive: Excellent. Where are you right now?
Angus: I’m in downtown Los Angeles. Where are you?
TAlive: We’re in Atlanta, and we’re looking forward to having you back here soon.
Angus: Oh yeah! It’s going to be fun.
TAlive: Last time you came down here you ended up stealing away one of our bands. You grabbed Deerhunter and took them off on tour with you.
Angus: That’s right.
TAlive: Was that the first time you had seen them [opening for Liars at Drunken Unicorn] or had you heard them before? What drew you to their music? How did the tour go?
Angus: Oh it went awesome! I forget how we knew them. I think we knew them from them playing a show in L.A. But yeah, we took them on that tour of The States and then right after that we took them to Europe as well. That was really fun because they had never played Europe before.
TAlive: Right, I know they were really excited about that opportunity.
Angus: Yeah, man. It’s totally cool to see someone’s face when they see Europe for the first time.
TAlive: So, when you come back to Atlanta it’s going to Valentine’s Day!
Angus: No way!
TAlive: Do you think Liars would be a good date night show?
Angus: Oh well, I’m definitely going to try and make it now that I know it’s going to be Valentine’s Day. We’ll play only love songs. So, everyone should come with their dates.
TAlive: If you had to pick, do you think there is a Liars song that has a bit of romance in it? A little bit of love?
Angus: Yeah, it would probably “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack,” I guess.
TAlive: With this new record, “Liars,” you recorded your parts in Berlin. What drew you to Berlin?
Angus: It’s like escapism, really. When I first went to Berlin, it was mostly because I was freaked out about living in America. I wanted to go somewhere in Europe, and preferably where I didn’t speak the language, so that I would be like an alien and nobody would talk to me, and I could get some work done. The history of the place is amazing.Berlin particularly because they are so aware of their history there. They’re extremely on the other end now, you know. It’s all about individual’s rights, and I’m really down for that.
TAlive: Did you feel like the city inspired your song writing at all?
Angus: In a way. It’s kind of more to do with how much solitude I could get. In that way, it helped a lot. Because, like I said, I don’t speak German. It meant that just going to get the milk in the morning was a big ordeal. That makes it fun and interesting. And, Berlin is just so full of historical bits and pieces, you know? There’s still bullet holes in the walls. You can be inspired just by going out and getting the milk. I think it does help any kind of creativity, really, by putting yourself in a position that you’re not used to. It helps you to redefine yourself.
TAlive: It seems that that need to be challenged by new places and new things is reflected in your lifestyle as much as your music. You’re moving around constantly, and your albums each have their own identity.
Angus: Yeah, that’s just how I was brought up. We were always moving around. I was born in The Philippines and I lived in Australia for a while. I always got a sense that there were so many opportunities for different types of lifestyles around the world, and I guess I’m interested in trying as many of them as possible. I think that any time you make some sort of drastic change like that it gives you the rare chance for reevaluation. And, it helps to redefine yourself each time, I suppose. That’s what’s fun about it. I think the music can only benefit from that, in a sense. I find it difficult to imagine sort of staying in one spot forever just as I imagine it difficult making the same type of music for every record. It just comes naturally, I think.
TAlive: When you approach a new record, is the goal of the record premeditated or do you just start writing and end up piecing together the concept later?
Angus: Well, each of the records that we did before this album we would sit down and discuss it a lot and make sure that there was sort of a thread, at least, that we could tie up the whole album with and make it neat and have a bow on it.
But, this album was completely different in that way. We began writing without any kind of discussion and just went off and had fun with it, really; just going in any direction we wanted. Aaron [Hemphill] and I did end up coming together on one idea, which was that we just wanted to concentrate on writing songs rather than being concerned about the album as a whole. We began to think of songs in particular that we appreciate because of what they are and what they talk about. Particularly, what it’s like to be younger and to appreciate music and how, when we were younger, it was more about like, the guitar solo, rather than where the record was made or who made. So, we just tried to think about music as a more visceral thing rather than a conceptual, mental process. We were going for the gut rather than the head sort of thing.
TAlive: That’s interesting because it seems like the opposite direction of most bands’ growth. Usually they start out with a more straightforward, simple approach and then later in their career they feel they need to be more challenging and go for a concept record. Whereas, with Liars, you seem to have deconstructed instead.
Angus: Yeah, I know...I think we began with sound rather than notes and pieces rather than songs. It’s just been this sort of backward progression towards a more traditional approach and a more basic sort of appreciation of song. It’s interesting because it’s valid to say that this album is an extreme commercial album. In the end, it’s really our most experimental because we’ve never gone so far as to try and make real songs!
TAlive: It’s all relative, I guess, to the artist.
Angus: It’s all relative in a sort of reverse dynamic. (Laughs)
TAlivE: Along the same lines, you had said in a previous interview that you never felt like a songwriter until this album. How did you view yourself as a musician earlier?
Angus: Just piecing ideas together. I came into music on the backend of visual arts. It seemed like another medium, you know? Using sound and instruments together to create, I found it relatively easy to create pieces or songs with lyrics and things like that. And slowly I learned to make those things more and more cohesive. I never really ever felt I could, I don’t know, sit down and just play and sing a song to anyone. Like, a really musician guy. I think that’s where people start! But, that’s not where I began. So, it’s only recently that I’ve come to be able to do that sort of thing, and I have a real appreciation for being able to do that sort of thing.
TAlive: Do you still find time for photography?
Angus: No. When I finished art school and actually a bit earlier, I sort of stopped taking photographs all together. I came to some sort of theoretical crisis about how many photographs have been taken by so many people in the world. It’s just a point I reached at school where I found the limitations of a two-dimensional image to be too much. I first began to work with video and computer animation and sound. That was just the final link before I started making songs. So, no, I haven’t taken photographs in a long time. But, still video I love to make, and I still do computer graphic stuff.
TAlive: What can we expect as far as a set list for the upcoming tour?
Angus: It’s funny you should mention that. It’s been interesting to look and recognize that we have a bit of a back catalog. I love that statement, “back catalog.” Haha! So, there’s a lot of songs to choose from actually, and it’s a lot of fun to put together a set list in an interesting way. It won’t just be from our new album, but certainly the new album stuff is meant to be live and we do concentrate on that. It’s fun, though, to pull out some stuff from years past. You can expect a lot of….stuff.
TAlive: Is it too early to determine what’s next for Liars after this supporting tour?
Angus: We’re going to try to take a little bit of time, a little bit longer to make the next record. I intend to live in Los Angeles with the other guys, so I suppose one thing is we’re going to try to work together which we’ve never really done before.
TAlive: That makes me wonder if you ever compose while on tour since that’s one of those rare opportunities when you all have instruments and you’re all together.
Angus: It’s not from a lack of being together that we don’t write together. It’s more the idea that.. it just doesn’t work. We’ve certainly tried it; just stand together and play. But for some reason, it’s just not the most productive way for us. I just sort of think we can go around that somehow. But no, we don’t write anything on tour. I find it difficult enough to just… tour! (laughs)
TAlive: Well, from what you’ve said about your time in Berlin, it sounds like you are the kind of person who prefers to just work alone with your creativity.
Angus: Yeah, very much so. I appreciate any kind of solitude at all. It’s really good for me. I almost find that the process of writing together in a group is almost illogical. To me, it seems like if we’re going to do a painting, and we all decided to paint at the same time on a board as opposed to one of us taking initiative to map it all out. I think the latter always works for a better song, but I certainly am aware that the majority of great songs have been written in band format.. so there must be something to it!
TAlive: I guess if you are following the laws of music a little more closely as far as playing in a certain key, than you can improvise together more smoothly.
Angus: I know, but you gotta know notes and keys, don’t you?
TAlive: It’s a more technical approach, but maybe a little more boring because you become limited within that box.
Angus: That’s certainly the way I’ve been thinking…but as you know I’m slightly on this revised mode, leaning more and more towards the norm or traditional.. and whether or not I’ll allow that to happen is another question. It’s certainly something new for us, and, therefore, interesting and worth the challenge.
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