Vampire Weekend: 'Only God Was Above Us' & The Evolution of the Band

Vampire Weekend: 'Only God Was Above Us' & The Evolution of the Band | Apple Music

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Күн бұрын

Ezra Koenig, lead singer of Vampire Weekend, sits down with Zane Lowe to discuss Vampire Weekend's first album in 5 years, 'Only God Was Above Us'.
They dive into the inspiration for the cover art of the album, a photo by Steve Siegel, and how often the imagery helped shape the music. Ezra talks about how the band’s natural “revolving door” effect where collaboration is welcomed if it makes sense for the music. Ezra also talks about the pressure to release music consistently that he felt earlier in his career, but how that has given way to being more comfortable with taking his time, since the gap between albums stops mattering as soon as a new album is released. Approaching his 40th birthday, Ezra shares his perspective on aging and plans to mark the day with a special performance.
Listen to Vampire Weekend on Apple Music: apple.co/VampireWeekendYT
00:00 - Ezra Koenig on the Evolution of Vampire Weekend
8:25 - Ezras' Love for Discographies
17:27 - Teaching 8th Grade in Brooklyn
27:12 - Modern Definition of a Band
36:56 - Recording “Capricorn” with a Live Orchestra
45:38 - Connection Fans Have with Vampire Weekend
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Пікірлер: 162

@perspicaciouscritic 2 ай бұрын

Naw, naw, naw-for what is most likely going to be their best album to date, Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig deserved an outdoor walking-and-talking interview with Zane Lowe.

@holdenhull95 Ай бұрын

amen

@SPOGGETT Ай бұрын

Really??? Tbh I'm v excited to this album 🎉,for emotional purposes, but i can't imagine to think they'll Ever make an album like their first trilogy ❤😮 modern vampires is a perfect, unreal album in the best way

@funkmaster77 Ай бұрын

@@SPOGGETT I was in the same boat but OGWAU feels like the true fourth album after that trilogy. I really like Father of The Bride but it sounds very different to me than the other four.

@DKR-1881 Ай бұрын

Why is it most like to be their best?

@isaiahspence588 Ай бұрын

The debut album and Contra have absolutely no skips. The two are neck and neck their best work. I’m having a difficult time consuming this new album.

@iksnirkS 2 ай бұрын

ezra was about to do a whole 15 minute bit on Time as a Construct but he reeled it in. benching that one for TC

@piracy22 Ай бұрын

Diehard TC fans waiting for Cheetos to be mentioned on this show

@ethan2k297 Ай бұрын

What’s TC?

@piracy22 Ай бұрын

@@ethan2k297 Time Crisis on Apple Music, they just uploaded on KZfaq as well.

@SetSailToTheStreets Ай бұрын

@@ethan2k297TC = Time Crisis. Ezra's Apple Music podcast. TC's been running for about a decade.

@drizanna85 Ай бұрын

begging Zane Lowe to hold on to his two cents and allow artists to finish their thoughts

@Missjunebugfreak Ай бұрын

This is why I can't sit through most of his interviews. Zane really loves to hear himself talk lmao.

@midkay Ай бұрын

Totally disagree. He’s a great interviewer, and brings out a realness in the artist, by having a real conversation with them, not just feeding them questions “so what is the song X about?” etc.

@saku.544 Ай бұрын

@@midkay have you watched the entire interview before commenting ? Because i'm towards the end and the way he interupts Ezra multiple times is really frustrating. You can tell it was frustrating Ezra as well

@midkay Ай бұрын

@@saku.544 show me one time Ezra was frustrated. I listened to the whole interview and only heard him laughing and loving the convo

@saku.544 Ай бұрын

@@midkay bro im not going to watch the entire thing again just to find the exact moment where he was frustrated. But here's one moment for exemple where he was being interrupted and it bothered me, at around 44:35. And im clearly not the only one who was bothered by it considering the people commenting about it, so you can disagree if you want, the reality is that he was in fact interrupting Ezra too much.

@misisipimike 19 күн бұрын

I love interviews with Ezra Koenig. I gotta confess I am not super familiar with his music but he is a great interview. He can go anywhere and speak on any topic with thoughtful consideration and humor.

@ethankasales9006 Ай бұрын

Just listened to the new album! Cannot stress enough how good it is. It’s instantly distinguishable as Vampire Weekend yet so new and captivating.

@brandknewme Ай бұрын

Ezra dressed like a moisture farmer on Tatooine.

@bobbybubby7977 2 ай бұрын

I have all of Vampire Weekend’s albums on vinyl. Excited for tomorrow! This album is going to be so good. I discovered them on SNL promoting their third album and was hooked. I always heard their name and thought they were a metal band so never listened lol. Now they’re one of my favorites. Wish it wasn’t so long between albums but they’re always worth the wait.

@pajotrus 2 ай бұрын

almost an hour, but it still felt short! I haven’t listened to VW much after FOTB tour, but now we’re back - new phase!

@liseudisruiz8665 2 ай бұрын

Love this so much, their interactions were fascinating and love the topics they touched on, I am so so excited for VW's new album, can´t wait!

@Joshua_Page Ай бұрын

This is the therapy session I didn’t know I needed

@devonhill8011 Ай бұрын

I feel apart of a very intelligent conversation. Insanely excited for this album

@JamesLanee Ай бұрын

The last 60 seconds of this interview was so powerful

@thomasharding2015 2 ай бұрын

Big discography guy

@stoopid79 Ай бұрын

Zane and Ezra in their Heaven clothes😊 Oatmeal vibe on this rekkord… it’s a New York thing ✨✨

@Triggercut92 2 ай бұрын

I've known of Zane Lowe for 25 years and it always seems like he's read every single piece of musical history and can say it and gives meaningful in depth responses, but I just cant get by the fact that it's all act

@Buckets41369 Ай бұрын

I see exactly what you mean. I think it’s and articulation problem, all the knowledge and connections are there in the mind but he has difficulty conveying it in a meaningful way for someone on the outside.

@seth6691 Ай бұрын

Yeah he seems like he always has a way to make something look good, it’s his job after all. However it does paint an overarching “I just love all of this, it makes sooooo much sense” without much discernment, it makes you hold this permanently vague impression of his opinion.

@chrismaclean4363 Ай бұрын

@@seth6691 summed up my thoughts on him better than I ever could! Have to admit though that every interview I see him conduct (haven't seen that many) he gets a lot of interesting comments from the artist, so it tends to be worth it even if a tad cringey at times.

@cbruce3680 Ай бұрын

Finally someones articulated what i couldn’t about Zane. This is spot on.

@Kaelllinn Ай бұрын

That statement at the end about what to hope for reminds me of that Bukowski poem talking about how you just want to be walking through the fire, not avoid it

@Jelle_Lemstra Ай бұрын

How is this guy 40 years old? He looks like 25/26

@user-ig5sf1of8r Ай бұрын

I love this band so much

@jordandarbishire Ай бұрын

the casual Canadian Tuxedo mention made my morning coffee

@miirandagarciia Ай бұрын

That Dylan impression was spot on

@DeeTeaDee Ай бұрын

Thanks for this album 🙇🏻‍♂️

@leslieroser1 Ай бұрын

Nice pfp

@DeeTeaDee Ай бұрын

@@leslieroser1 whats that?

@leslieroser1 Ай бұрын

@@DeeTeaDee profile picture

@DeeTeaDee Ай бұрын

@@leslieroser1 not as nice as yours 😘

@leslieroser1 Ай бұрын

@@DeeTeaDee oh god

@jeffreyroedel9804 2 ай бұрын

Did Zane think about Quincy Jones being Ezra's father-in-law when he asked him about We are the World? LOL. Just seems like that should have come up, would have been interesting to not let Ezra gloss over that or ask him to pull in any advice or insight he's gotten from Quincy since knowing him? Great talk though!

@shabyheltay Ай бұрын

Yes!! I would love to hear about his relationship with Quincy

@debbyveeee9148 Ай бұрын

I ❤ Vampire Weekend

@joshreiners5284 2 ай бұрын

An hour interview so much better than the father of bride 8 minute one

@_richardheath Ай бұрын

8 minute Bride

@dropzBiG Ай бұрын

I felt that same way looking snd then listening to one of my dads cream records.

@grapes9h5 2 ай бұрын

Discography, source, this man speaks my language

@hippiecheezburger5457 Ай бұрын

I admire the groups from their time that have become calm and collect about their time away and the music that they work on. MGMT’s album was such a great album and so was this record. Vampire Weekend have such replay pop value I don’t know how Ezra continues to always do it. Both these albums that have come out this year they’re albums that I can listen to and then listen to them again in a year or so and they’ll have the same effect if not a better effect. Also Only God Was Above Us feels only influenced by previous VW albums which is pretty cool.

@lawrencetheuniqueone 2 ай бұрын

Discography comment I agree with. Love listening to bands entire catalogue. True music fans carry on with bands through highs and lows of musical output. Regarding Vampire Weekend I’m not into Contra at all but love their third and fourth LP

@tacenterprises8396 2 ай бұрын

I do the same thing. For the last couple of years I’ve been making my way through a list I’ve compiled of bands’ entire discographies. Some large, some small. It’s a great process for really understanding the evolution of an artist or group.

@tedworth7742 2 ай бұрын

I do the same but I find it hard to get into a full discography of an artist or band if im not totally into to it

@loganwortman564 Ай бұрын

Contra might be my number 1, tbh

@disbauxa Ай бұрын

@@loganwortman564logan knows, a true VW fan

@SPOGGETT Ай бұрын

What's the classical music Cafe he's talking about in Japan? That sounds awesome

@janschotte6742 Ай бұрын

Meikyoku Kissa Lion

@RBGRBGRBGRBG Ай бұрын

34:09 love Ezra, but I can’t stand this theory about bands. and it’s not that an aspect of it isn’t true, but that’s in part because nobody is being Bowie about it anymore. Very few people like Ezra (who have ascended in the industry) seek out or publicly talk about up and coming bands even though there’s dozens if not hundreds + who deserve to better heard. *that is part of why Rock music (which is by no means dead) is still very much underground in comparison to Pop or hip hop etc. we need people like Bowie or David Byrne who went out of their way to talk up bands the way Bowie would with early Arcade Fire (for one of many examples). The best promo is word of mouth yet so many big artists in rock will say when asked: ‘oh, I don’t listen to modern music anymore’ or else something akin to what Ezra said here. And there are other factors for sure but I would love to see people like him being stewards for a younger generation. It would make a difference (and would, in this content economy, be seen), and yet I don’t see that kind of support.

@90triceratops 2 ай бұрын

Good interview. The point about autotune and "We Are the World" is oddly fascinating lol

@yourewelcome7662 Ай бұрын

47:37 Its never overrrr (hey orpheus)

@Max-fl7wh 2 ай бұрын

Please add transcripted captions to your videos. The auto caption feature is not correct.

@LuciensMusic Ай бұрын

Amazing band!

@spazehdreams 13 күн бұрын

Indie rock royalty

@nonsensible_productions Ай бұрын

What mic is Zane using now?

@julianunda4236 Ай бұрын

completely lost it when ezra started talking about male hair-stylists that are bald

@CL2- 2 ай бұрын

Zane Lowe and Ezra are both such professionals

@bensonsj98 2 ай бұрын

Ezra is so deeply intelligent and introspective. It's always so refreshing.

@Alexfieldmusicofficial Ай бұрын

Let’s talk about Discovery

@lacroixdreams3520 Ай бұрын

Quiznos is a real job

@patrickmichaelmiller4342 Ай бұрын

Actually tho does anyone know where Ezra’s shirt is from?

@euphegenia Ай бұрын

33:40 What. Is a baaaaaand? Without cymbaaaaaals? Oooooooooooo. Cymbals are grand!

@helinahelinahelina 2 ай бұрын

thats my president

@jasoncromwell4206 2 ай бұрын

Since the day The Fabs hired George Martin the concept of the band has completely changed. Where would The Talking Heads and U2 be without Brian Eno? The Beasties and The Chilli Peppers without Rick Rubin? I have been a Vampire Weekend since day 1, and I have loved everything they have done since then. I just heard the new one "Mary Boone" and it reminds me of that great 90s hit "Standing Outside of a Telephone Booth With A Broken Heart." They definitely used the same BB King sample.

@tacenterprises8396 2 ай бұрын

You’re right. I think they do use the same sample, but it’s the Soul II Soul drum break that’s the same. Primitive Radio Gods just looped BB King over it.

@nicolasviaje7159 Ай бұрын

Talking Heads already had classics before Brian Eno. Beastie Boys only have one Rick Rubin album. They continued making classics without him. A better example would've been Radiohead with Nigel Godrich.

@offlain Ай бұрын

upload Kim G 🙏

@Lemonygreen78 Ай бұрын

why are there so many screens at this table

@jcatikno1655 13 күн бұрын

Lots of people use iPads for notes/prompts

@MIRRORTHIEF 2 ай бұрын

they’re 4/4 with the singles right now, so I’m very excited to hear the album!

@piracy22 Ай бұрын

They’re talking about grid not time signature if that’s what you’re referencing. A 4/4 can sound loose because they’re not locking everything up and allowing some variance, organically and on purpose

@mattw8350 Ай бұрын

@@piracy22bro what he’s saying they had dropped 4 good singles in 4 attempts 😭

@MIRRORTHIEF Ай бұрын

@@piracy22 haha no, I was saying they are on a 4 out of 4 streak on the singles they've put out.

@ARCHANGEL215MICHAEL 2 ай бұрын

🎲🐍🎲

@sirisaacnewtunes Ай бұрын

Zane is high on his own supply

@eduolivier8520 Ай бұрын

@10.50 Would love to see Ezra & Josh Homme come together with everyone they know.

@dancingonmy0wn 2 ай бұрын

i love him smmmmmmmmm

@tonyarmada85 Ай бұрын

i bet ezra tries to pull out geeky music factoids from quincy all the time

@bryantorresart Ай бұрын

Yoo I wish Ezra was my 8th grade teacher 😂

@jackpfiester5013 Ай бұрын

Ezra used to wake up at 715 every morning? INSANE. Love VP but they're definitely privileged individuals and it shows in their interviews.

@civilroman Ай бұрын

They literally all grew up on the lower side of middle class, Ezra's parents didn't even own a home they lived in an apartment, and they all had to take loans for college. Any privilege they have was earned through their own hard work.

@lepythagore3288 Ай бұрын

@@civilromanYes, but the fact that he points that out as if it's an "insane" fact just shows how disconnected he now is. A person waking up at 7:15 PM is not insane by any metric.

@ScaleScarborough-jq8zx Ай бұрын

Such smart music, doesn’t help my neurosis, though.

@gretamarin234 Ай бұрын

Lmao, this!

@mattbugden91 Ай бұрын

Zane isn’t doing the bomb noise the right (TC) way

@piracy22 Ай бұрын

Ttttttt time crisis

@olivercarter1599 Ай бұрын

Do they wanna drop any more references to his father-in-law?

@mayavril1 Ай бұрын

I can't believe he dared to suggest Ezra was posturing in the early vampire days. Revealed a lot about zane! Also those bombs are so lame 🤧 Also lol at Hope being Vampire's first hymn. Why was zane trying so hard here. I really hate the way he's prescriptive about things/life

@lacroixdreams3520 Ай бұрын

So Rostam is still part of Vampire Weekend. The Vampire Weekend association if you will

@michtesfa Ай бұрын

Ezra is an intelligent artist. He's for the few.

@parisrocks Ай бұрын

Zane Lowe’s stand-up routine was unwelcome.

@seth6691 Ай бұрын

lol Ezra biggest laughs were at the bomb drops

@joarsolbakk7160 Ай бұрын

"Ive seen it all before" - give them piece s

@LetnouBarron 2 ай бұрын

It's such a contrast how you remind me of past and how Renee Marie Harrison changed my Life from a nobody to a home, $83K biweekly and good pretty daughters! I don't know why I'm saying this here but I kinda feel like I'm supposed to, few years back I was nothing but now I feel like I own the world and can achieve anything I want.

@MelodiRavo 2 ай бұрын

Yeah, I'd feel like that sometimes. Tell me about it!!!!🙏

@LetnouBarron 2 ай бұрын

$500K monthly is something you should feel differently about.....

@LetnouBarron 2 ай бұрын

After I raised up to 325k trading with her I bought a new House and a car here in the states 🇺🇸🇺🇸 also paid for my son's surgery (Oscar). Glory to God.shalom.....

@BerlyQuinn-zv7nm 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely! I've heard stories of people who started with little to no knowledge but made it out victoriously thanks to Renee Marie Harrison.

@AnthonyMark-cp8ic 2 ай бұрын

I know that woman (Renee Marie Harrison) If you were born and raised in new York you'd know too, she's my family's Broker for 3yrs till now and a very good one if you asked me. No doubt she is the one that helped you get where you are!!!!

@Runner862 Ай бұрын

How many screens and tablets and gadgets sou want for your desk? Yes

@dropzBiG Ай бұрын

Could have have just said my father in law quincy lol

@popbeforepoetry Ай бұрын

dude, zane is a rough hang

@lepythagore3288 Ай бұрын

Way too much of a yes-man

@ole1233 Ай бұрын

Jonathan Low > Zane Lowe

@piracy22 Ай бұрын

Deeep cut

@grillingcheez Ай бұрын

they played this in austin 💀💀💀

@bnich444 Ай бұрын

Zane's forced sincerity these days is just unbearable @8:20 onwards is eye rolling stuff

@katiestyles1989 2 ай бұрын

ooooooh first comment

@eduardoduarte3418 Ай бұрын

I don't like Apple Music Interviews

@Lebowski55 Ай бұрын

Ezra should have a conversation with Fantano

@midkay Ай бұрын

Ew no

@aishwaryakali4722 Ай бұрын

I don’t love it when the interviewer likes the sound of their own voice too much. That was precisely why I stopped listening to Trevor Noah’s podcast.

@termsofusepolice Ай бұрын

Here's the best way to describe Ezra and Vampire Weekend: "Music for Davos."

@robertomendez187 Ай бұрын

Worst album EVER. SAW them live before and this depressing new album is derivative and dull. The fun enjoyable aristocratic band we all loved is dead.