Vampire Weekend
Interview with Ezra Koenig
Words: Michael Rabinowitz
Photo: Tim Soter

Appearing:
March 6, 2008
The Social, Orlando

March 7, 2008
Langerado Music Festival, Big Cypress Indian Reservation

March 8, 2008
Café Eleven, St. Augustine

In such an abbreviated time period, Vampire Weekend has turned a lot of heads.  What is turning a lot more is there biography.  Students of Columbia University and authors of austere lyrics about Cape Cod and the origin of the English comma will garner a lot more questions about their yuppie-fied musical intent than, lets say, Chromeo.  Dressing in Lacoste pastels and Benetton primaries during gigs just cement that impression.  What VW does do well is the retro-embrace infusion of world music and afro-beat into infectious pop that has not been done since the Talking Heads or Paul Simon.  While on a European tour, presumably on break studying Italian frescos or whatever, lead singer Ezra Koenig (a name which reeks of professorial stewardship) discusses the meaning of VW’s lyrics, the influence of the great David Byrne on the Millennial generation’s current crop of musicians, and what exactly it means to be producing “prep rock.”

REAX:  How is the European tour going so far?
Ezra Koenig:  Europe's been great. We won't do a full European tour again until May, but there a bunch of UK shows coming up.

REAX:  Seriously, how many times have you listened to Paul Simon's “Graceland?”
EK:  Hmm.  My parents didn't have a cassette tape of it when I was a kid so I've probably listened to it less than most 23 year-olds. I was, however, able to have a comparable experience a few years ago when I was on tour with Dirty Projectors.  Dave Longstreth bought a copy of the tape for 25 cents on the street.

REAX:   About the song "A-Punk" of your new LP: What the hell was Joanna stealing at the Sloan-Kettering Medical Center?
EK:  Joanna was stealing a ring off His Honor's finger at an unnamed NYC hospital. Having been to Sloan-Kettering earlier in life, she was unperturbed by the hospital-vibes (which are very distressing for some people).

REAX:   There seems to be a recent recognition by younger artists of the artist accomplishments of David Byrne, especially in embracing world music (like yourself and Yeasayer), and Byrne himself has reached out toward younger acts like yourself.  Where did your appreciation of Byrne come from and was it always your intent with VW to embrace world music?
EK:  My parents had the first four Talking Heads albums plus I grew up with Sesame Street, tofu, and carob cakes. I think I found a new appreciation for David Byrne when I met one of my best friends, Andrei, who had a unique insight into the work of Talking Heads.  VW's intent was to make music that reflected our interests.

REAX:   Does embracing Afro-beat come from a general curiosity or is it from boredom with American rock and its constant rehashing of past forms?
EK:  Most of my favorite "rock" music involves the synthesis of different forms so I think, in a certain sense we're just taking cues from the musicians we admire.

REAX:   Where does an idea like "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" come from, where you are clearly making fun of yuppie life?
EK:  Yuppie-ness is a tough concept to tackle without becoming a total pedant or hypocrite. Even though it's a minefield, it's important to talk about. Writing songs gives you the luxury of being completely vague, and maybe that's for the best.

REAX:   Is the term "prep rock" being thrown around too much in explaining your sound?
EK:  It all depends on what they mean by "prep rock." If by "prep" they mean "of or relating to blue and white striped, collared shirts," I'm all for it.  That's the kind of bizarre, synaesthetic comparison that I like.  If they mean "rock made by people who went to a certain type of American private school," they should re-evaluate. They probably don't even know who the real prep-rockers are.  If someone feels strongly that they should know where their favorite bands went to high school, they should start researching.

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