The Rapture
Glasgow ABC, Sunday 4th March
With a New album to promote, the New York quartet famous for their Electro Pop anthems arrive at Glasgow ABC to entertain an enthused and colourful crowd. The Lick catches up with Luke and Vito for a pre-gig chat about touring, recording the new album and eh… sea captains.
So guys you’ve been on this stretch of the tour for a week or so now, how is it going?
VR It’s been great, we’re doing the largest shows we’ve ever done and they are all sold out. The crowds have been really, really amazing. We’ve been to France and Ireland so far.
How are you finding touring with S**t Disco?
VR Well we’ve only played a couple of shows with them because they missed the ferry for last night’s show. They were too wasted or something… but yeah they’re great, really great opening band.
You’re on the road for quite a while, where are you looking forward to visiting most?
VR We’re really looking forward to Japan and we’ve never been to Australia. People have been after us to play there for years and years, so it should be an experience.
LJ The thing about touring is, the first few days you just want to quit and you feel like crying, but then after that you’re pretty much great and it’s nice to be there. Our bus driver this morning was telling me about a sea captain who throws up for the first two days every time he goes out to sea. I think that applies to me as well, but I think the human sprit can adapt to anything.
You guys have played Glasgow a few times before in the past, how do you find it?VR We’ve played optimo twice, I think, the QMU two or three times, and we played the Academy once with the NME tour alongside Franz Ferdinand, so yeah we’ve played here a lot and its always a great crowd.
The new album, ‘Pieces of People We Love’ is out now, would you say that there’s a new concept for this album?
VR Well, with this album the production changed; the production values have a lot to do with it. On the last one the mixing was really different to this, it’s a lot glossier and certainly more of a pop record.
Your new producers, Ewan Pearson and Paul Epworth, have previously worked with bands like Bloc Party and The Futureheads. What was it like to work with them?
VR It was cool to work with new people because we never really worked with anyone but Universal and DFA. Paul is a friend and did sound for us for years before he was recording with Futureheads and Bloc Party, so we just called him. He’s a great person and really excited to be working… he’s really energetic person in general.
You also had Danger Mouse working on this record, how was that?
VR It was cool. It’s weird you know… he’s Brian to us. He’s become a really huge producer, but he’s just a really down to earth guy.
LJ The nice thing about Brian is that he didn’t get famous until he was older. He had already established that he was a nice guy so he’s not a dickhead. In fact, he finds being famous kind of funny.
Have the band got any plans for the summer? Are you playing any festivals?
VR We’ll still be touring, we just put out the record so around the world people just want us to show up everywhere. As well as the usual places, we’re going to Australia for the first time and we’re playing Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, South America, the UK and Canada. The list just goes on and on…
LJ We’ve got to the point that we’re not mega famous, we’re not even marginally famous, but its nice because people have our records everywhere and they are happy to see us. Even though it’s not a lot of people its enough to make you feel really good when you get up there.
VR Hopefully we’re going to start with the festivals in the US and then come over around July and do some of the European festivals. hopefully in September we’ll get to play Electric Picnic too, that would be awesome.
Quick Fire
Hip Hop or Hair Metal?
VR Hip Hop
LJ Beastie Boys first album, kinda both.
Sun or Snow?
(both) SUN!
Staying in or going out?
VR Staying in…
LJ Yeah!
The book or the film?
VR Book!
Black or White?
VR Black
LJ Pass
Tour or Recording?
VR Recording, because we’re doing a lot of touring at the moment.
LJ I’d go with recording to, because the more touring you do the more burnt out you get.
MP3 or CD?
VR MP3 cause it’s faster.
LJ I’d say record.
Finally if you could play any gig, any where, any time through history where would you play?
VR Opening for Beethoven.
LJ Roman Coliseum before the killing.
VR It’s a bit Bill and Ted.
LJ Yeah we’d show up with phone booths and a generator.
VR Hip Hop
LJ Beastie Boys first album, kinda both.
Sun or Snow?
(both) SUN!
Staying in or going out?
VR Staying in…
LJ Yeah!
The book or the film?
VR Book!
Black or White?
VR Black
LJ Pass
Tour or Recording?
VR Recording, because we’re doing a lot of touring at the moment.
LJ I’d go with recording to, because the more touring you do the more burnt out you get.
MP3 or CD?
VR MP3 cause it’s faster.
LJ I’d say record.
Finally if you could play any gig, any where, any time through history where would you play?
VR Opening for Beethoven.
LJ Roman Coliseum before the killing.
VR It’s a bit Bill and Ted.
LJ Yeah we’d show up with phone booths and a generator.
Words: Alison Rose
Photos: John Summers
