THIEVERY CORPORATION INTERVIEW
February 22nd, 2005 by duck
As The Thievery Corporation release their new album “Cosmic Game”, Eric Hilton answers The Big Chills’ questions…..
Where did the name Thievery Corporation come from?
Rob had a music project years ago that contained a version of that name. The words Thievery Corporation always intrigued me. Years later, we met and began making music. The choice of a name for our project was very easy.
Was “Babylon Rewound” an indication that you thought that “The Richest man in Babylon” should have sounded more dubby, and that you didn’t realise until you released it? Or was there record company pressure to release a less dubby version initially? Or did you just feel the material was worth versioning?
I think we just got into a dub-obsessed phase and we were looking for something to trick out. Babylon Rewound is the first time we did retakes on our own material and I have to say it was a lot of fun. It was also good a nice break from recording The Cosmic Game.
How long did it take to put ‘The Cosmic Game’ together? Was it easier or more difficult work than your previous albums?
The Cosmic Game was actually quite easy for us to make, once we carved out the time to do it. It was the first time Rob and I actually dedicated a specific period of time to record an album – and of course we took twice as long as we had originally planned. Nevertheless, the recording was smooth and we actually have enough b-sides for another LP.
There are a lot of collaborative efforts on the new album – did you work with your guests, or was it a case of sending off the tapes and waiting for the vocals back?
In the case of David Byrne, Perry Farrell and the Flaming Lips, we did the songs long distance. We created music tracks and sent them to each party and then waited. It was amazing to us how smooth it was to work with everyone; one of whom we had never even met, and they really impressed us many ways.
Why did you decide on “Warning Shots” as the first single?
No particular reason. We just wanted to try and get that track out on
vinyl as soon as possible. Since we’re an indie label we make some decisions a bit more casually than some. Also, we were anxious for people to tap in to the lyrics on that track – they’re pretty heavy.
Is Perry Farrell as colorful a character as legend has it?
Perry is a very wonderful person. We didn’t get a chance to meet him until recently when we were in Mexico shooting a video. He was with his family so it was pretty wild to see him in that role, chasing his son around, and pushing a baby stroller. He’s filled with a lot of stories, and an overall real visionary.
How did you feel about getting to work with David Byrne?
We’ve worked with David before on a remix for his track “Dance on Vaseline”, we’ve always wanted to collaborate with him on one of our own songs. He’s someone who has really influenced music and peoples receptiveness to music from other cultures. We were honored to work with him.
With regards The Flaming Lips, was it strange to be working with an entire self contained band?
No not really, those guys are great at conceptualizing pieces of music; they added additional orchestration, and almost a choir type element that fit really well with what we were working on. We had the chance to meet them playing together at a festival in Iceland. Kalani (our tour manager) and I dressed up in their animal outfits and went out into the audience. Those outfits were really hot and sweaty, and it was hard to breathe, although I have to say, that it’s probably one of the easiest ways to meet chicks.
Was there a deliberate political slant to the new record?
Being from Washington, it’s hard not to have a political slant at this point in time. It’s very discouraging when delusion is the norm. People in America feel that politicians, corporations and media, have their best interests at heart. We have pharmaceutical companies selling drugs to make you happy and reality TV shows designed to make you feel more comfortable about your life. All the while keeping people pacified and feeling like they can’t make any difference.
Are you planning on coming to the UK to tour soon? Do you have anything special lined up for your live show?
We are planning a live tour for summer. We’ll probably hit up a few festivals in the UK .
What do you think of the growing profile of VJs? Do you enjoy working with visual artists?
We enjoy working with visual artists. These days people are brought up very multi-media savvy and appreciate the whole visual aspect., For us it adds an extra-dimension to the performance and creates a whole “experience”.
Do you ever feel trapped by people’s expectations of what a Thievery Corporation record should sound like?
Sometimes we feel that way. We’ve made a point to try and distance ourselves from people’s expectations in our own ways. For example the Richest Man in Babylon was focusing on politically and socially conscious themes rather than just being an instrumental background soundtrack for martini drinking.
How do you feel electronic music is perceived in the US?
About seven years ago, electronica was hyped as the next big thing. It didn’t really catch on like “they” hoped. Over the years though it seems more people are becoming interested in the sound. This type of music also permeates many other forms of music as well as advertisements. It seems peoples ears are getting more accustomed.
Where do you buy those dapper suits you wear?
From Mr Eddie on Berwick St London, or Duncan Quinn in NY
I’m sure you always get asked this, but what was the last thing you stole?
I got arrested and held in jail for unauthorized us of a motor vehicle when I was nineteen. Since then I haven’t even thought about stealing a piece of candy.
How do you feel about the Big Chill?
My parents liked that movie. No, really, we played at the Big Chill at Brixton Academy back in 1997, Bebel Gilberto performed with us. It was one of our first live shows. I know that the Big Chill has been really growing over the years. We would love to come back and play.
