26 Nov, 2010

So you guys recently performed a show for the Barack Obama rally?

We did. We were invited to play two acoustic songs before he spoke at the University of Wisconsin. It was surreal. And afterwards we got to meet him for about 30 seconds. It was awesome.
 

Had you met him before that?

 
No, that was the first time. It was an unbelievable moment!
 

Exactly how nervous do you feel before meeting the US president?

 
We were standing in a hallway with all these big guys with wires in their ears and rifles. We were standing there waiting while all the Secret Service men searched us. So when he came into the room it was more of a relief because the other guys were more intimidating and he was just a charming man who came up and slapped us on the shoulders. It was surreal but not as terrifying as I expected it to be. He immediately puts people at ease.
 

Can you describe what sound you were going for in your latest album, High Violet?

 
I think it's an orchestration of ugly fuzzy stuff, big beautiful complex stuff and little fuzzy stuff. We worked really hard on it but we had no idea how it was going to turn out.
 

Were you surprised by the chart success of the record?

We were, but mostly because we didn't know what that stuff meant. When we were charted third in the US we were like, "What does that mean?" And to be honest it doesn't mean that much, because one week something can sell 3 million records and be number one and the week after the number-one record could be something that only sells 100,000. It's cool but it's abstract.
 

You've got a tour lined up for here soon. Have you been to Australia before?

 
We were there about 10 years ago. This time we will be there for I think three weeks, we are doing more shows than last time. We are all really excited. We had a blast last time so we are very anxious and excited to get over there.
 

Do you have any horror stories about your worst show ever?

 I remember playing at a dinner theatre in Kentucky, we were opening for somebody so the room was full of tables and people eating dinner. And there was this big middle-aged guy eating mashed potatoes right in front of me while I was singing this really emotional song. The guy loved it and it was a really great show — but it was very awkward! There were several years when we did a lot of shows like that, where you kind of just feel like you're getting nowhere.
 

What's the best compliment you've received about your live performances?

 
People are often surprised because our shows are much more unhinged and energetic and muscular than the records are. The shows are a lot of fun and we all get really wrapped up in them, so I think people would describe them as a very cathartic experience. Our music builds a lot of tension and it's emotionally loaded, so I think what happens at the live shows is that stuff spills out and it's a good release.
 
Catch The National touring Australia in December and January.