Modern art-pop trio Populuxe have always been restless in nature, finding new ways to reinvent themselves with each subsequent release.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Mark Pardy: drums, percussion, vocals
Mike Mallory: bass, vocals
Rob Shapiro: guitar, piano, vocals
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Populuxe? How long has the band been around?
Populuxe has been around since '96. Suffice it to say that between us we've played on the broken half of a stripper's runway in a biker bar in Northeast Minneapolis, on Broadway, in a moonlit lounge in Bora Bora, in Alphabet City when it was a dump, in Alphabet City when it was a richer kind of dump...
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
This cultural historian named Thomas Hine coined the term and wrote a great book on it -- it denotes the era of design immediately post-WWII through to Kennedy's assassination. All this aspiration, movement, sweeping accents from a time when the artists and the designers ruled the roost. Seemed appropriate. The band was Blisster for about six months before the name change.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Things in decay or on the verge of collapse seems to be a running theme; on every record, that threat is omnipresent. I (Rob) write 'em, and, apparently, I'm ... well, let's just say not overly optimistic. At least on record.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Miles, Bowie, Prince, TuneYards
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Socially, in the culture we were raised in, it seemed that THAT was the thing to do -- to be cool and make a loud noise and organize it and secretly try to unearth some of that magic that drew all of us into music. For us, there are so many records and gigs that completely burrowed in deep, and continues to grow. We're still digging in. Or digging out. Both work.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
We just play until we're loose, then we usually pick a bunch of songs we didn't play in rehearsal and do those. Physically, make sure I'm in good voice with some air behind it, and don't eat for minimum three hours before a show. I can never play full; I sound like Krusty the Clown.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
We were playing this great joint in Beaumont Texas, and the entire crowd started singing along to a record we'd JUST released. It was the best. Totally unexpected. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Oh, man. TuneYards, because I love what they do. Willie Nelson, because he's the America that I love (warm, down to earth, apparently slightly inebriated, and full of music with passing chords). Gary Clark, Jr., 'cos he loves music and playing and it's obvious. And then the dream gigs like being on the road with Parliament Funkadelic '75, King Crimson '81, Zeppelin (any).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We love this record. We love the sound of it, and Lady Liberty sounds and feels great live. It's a good time to be us.