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Interpol
May 2003
 Post-punk
powerhouse Interpol is in the Rock Express Spotlight
this week with "Obstacle 1," from their
albumdebut full-length on Matador, "Turn On the
Bright Lights." The roots of New York's Interpol
can be traced back to a partnership between Daniel
Kessler (guitar, vocals) and a fellow New York University
student named Greg Drudy (drums). Kessler struck up
a friendship with another NYU student, Carlos Dengler,
who had previously played guitar and felt like becoming
involved with music for a second time.
He took up the bass and keyboard duties. And by sheer
coincidence, Kessler later bumped into Paul Banks,
a guitarist/vocalist he knew from time spent in France.
With the lineup fleshed out, Interpol became a full-on
band in 1998. After the band's first gigs in early
2000, Greg vacated his position and was replaced by
Sam Fogarino, whom Daniel knew through the record
store where Sam worked.
They started playing frequently, including regular
appearances at clubs in and around New York like Brownies,
Mercury Lounge, and The Bowery Ballroom. Throughout
2000 and 2001 they opened for bands like ...And You
Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Arab Strap and
the Delgados. Then came Interpol's first release at
the end of 2000, in the form of the third installment
of the FukdID EP series on Scottish label Chemikal
Underground. Around the same time, the band also contributed
an unreleased track, "Song Seven," to the
Fierce Panda Records compilation "Clooney Tunes,"
and gained popularity abroad thanks to regular rotation
on London's XFM.
In April 2001 Interpol toured the U.K., capping off
their visit with a radio session for John Peel's BBC
program, and later on in August and November they
visited France with appearances at festivals in St.
Malo and Paris. 2001 also saw a self-released EP from
the band and another compilation appearance on Arena
Rock's set of Brooklyn-area acts, "This Is Next
Year."
Matador signed the band in 2002 and Interpol tucked
themselves away in Connecticut at Tarquin Studios
to record their debut full-length with Pete Katis
(Mercury Rev, Clem Snide) and Gareth Jones (Nick Cave
& the Bad Seeds, Clinic, Depeche Mode). Tarquin
Studios occupies the top floor of a 150-year-old house,
which once served, as a hospital for mentally impaired
children.
"We hadn't had any contact with anyone but ourselves
for a few weeks, so when someone went out to the store
or for a walk, it was like they were venturing out
into the wild," says Dan. "It was authentic
cabin fever."
Interpol will also be featured on a new compilation
album called "YES New York." They will join
the Strokes, Radio 4, the Rapture, and the Yeah Yeah
Yeahs on the disc, benefiting Musicians on Call. The
band will play several shows on the festival circuit
this summer, with stops throughout the U.S. and Europe
and their first-ever dates in Japan, performing at
Summersonic 2003 in Tokyo and Osaka. For details on
tour dates and to watch the Floria Sigismonid-directed
video for "Obstacle 1," visit Interpol's
official site, www.interpolny.com.
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