“Interview”: Hot Chip’s Al Doyle
This past week, Consequence of Sound was able to take part in a roundtable phone interview with Al Doyle of the group Hot Chip. Ironically, an interview with a member of one of the most technological savvy groups did not go as planned, as the recording software didn’t record the interview. This of course effected not only CoS, but many other music journalists as the all mighty direct quote was lost. But with an exciting group like Hot Chip on an anticipated American tour, the fans deserve whatever second hand knowledge they can get.
Al Doyle is one of the, if not the main, instrumentalists for the group. He is able to play almost anything and is also known for his live work with LCD Soundsystem. He had many things to say in his way too short 45-minute interview. Just imagine everything is said more eloquently and with a British accent.
First, Doyle spoke about the differences between working with Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem. He compared the two experiences using a political analogy. Hot Chip is that democracy where each member represents themselves in the different decisions. Whereas, LCD is of course the dictatorship where James Murphy keeps a tight lid on things. This was an interesting little insight into these two pillars of independent dance music.
Next Doyle spoke about the energy of the band and how it plays off of the deadpan lyrics. He and the rest of the group feel that a very energetic and exciting stage show is the only way to really play when the lyrics are so satirical and dependent on humor.
Hot Chip has also come a long way in making its albums closer and closer to its live shows. On Made in the Dark, the group comes very close to reaching the energy and dance-ability of its live shows. If that’s not enough, the band also just released a live EP on ITunes that was recorded in Berlin.
The EP contains four of the bands’ stronger songs, “Over and Over”, “Careful”, “Boy From School”, and “No Fit State” and is a example of what could be heard live. “Over and Over” somehow becomes fresh again. “Careful” is almost unrecognizable from the album cut. “Boy From School” is reinvented as almost a down tempo house track. “No Fit State” has long been one of the band’s best live tracks and its reworking on this EP is the best version of this song anywhere. Four of five stars, hands down.
After a question I was able to ask, Doyle discussed how European crowds are more apt to dance and move around at shows than American audiences. I brought this question up because the unexpected dancing from people in the crowd is one of the highlights of any Hot Chip show, so be sure to not let your country down and dance like a maniac at whichever show you can of theirs you can make it to.
Doyle also spoke about Hot Chip’s history of remixes. He digressed on how remixes were more of an early career job that the band took on and was candid to even say that some the band has done have clearly turned out better than others. But then again, when Hot Chip is reinventing its own songs on a nightly basis, remixes are probably the last thing the group wants to deal with.
Unfortunately at times, there was a lack of an in depth response, due to the nature of the questions, but for the most part, Doyle seemed to enjoy the interview and was the nice witty person you expect all British people to be.
So while the interview was lost, hopefully some of you music fans get a chance to catch Hot Chip in a town near you. They are playing two shows in Chicago and two shows in New York, so be sure to find your favorite or least favorite CoS writers near the front of the stage, where we will be dancing.
Check Out:
“Passin’ Me By” (Hot Chip Remix) by The Pharcyde
“Shake A Fist” (Diplo Remix) by Hot Chip
Hot Chip - “Ready for the Floor”
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