Getting Down With OK Go

Since their breakout success in 2005, OK GO has been one of America’s most creative and memorable bands.  Their DIY videos, most often done in one take, showcase unusual, yet energetic dance moves that make their songs even more irresistible than they already are.  With the release of their new album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, OK GO is back for more and ready to get down.  Tastemakers got the chance to catch up with Damian Kulash, frontman of the band, to chat about recording the album, their upcoming video and expansive world of OK GO.

Katie Price: It’s been almost half a decade since your last album.  What was it like to record again after all that time?  Did you have to dust off your dancing shoes?

Damian Kulash (singer): Wow, half a decade, that makes it sound really dramatic and long.  I can’t tell you how happy we were to get back into the studio and record.  This time around we recorded with Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT, Mercury Rev.) Dave gave us the keys to his wonderfully weird, psychedelic three-dimensional sonic universe.  We went hog wild as they say on The Dukes Of Hazzard and other TV programs that take place in the South.  More so than ever before, we really let the beats and the sounds define the emotions of the songs.  It was great fun, and I’m really happy with the end result.

KP: ‘€œShoot The Moon’€ was included in the Twilight soundtrack.  A lot of tween girls freak out over the series.  What do you guys geek out over?

DK: I geek out over iPhone applications and gadgetry in general- mid century modern Danish furniture, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, playwriting, Flash Gordon, artwork by Claire Rojas and the band Mew.

KP: For the video for ‘€œThis Too Shall Pass’€ you brought in the Notre Dame marching band.  It’s epic.  How did the collaboration come about?  Do you have ties to the Fighting Irish?

DK: My brother did actually go to Notre Dame, but that was in the late 80′€²s, and not the inspiration for the video.  Last year, we saw a YouTube clip of the Notre Dame marching band doing a halftime performance of our song ‘€œHere It Goes Again.’€  They were super awesome, so we asked them if they’d want to do a project together.  That bloomed into the ‘€œThis Too Shall Pass’€ video.  The challenge was to figure out the best way to utilize a 200 person marching band both visually and sonically.  In the end, we did a one take video that starts with just the four of us (OK GO) playing, and then it slowly reveals all 200 of the marching band members.  It was a great time, and I think we got a really good video out of it.

KP: The band recently posted a letter about your frustration with how fans are no longer allowed to embed your YouTube videos. Have you come up with any other ideas about how people can share their OK Go love?

DK: Yes!  Now that labels aren’t really making money on album sales, they’re trying to get what they can for videos.  The Youtube software made to monetize plays doesn’t account for the plays on embedded videos on other sites (i.e blogs and such.) So labels often make their videos unembeddable to get the most out of their YouTube plays.  This makes it difficult to share and pass on videos from their artists, which seems a little backwards.  But I can understand their point of view.  Fans can share the video through sites like Vimeo for the time being.  We are fans of YouTube, and obviously would love to see a deal made where embedded videos can benefit the band, the label, and of course YouTube.  We’ll see what happens.

KP: We hear you’ve been working with NASA for your next video.  What can we expect?  Jet packs?

DK: We are working with Mindshare Labs who are a group of über-nerds from the M.I.T Media Lab program, NASA, jet propulsion labs, etc’€¦  They are a team of highly motivated scientists and artists who are constantly trying to out do one another with super awesome inventions.  They are building a gigantic machine that will both try to dance with and destroy us.  There just might be some launching going on.  You’ll have to wait and see’€¦

KP: Damien has mentioned that Prince is a huge influence for you guys.  Is that where you get your sick dancing skills?

DK: Prince can dance’€¦ We can’t.  He’s definitely a huge influence on us musically.  We strive to make songs as sexy and direct as he does.  There is a lot of Prince influence on our new album.

KP: What can you say about what’s to come in the world of OK GO?

DK: We’re going to be touring and making videos, touring and making videos, touring and making videos.  We’re in Europe now finishing a three-week tour.  We’ll be home in the beginning of February to make the album version of ‘€œThis Too Shall Pass’€ with the nerds from NASA.  Then, we go to Australia, China, and Japan for tour.  In March we come home again for our next video.  In April, we will finally tour the states!

KP: Last question- Team Conan or Team Leno?

DK: We’ve played on both shows.  Jay Leno and Conan have been very good to us.  I will say this though- I am going to massively miss watching Conan O’Brien.  He’s got to be one of the funniest men in America.  I don’t doubt he’ll go on to make things that bring smiles to people’s faces.  We were lucky enough to play on his show before it went off air.  My best wishes to Mr. O’Brien.