The Press Box - Ep. 213: Vampire Weekend's Chris Tomson on Dams of the West, Basketball, and the Future

Episode Date: November 28, 2016

The Ringer's Juliet Litman sits down with Chris Tomson to talk about his new solo project, Dams of the West (2:10), recording in Nashville with Patrick Carney of the Black Keys (9:04), being an artist in today's social media spectrum (13:12), and his new video, "Death Wish" (19:12). Then, Tomson opens up about his Nets fandom (24:39) and the future of Vampire Weekend without Rostam Batmanglij (33:44). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it's Bill Simmons. Today's episode of Channel 33 is brought to you by Seekek, the presenting sponsor for my podcast, as well as the only fan-friendly app for buying and selling tickets for sports and music. With just two taps on your phone, you can instantly buy Seekkeek tickets to an event and you can enter that event just using your phone. No paper tickets. Drop your old ticket app. Use one that's built for 2016. Download the free SeatGeek app or go to Seekgeek.com. To Channel 33, I'm Juliet Litman. This is a special podcast. I'm joined in the Earwolf, New York

studio with Chris Thompson. Welcome. Hello, thank you for having me. Can I call you CT? You can. Do people call you that? Yes, a lot of people do. Actually, that's one of the many ways that Vampire Weekend has infiltrated my real life, I suppose, is that was not a nickname previous to Vampire Weeker. Really? But it's sort of that became like my stage name, if you Well, we tried Christopher at first to differentiate myself and Chris Bayer. Right. But that didn't really stick because I'm not really a Christopher. So CT stuck.

And yeah, a lot of people, a lot of my good friends call me out now it's all good. It might as well have been forever. So you were the drummer in Vampire Weekend. I continue to be the drummer. You are the drummer in Vampire Weekend. We'll come back to that later. So great, I'm going to call you CT. That's how I know you.

What are your parents call you? Chris, my little boy. Got it. Okay, great. So when you go home for Thanksgiving, I'll be like, hey, Chris. With my little boy stuff is more Christmas. It's generally Chris at Thanksgiving.

It's more of the, yeah. Being a Chris at Christmas, I've never thought about that before. I enjoyed that in, like, very lower elementary school, but it's sort of. And also my last name is T, and I used to write my name. I didn't space it outright, so it looked like I wrote Christ on a lot of, like, second and third grade papers. That's incredible. Endless hilarity. Endless.

Really anointing yourself to. I didn't know. It wasn't on purpose, but, yeah. Or maybe it was subconscious, who knows. And so we're reading this podcast today because you have a new project called Dance with the West. And your album is called Youngish American. And, yeah, I want to talk to you about that. And we'll talk about some hoops.

And, you know, just get into it. So let's start with your record, which I enjoyed very much. Thank you. We'll just do some of the basic questions at front. Where do the idea of Dam's the West come from? Well, it sort of started actually when I got back from the last vampire. after the modern vampire sort of touring stuff, for various reasons,

which I'm sure we'll get into later, that we knew we were going to have a lot of time off in the years range. Right. So sort of got back from that. I had recently gotten married and sort of for the first time my adult life didn't have anything

that I had to do or was supposed to do. So I sort of sat down. We'll probably watch sports for a month or two to not think about it, but all the while, sort of not, that not being the best coping mechanism. Sure.

What month was it? Oh, holiday. It was actually around now. Got back around now. Like in December, January, sort of, you know, NFL, playoffs. Just wondering what's what you're watching. Premier League basketball, yeah, you know, the whole bit.

What's your club? Tottenham. Got it. I don't know anything about soccer, but I know the questions to ask. Okay. I know to say, like, what's your club? And then like, who's your favorite player, like,

et cetera, et cetera. So Tottenham, great. Glad we got that out of the way. But in any case, that is a winning strategy, but only for a certain amount of time. So, yes, the big thing was I had my childhood piano moved. I paid to have it moved from my parents' house in New Jersey to my place in Brooklyn. And then proceeded to sit there blankly for two more months, probably, of thinking, you should do some music, that's what you like, that's what you're good at. But nothing really came.

And then eventually sort of got a foothold and stuff started coming. you know, eventually I thought I had enough for record and then stuff went from there. But that's sort of the intro was as an early 30s dude with no idea what to do with himself. As a youngish American. Yes. Interesting. So I didn't realize you played the piano. Was that like something you did your whole childhood?

No, I actually never took lessons. Oh, cool. I taught myself how to play the entertainer once when I was like 12. But it's very rudimentary. one hand at a time, three fingers. You know, it's not really like Debussy or something. But I know how the notes relate to other notes and the piano being sort of the basic tool of that.

Did you ever study music at any, like formally? Yeah, yeah. I studied in high school and then one, I double majored in college, one of which was music. Got it. And actually I met Rostom from Vampire Weekend on the first class, the first day I of class at college, which was a theory, a music theory class.

Oh, that's a great story. So for the writing for this, did it begin with you sitting at the piano or did it begin with lyrics? Like, where did the process start? Well, I hadn't really, I'd contributed to Vampire Weekend, but hadn't really done heavy lifting

for any of those songs. So I hadn't really written like a full song start to finish since the Christmas song I wrote, as a senior, as a senior, at a 22-year-old, senior in college. Thank you very much for giving this an overt holiday theme. No problem. It's very useful. That song might see the latter day at some point. It's called, yeah, yeah, it's Christmas. Cool. For your Christmas album. Yeah, exactly. So I don't know, I guess that,

the process, also a lot of which was sort of the, how big the band felt as a force in my life, as like a concept in the world and sort of trying to work out, what do I have to say? What is worthwhile? for me to say and to put out there that Vampire Weekend didn't cover or won't cover or, you know, just because I wanted to be very sure that because of the access I had or the history I had that I could put out a turd and someone would probably want to put it out.

But that, it felt very important to me for the legacy of myself and also the idea of the band to not really like trade on it for crap. Right. Was to feel like something was worthwhile. And it took a while to figure out what that was, but I feel like I eventually got there. Sure, sure.

Which was, I wasn't asking you, so there's 10 tracks. From start to finish, like how long does it take you to knock those out? The writing? Yeah. Well, probably the bulk of what bulk was from like April, April 2K-15 to late June, 2K-15 with some obvious, you know, tweaks up until the end. But yeah, actually the first song, that I really got through was pretty good Wi-Fi,

which is not everyone's favorite. But I don't know, there was something, I don't know, that I think, and the trick, or not the trick, but the thing that sort of allowed me to sort of unself-consciously sing and try to write words, which I had been getting hung up on, was to just really distort my voice in the program I was singing into, so it didn't feel like it was me singing. And somehow that sort of loosened up something or other,

that where it was able to like not, you get over some self-consciousness and just sort of like try to get to the... Sorry, I was just pulling over the talk to this year. But yeah, I think that that, I didn't need that as much as it went on, but that as sort of a first step, that was very helpful in sort of, yeah, turning off my natural self-criticism.

Sure. Yeah, so did you have to, in addition to doing that, like how much did you have to psych yourself up to do vocals versus just like, you know, other instruments? Well, yeah, the other instruments. all the other instance, I feel not necessarily like I can shred on anything, but I'm very competent and I feel very confident in my competence.

Sure. But, yeah, I mean, the vocals, and that was a lot later when I was recording in Nashville, but the vocal parts were sort of the hardest parts. But, you know, now that I've done some live stuff, I feel like this is going sort of out of order, but now that I've done some live stuff, it's sort of

again, as the more you do it you sort of learn to just it is what it is. It's kind of an activity that you do and you know, you do the best you can you have a natural skill set and you are able to do certain things to work on getting it better but yeah, I would for sure, I mean the singing during the recording sessions was I was in like a dank dark corner

where I could not see any other human faces which was helpful to me. Nice. Interesting you were in Nashville. Had you record records there before? No. All, with the exception of one song in Mexico City, most Vampire Week and stuff was done in New York or Los Angeles, as is, I guess, sort of general. But I was in Nashville because Patrick Carney from the Black Keys produced it, and I sort of sent him some demos, and he was into it,

and he lives in Nashville. So I got a couple weeks, you want to come down? So that's why I work there. How was working with him in the studio? It was great. He, I think we didn't have to have a lot of conversations because we're both drummer bros. Right. So we could kind of like do a little nod, a little wink and like, all right, yeah, I know what you mean. And he's a very sweet guy.

He's very open. And he, yeah, I really, I sort of, I was pumped when I arrived and was even more excited when I left. I think I've told him this to his face. This isn't a big. I couldn't have asked for him more. a better person to work with who like I think had confidence in areas which I wasn't sure about and had ideas in which in ways that I probably wasn't sure about myself

had you officially worked with him in any capacity before no I probably had a drink with him at a party once but that I don't know if you consider that working it could be who know I mean maybe it was if it brought you this relationship when I saw that he worked on the record I thought of that Colbert sketch from like five or six years ago Oh true true I was I was in the audience but I was not

I did not participate. Yeah, I remember. It was him, right? It was both of the black keys. Oh, right. Yeah. It's him and Dan, right? And Ezra.

Right. In the, whatever, the sink off. I forget exactly what they call it. Yeah, it was like, yeah. Your competing commercials, basically. Or not your commercials, but. Right. The commercials are your song soundtracked, yeah.

No, I mean, and I think that that also, from the lyrics, but then also in person, I think he, you know, Pat has a very good sense of humor, as do I. So I think that we both, yeah, we were, we started. from similar footing as even without knowing each other very well. Right, right. How was going to the studio, like on a solo project versus having, you know, a band with your, your kind of like formal band with you? Again, I feel like I keep repeating this in different ways, but the first day was super weird.

And then the next day was kind of weird. And then by the third day was sort of standard or just was what I was doing. So, yeah, I mean, but, you know, Vampire Weekend. And I have not been present at every single recording session. but we've never really like set up four dudes in a room like ripping out takes. It's always been very constructed and like, you know, maybe Rosson will have a drum part and I'll play it. And then, you know, as we'll sing, you know,

sort of it builds up in a way that my record ended up coming together. So it felt similar in that way, even if it was just me doing it. Right. Right. The same kind of like pieces going together. I'm interested that you've heard that you've heard negative feedback on one of your tracks. Who's like who in your life is giving you that feedback? Both my parents and my wife's parents. Really?

I think because there's, I think it's, I don't think it's very, it's a very high content, but there's a little bit of agro-ness in that particular song, pretty good Wi-Fi, that especially turns off my mother. Interesting. You know, she likes the more positive uplifting stuff. Not that there's much of that anyways. But, yeah, yeah, all four of those adults have said that that's not their favorite. Wow, that's kind of bold to come out of the game, be like, well, I don't like this one that much.

That's cool. I mean, I think I try to cultivate an air of honesty. So if you don't like something, feel free to tell me. I won't take it personally. And also, I mean, this is different in so far as it's my first album. Right. But I think having been in the game for like almost a decade now, that there's a pretty high wall between the, like sort of the music and the art,

if you will, and like my personal sense of self. So, like, it really, it truly does not bother me if people don't like something that I've done. I hope they do, certainly. But if they don't, it's okay. How much do you read about your work, like, like, critics and just, like, think pieces and features and whatnot? Um, I mean, you're, I can't speak universally, but I read everything at the beginning. Yeah, no, I mean specifically you. You sort of read everything at the beginning and it's a little, I mean, 2007 was a very different world, I

in terms of like the ways in which people could comment and the yeah and like the social media tools wherein you could but so it was a little more like contained and there was like you know four things you could read and you read them and you would see the comments and stuff but as time goes on yeah I mean you I think and the more you read about the more you see that people will interpret things in different ways or like things or not like things and the important part is if you know the intent was you know truthful and what to whatever degree you wanted it to be and you know where you came from that you know as long as people aren't you know are misconstruing a song that I or we did to like being like you know like a neo-Nazi anthem or

something other than that like interpret it you know like something very extreme that feels like you would want to comment on but people don't like it people don't like should I'll curse oh yeah sure I curse a lot. Okay, sorry, I wasn't. It's great. Go for it. If people don't like shit, it's like, who cares? I mean, you know, there's enough stuff in the world that I hope you, I hope that

that person has something that they do. If it's not the thing that I've worked on, so be it. Right, right, right. Did you, like, do you feel like you have to, like, how much do you, like, actually like to engage, like on social or with even, like, in live performances? Like you said, it is a really different world than 2007. Yeah. I mean, I think of all four Vampire Weekend members,

I probably am the least skilled at social media. And probably, I mean, it depends on the question. Like, if there's a question that seems like interesting and like thought out or like expresses a real point of view, that's more interesting than just like, when's that I'm coming out? You know? Sure. Which is a very legitimate question, but not necessarily, that's not necessarily the form. him to address that on.

Also, not really your job to answer it, probably. True. So, yeah, I mean, it's, I don't mind shopping it up with, I mean, I have done a couple, like, you know, like, got any questions, like, got any questions for me. That's very fun. But I also find myself gravitating towards the non-musical questions. Right, right. Do you feel lucky that you kind of came, like, that you first came into the music business

a little bit earlier before Twitter had completely taken its own? That's a little bit of a leading question, but I'm just kind of. curious, like, how you've seen the shift? I mean, a bit. I mean, I think that, oh, I mean, there was definitely people, I think the main difference I would say is that the opinions weren't as diffuse. So there were probably the same amount of people that thought we were total shit, and that that would have been on Twitter and the same amount of people that would have liked us.

It's just that because they were commenting, like, in, like, StereoGum, say, or Brooklyn vegan or something that like it was you know like but the article had its content that's probably what more people read that that probably feels a different than sort of getting all of this sensory information of everyone's feelings yeah like more context also for but it felt like we were I mean we were definitely a band of the internet age yeah both in content and presentation so the fact that Twitter wasn't there I mean or Instagram or something like you know wasn't quite as present for sure yeah I mean I think we We were, oh, and I don't know what corporate parent, MySpace has at this point.

It's Justin Timberlick. He bought, he bought Myspace. No, he really did, though. He owns it. I'm not joking. Okay, well, if it's coming back, I'd love to be a part of it. But I felt like we were, we were like, I don't know, felt like the end of a, like, the last Myspace fan.

Sure. Yeah, it's true. It's true. You used to be able to like, I remember I watched Survivor in 2007, and like you could, you could, like, who didn't? Yeah. I still watch it. You could really, you could really access people in a different way.

Because it was like more, in some ways it was like, you know, you can really curate who you are online. And I actually am kind of curious in sort of like if there's like a persona for Damns of the West. Because I noticed that the Twitter bio was very funny about a tennis player. What was it? Let me. Bad boy British tennis. And I was like, that's very funny and very specific. But also like sort of, you know.

I forgot I had that. Yeah, no. That's not bad. No, I think that's funny. It reminds me of a character that could have been that Royal Tenenbaum. Sure. Playing against Richie Tenenbaum.

Anyway, but yeah, it's just a different era. Well, I think, I mean, I think for me, social media is fun and interesting. It's not, I think, long ago, it's sort of divorced from what I think it is for most people as a way to, like, more or less, I mean, the last few months being something of a, maybe the start of a different era, but more or less. communicating with people you know. Yeah. And like sharing with actual friends.

Yeah. Where, you know, I, I sort of stopped using my personal Facebook in like 2009 because it was like one of my, is this like a professional thing? Is this a personal thing? Like that sort of line is weird for me because, you know, I feel like a healthy, healthy majority of the people that follow me on anything are not people I know. Right. So I'm probably more aware of like, I'm doing air quote CT. Sure. And what he means and what he would say, as opposed to what, like, Chris would say it's his friends.

Right, right, right. Which are highly connected, I will say, but are not necessarily always the same thing. Sure, that makes sense. Well, let's talk about the Death Bush video, because I think that actually really connects here. Okay. In that it's quite analog. Yeah. And, but I think that, like, your music in general really grapples kind of with, like, these Internet questions and sort of, like, bigger stuff.

So, first of all, I noticed that the font was very similar to the Woody Allen font, and I was wondering if that was intentional. I think it might be the same, but no, actually there's a buddy of mine who I went to college with and was actually in a band with. Okay. We were called The Midnight Hours. Chris Beow was also in the band. His name is Michael Harper.

Okay. And he's sort of gone on to do like web design stuff. And so I just emailed him and asked him, you know, dude, what are some cool fonts? Because I don't really know. And also sort of, especially with Vampire Weaking being so heavily Futura that that was sort of off the table. Heavily Futura, but also then heavily cursive with modern vampires. True, yes. But I think that there's a certain vibe that has been consistent.

And so, and I don't know anything about fonts. So I asked my font concierge, Michael. I would love to have a font concierge. And I said, hey, what are some cool fonts? And he wrote back a very thoughtful. I sent him the album and said like, you know, any thoughts? And he wrote back and had a couple ideas. And essentially just like, oh, cool, thanks, dude.

And use the ones he suggested. That's great. Well, I really liked it. And I was like, oh, Woody Allen, cool. I think that's true, but I didn't make that connection right away. It was just one that he had suggested. But I, yeah, but I think that is true. Not that I knew it at the time.

Got it. I'm a font geek, which I guess I just revealed. But I still would love to have a concierge. like open my mind to more fonts. So maybe you can connect me with your friends. Absolutely. So you starred in this video and you are doing multiple things, including like cutting carrots.

Is it filmed in your own home? No, it's filmed in my friend's apartment. I see. Who I think mainly because he's a, my friend Brian is a very stylish guy and a designing guy. Oh, cool. So my place is very cluttered. And his is very like spare and sparse and like,

cool looking in a way that my place is not. So he we asked, hey, you're going to work next Tuesday. Can we come and film in your apartment? He said, no problem. Oh, that's so lovely of him. What a sweet guy. Thank you, Brian. Thanks, Brian. Your wife directed it. Yes. Was that your first time collaborating on a project together? In a formal capacity? In a public facing way, yes. Okay. I mean, I think that she, she's in many ways a co-author. as I potentially am for her. I don't want to speak for her. But in the first,

we are the first hero of each other's ideas. And she, this, it was sort of her idea for something like this that was more like longer shots, like a little bit more prosaic sort of thing. And I thought it was a cool idea.

And her friend Mack shot it. And yeah, yeah, yeah. But this is our first, yeah, like sort of formal co-lab. They kind of the crux of the, of the song is, um, I just want to fix the fixable things. Yeah. And, um, among sort of like bigger problems, I guess. And I, it was sort of like a, it was like, I think the video sort of pairs down there

then, like in the same way those lyrics do. Yeah. Like kind of like, well, what can we, what, what can be attacked here? Um, and I'm just sort of curious, like, how did you come up with there's sort of like a few different, uh, specific vignettes? Like, how did you come up with each of those? Well, I think the general idea was sort of the, uh, And again, I don't have to speak for my wife.

Don't want to mansplain for her. I don't know if you heard, but identity politics are over, so don't worry about it. Oh, is that true? Yeah, that's what I heard now. Trump is the president. Oh, cool. Yeah, you're free. All right.

Well, then what my wife meant to do, very specifically. No, I think the idea was, yeah, just sort of like these domestic things and chores, which more or less everyone does or someone does. Chopping carrots, mopping with a swiffer. Actually, that was my one true innovation was It was going to be a mop And I said, wait, what about a Swiffer? Swiffer is a great invention

That was my big contribution And I don't know, I guess like Part of the whole thing I think the songs and the lyrics And the presentation like This is one of the thoughts early on that sort of gave me a window Like, oh, this is this sort of feels like

Not too trafficked of an area was, I don't think I'm that cool or like, I can't really dance that well. And like all these sort of the general like music presentation stuff that instead of like trying to do that and being like half half acid or like bad at it that just like lean into the lean into the non that I guess. That was a terrible way of saying that. But so I think Emily picked up on that and her her idea of just sort of doing these chores that have nothing to do with the, you know, the music you. make or that sort of thing was just I thought that was a cool idea of very long shots um and obviously of course everyone does everyone does their their household chores in a richard jefferson jersey so that was that was the one universal thing uh okay let's talk about basketball because you just brought

richard jefferson i did notice you were wearing an r j jersey yep uh is that your favorite net of all time of course he's not currently on the team not necessarily but he that he's part of my all-time favorite Nets teams, obviously. Sure. The glory days. When they were good. I have a Carrie Kettle's jersey in case you're ordering. Oh, okay.

So do I. Yeah. I have the old blue, like the original blue. Blue. It's not original, but, you know. Before the redesign. And then also various, this is since their move to Brooklyn, which I can't really hate on because I did,

and I understand the branding implications of that. But I think it's important to me to wear the New Jersey stuff. That means more to me that that was what, One of the big draws was not, you know, was New Jersey, and this is only like half true, but like, you know, people in New Jersey, you sort of feel like in the shadow of New York, to some degree in the shadow of Philly. You're sort of, you know, like the suburban state, people sort of shit on it. You know, America's armpit and all that.

I've heard those jokes. You know, that seeing this, like, team, especially a team that was, like, doing very well. And actually, I have a very distinct memory of, I think the first time when they won the Eastern Conference finals, and be on T&T, obviously. Of course. Best show on television. Kenny going, the New Jersey Nets,

going to the finals. He was so flabbergasting to him that this was a thing that was happening. That sort of instilled a pride that really dug deep and I think still remains, even despite the move and all that. Interesting.

If you do look back at those teams, it's kind of like, God, Jason Kidd is really good that he got this team for the finals. Oh, come on, but Canyon. Oh, yeah. Cannon Martin was really good also. I mean, he had, like, you know.

Todd McCullough. I mean, Jason Kidd is one of the best point guards at all time. And it's quite a good coach, regardless of how you feel about him. Do you have some animosity towards him for the way he left Brooklyn? It seems like he'd just sort of power grab too soon. Yeah. I bet if you'd waited a year, he probably could have gotten everything he wanted. This team could be yours.

I mean, I was into the full circleness and, like, sort of the narrative of him, like, coming back and whatever. But, you know, it'll still be it. I mean, it's a business. It's not a big deal. Sure. It's a very professional stance on it, very unemotional. Do you have season tickets to the nets? I do not.

Mainly because of travel stuff. Like, I don't, if I was home all that, knew I was home all the time, I would probably buy, maybe like a half-season package, maybe not a full season tickets. Got it. But maybe a nice 10-game thing. But I do, but I live close to Barclays, and it's like a 10-minute bus ride. So I do go when I'm. home and just, you know, I step up it up.

Quite a nice place to take it in that game. I agree. It's like a very, like, it's very, like, clean. I mean, it's very new, so it is cool. It's very cool. Are you paying close attention to the team this year? As close as I would in the first month of the season. I've watched a few games, went to one.

Who did you see? I saw that they lost, they played well, but they lost to the, to Charlotte. Oh, yeah. Well, Charlotte's quite good. Yeah. I mean, it was fantastic seeing Brooke Lopez. Brooklyn has knocked down some three is running back with his arm extended.

Are you aware of the Lopez Brothers affinity for Disneyland? I know of Brooks general sort of comic stuff. Yeah, he's a real comic nerd. It's cool. But I don't know the Disneyland specific. They also love Disneyland. That makes sense. He seems like a big kid.

Does it make sense? I guess they are from California, right? Yeah. California. I think they are too. Californians love Disneyland. It's kind of weird. I don't really get it as someone who hates it.

But, you know, that's okay. Do you, like, circle when, you know, visiting teams are coming, like, who you want to see? A bit. I mean, it's really, I mean, in games of game. I mean, it's cool. I think it's cool when, like, you know, the Warriors in town or whatever. But I also like to see them win. So if you go to see them play the Warriors, it's a little.

Yeah, certainly going to lose. My odds aren't in my favor, our favor. It's a team effort, me and the team. You're on the team, basically. But it's really just like, if often I buy the tickets that afternoon, it's like, oh, I don't know anything to do tonight. Run it by Mission Control. Yo, can I go to the game tonight?

Okay. Buy the step up and roll. Perfect. Yeah. Do you see the Warriors as villains? A little bit. I mean, there was, and I don't know, I think that my, I don't have any right to talk about, like, NBA players' lives. I don't know what they go through.

And this is part of the reason that I think sports retained some capital R romanticism for me is because I don't really know what goes on behind the scenes or like I haven't really seen that sausage get made. In terms of, I don't think KD's a villain. I think KD made a decision that he thought would be. benefit himself and, you know, Godspeed. I think, I can see Draymond Green being probably a great teammate, but an incredibly annoying person to play

when he's not on your team. Sure. And I don't know, I mean, like, Steph Curry is incredible, Clay Thompson's, like. Clay's my guy. If, uh, I mean, they're annoying because they're good. Right.

But I, I mean, villains is like, villains insofar as like you want to see some like universal parody and like other, not the same team win all the time. But in terms of, I mean, I guess Draymond is the most villainous, because you know he meant to kick.

Oh my God, definitely. That was obviously intentional. Stephen Adams. Yeah. Yeah, completely. And then LeBron, too. But although I did like his, I think it was, I forget if it was the same game, but it was

that same series. And I think he was talking to Adams when he just goes, you a bitch. I thought that was very fun. I thought that was very fun. Direct trash talk is the best kind of trash talk. Especially when the, because they, The cameras only catch it.

And I feel like if they know something actual, actually emotions going on, they generally cut away because they don't want the kids to be offended. Sure. I mean, the NBA are experts at marketing. Like, just incredible. And, I mean, it's just worked on me. I love the NBA.

Yeah. But they also do things. Like, they're a progressive league that you can feel proud of. Like, be proud of, like, being a part of the fan. Totally. Yeah. I agree. I mean, it seems like that the, like, the CBA thing is going to be much different

than last time. And, like, you know, I think that they're on, that seems that they have a good balance between, you know, capital and labor, which is not true in every industry. Yeah. But, no, but, yeah, just that very specifically, I thought was just like you a bit. I just thought that was very, and felt like, oh, that's probably like what goes on in the court all the time, but, you know, you don't see it.

For sure. Yeah, I think, I think KD's, like, can drop a good, like, line. Yeah. It seemed like when the Warriors and the Thunder played, like, a few weeks ago, he was at, I did watch that game. He was talking to Canter. Okay. Yes, yeah, I did.

I mean, although it, that's a tough get. I mean, maybe Canter's being a good team man just trying to like, but it is hard from the bench to talk to. But, yeah, you know. And his Canner is, I like him, he's a character. I just noticed you were wearing Stance Celtic socks. No, Celtics, no way. Oh, sorry.

Oh, there's Stance. Shaq socks. Well, Shaq and Penny. Magic. Yeah. These are the, wow, that's great. You like that team? Yeah, I would say that this is sort of the,

one of the dirtiest secrets of my past is that my first team that I liked was the magic. Oh, wow. I was not a lifelong Nets fan. You like that star power. Well, I just had, I felt a very kindred spirit with Shaquille O'Neal. Really? I was I'm sure a lot of kids did because we shared a birthday. What is that birthday?

March 6th. Wow. He was born 10 years before me, also in New Jersey. He was? I didn't know that. I think he was born in Newark. Oh, cool. At least that's what the back of my Sports Illustrated for Kids poster said.

Oh, my goodness. And then, you know, he was just such an exciting player. Yeah, I mean, he would, like, change basketball. That, like, that sort of drew me in, and I, like, really rooted for those teams. And I was very bummed and they lost the Rockets. And then sort of like, and then when that team broke up, then I, then I, I do feel like every child has one free pass of liking a star. And then, you know, coming home. Yeah, I mean, I was Kobe Bryant.

I was really, like, just in middle school. I know. It was tough. Well, he took Brandi to the prom. Okay, okay. And that really won me over. Things got, went south a few years later. Right.

But he also just, like, had so much swagger on the court. it was hard to deny it. Okay, it's time to talk about. Like when they swept my nets. Yeah, exactly. It all comes full circle. Well, I was a Nets fan then. Very similar to now.

I really like Clay Thompson, but like can't root for the Warriors. Like, I just can't stand them. But like when the Warriors are playing someone, I like want Clay to have a good game and for them to lose. So very similarly, I was like, I want the Nets to win and for Kobe to be great. So I got one of those things. One of those things worked out. Okay.

Let's backtrack and talk a little bit about Vampire Weekend, of which you are still the drummer. Yes. Sorry about that past parts of the wall. No, it's okay. Fast tense. So you mentioned earlier that after the tour for Modern Vampires in the city, you knew you'd have a lot of time off.

Yeah. So did you have like a planned break after that or? Yeah, well, I think as bands, if, you know, you're lucky and we were lucky enough to sort of to grow and have an audience that like, that you understand and treasure the time between albums, I think, is that between the, finishing the touring of the first one and going, you know, starting work

on the second one was like a two week, two week break. I remember reading something about your tour schedule. I can't remember if it was the first or second album that you were on tour for like almost two consecutive years. The second, the second, the first two albums ran together very, very seamlessly. So we took probably like a six month

break after the second one. But again, that I don't think speaking for myself, I don't think maybe I'd be physically capable of doing that at this now. at being a brittle old 32 year old. But at the time it was very exciting and it felt very vital that like,

well, you know, people are interested in this. We have this opportunity. Like, let's, you know, let's fucking go. And then I think once you sort of, the second album came and we didn't like completely drop off the face of the earth, and it felt like, okay, like we can take our time with this and try to balance out time in front of people with time, not in front of people and that sort of stuff.

So we had a little break after the, after the second one. And then I think after the third one, we just knew that it was going to be a longer break in general. And yeah, and I'll let you ask some more questions, I guess, because I'm sure. When did you know that Rossum wanted to leave the band? Well, we knew he wasn't a huge fan of touring for a while.

I think he really, really, really, really enjoys and is very, very good at, like the studio stuff and the writing and writing with different people and sort of the act of creation in that way. And so, you know, but that was just sort of, you know, that was a thing, but we toured and we did what we had to do. And I think I cannot speak for him, but I was told, he told me, I'm not like, he told me that he sort of knew, like, like, we, he sort of knew he wanted to, like, take, a step back and sort of not be part of the tour the touring stuff like a couple months before like

the last shows that I was talking about. So we had like a we had like a few shows where like for me internally it was like weird like whoa like this is very weird like I'm seeing him to my right but you know that might not be the case and whenever we come back and all that stuff. So yeah so I knew before the last few shows but I think as it should it played out as it should have which it's you know, sort of his decision to announce and his, his terms to have it on. Sure. Was there, like, a shift between, like, you knowing he wasn't interested in touring and, like, then, like, his kind of, like, formal announcement, like, something changed in that,

in that period? Because it was, like, kind of a while, I think. Wasn't it, like, between the ending of tour, end of tour and then when he, like, post that Instagram, I think? Yes. Not, that's a question for him. I don't know. I mean, I, he told me his intentions and, you know, after, you know, after, you

know, after the shows, my wife and I went on, like, a long vacation, and he lives in Los Angeles, I live here, and we would see each other every once in a while. But I don't know, like, why he chose it out to that specific day. Got it. But, you know, that's, it's his choice. And I was happy for him when I, because I think he, he had already made the decision a while ago, and I think he, you know, he just wanted it to be known. So he just, he made it know. Got it. Well, there wasn't, like, a formal, like, sit down.

of any kind. No, no. I mean, we've always been in the good times and slightly bad times. You know, I think very communicative

and I think even when we disagree in whatever, whatever opposition and, you know, whatever ways we disagree with or on what we disagreed about, I feel like we've been a very, the communication has always been very open

and I think there's been next to no, yelling, even in the most disagreed of times. So, you know, yeah, he told me and then, you know, and I, again, that isn't a decision that I wanted to make or that I would have wanted to make, but I don't have Rostom's life. So he made that for the reasons he wanted to make it. And yeah, I mean, I'm happy for him. I think he, you know, I think he's doing what he wants to do, which is, which is work with people, collaborate with people, like, you know, the album with Hamilton and other songs and stuff. So yeah, I think I'm happy for him. Cool. So then after he makes that announcement, what do you and Ezra and Beio do? Like, what's like the next steps for you guys as the band?

Well, I think, you know, the first steps of the album are pretty similar where... Is that happening already? Yeah, work is definitely being done. That's great news for me. Which is, I'm sorry, it's not exclusive to The Ringer podcast, has been said before, but it is true. remains true. Yeah, but, you know, I think a lot from the start, you know, like the true seeds for everything comes from Azores. So, you know, so I think he's been doing a lot of thinking and writing. And, you know, there was some label stuff that we had to figure out.

But, but yeah, yeah, I mean, I know that he's excited. I think we're all excited. I think there's definitely a lot of work to be done. Sure. which is also true. Work has been done, but there's a lot to do. But yeah, I mean, I think we're all excited. And speaking for me personally,

the more I'm away from Vampire Reekin or sort of not specifically part of that infrastructure, that the more like somehow like secularly sacred, it seems. Sure. Of like, holy shit, this is, this is something that is very rare. Yeah. And it's something that, you know, whether it's time off,

whether it's working in a different way that we have in the past, whatever it is, that, you know, I want to give it as much chance to succeed in the long term as possible. And if that means either stepping up or stepping back or whatever it means for me, just because I think what we've done so far and I think what we can do in the future, I think I'm really excited about both of those. so yeah so I don't there is no no timetable to give on on the next record and and but also I should say that the dams of the west thing is is very much is part of that sort of I think healthy healthy lifestyle

which is you know like I think for all of us and to me it doesn't feel like a side project it just feels like a project sure that I I have a lot of confidence in, and I think will serve me and well, and I hope people enjoy it. I will do all the work I can to get it in front of people and expect nothing because I've been in a successful band. That means nothing. Right.

But, you know, and I think Baye doing his thing. Yeah. And, you know, I think Ezra has done some things too. Time crisis. Time crisis. There's some other stuff which will probably, which he will address. But, but, you know, I think that part of respecting Vampire Weekend is giving a room to breathe and sort of not suffocating it. Right.

And I think all of these things for us make, I think, are successful in their own terms, but then also make Vampire Weekends, you know, give that more of a chance to be good. Mm-hmm. Do you have an interest in, like, mixing up, like, what you, like, what your, like, musical role in the band is? Sure. Well, I think, you know, I think in a lot of ways it's a little bit 2.0. Just with, I don't know, maybe like 1.3. Maybe not totally 2.0. I don't know.

Just, yeah, I mean, I think, you know, like I've, like, I'm interested. And I think it's true that we've never, even though I, you know, I play the drums, like Rossim wrote a lot of the drum parts. Right. or, you know, I think that we've never, I think the idea has never been to be like Led Zeppelin or something where like, I'm slapping the tubs, Bayo's rocking the bass. You know, like that that's what we do live and I think those are instruments and I think that that works in that context. But I also don't think that any of us feel the need to like be totally defined and like,

that's all like you can do. Right. I think if the idea is good, it's good. And it'll sort of like, you know, it'll rise the top and, do what it does. So yeah, I think that that's always sort of in the case.

And I think, yeah, doing the dams of the West stuff has widened my perspective on what that means and like the idea of input and the idea of like being part of a whole as a part of,

as opposed to just being like a person. Sure. So yeah, yeah. I mean, I think, I hope that my role in Vampireican will be never totally settled, whatever that means. Right.

Will Rostom work on any songs with you guys for the new album? You know, I'm not sure, actually. I think that that's a question for Asin Rostom. That is what I've been told. But, you know, the world changes. Sure, certainly does. By the way, I love the drums on Tell the Truth. That was those were...

Oh, thank you. Yeah, they were like set the beat and everything. They were great. Well, it's funny, actually, a lot of the drum beats on this record because I was right. writing all this and like in like my basement, my New York place, like there are walls shared with people. Right.

That it's not really conducive to just whiling out on a drum set. I think that's actually a terrible idea as a neighbor. You're very respectful. Well, I mean, they're my neighbor. Yeah. Can't get away from them. Yeah. I mean, you hope to be friends with.

I have a real feud with my neighbor in LA. I'm sorry to hear it. It's okay. It's tough. Neighbor relations. Yeah. I hope, and I'm very friendly with one of my neighbor. My other neighbor is just sort of taking a pass, but still not trying to actively

press them off. But yeah, so while it out on a drum set is not necessarily a great idea. So that was actually written on like a keyboard. Really? On a really crappy sounding mini drums. And that's, I think actually it works and I added stuff when I sort of sat down, but that's what it's very like steady because it was one or two fingers like hitting a keyboard drum set.

Sure. Well, it worked for me. One more Vampire Weekend question. What do you guys think about having a new member of the band? Who knows? I don't know. I mean, I think if Ezra and we work with someone and it feels great, who knows, I don't think there's any, like, abiding need to do that. Also, I think that's, I don't know, that seems like sort of disingenuous to, like, just put a new person in where he's, where we're all. Austin stood and like, we're still here, we're still good.

Like, you know, I think, I think it's like sort of it's going to be a different thing, so it's going to be a different thing. And what that means, I don't know. I think we're still figuring that out. But I don't, I would be surprised if there was like a one-for-one replacement. Right, right. I mean, it's also like seems like a testament to like what Rostom does as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think, absolutely. Thanks for setting me up on that. Yeah, I don't think any, I don't think it would be, it would be whack if we just had one person like playing his parts. Probably not as well. Right. Or like without, you know, Rostom's energy and style. So, yeah, so I think that we probably, I think replacing as one for one is not a strong idea. Sure.

So I doubt we would do that. It seems like probably the hardest thing will be you will no longer have like a brother in Jersey arms on stage with you. Because I feel like you and Rostom were the Jersey dudes. Ezzer's the Jersey dude. He is? Yeah. Rossum is. Doesn't he wear that potom?

No, like wearing jerseys. Oh, excuse me. I think he meant new jersey. See, that's where confusion runs on. Yes, he wears his Potomac, his Potomac, his Potomac lacrosse. Although, Ezra's been getting more sporty.

Really? And he's, he's been wearing, he's wearing some Premier League stuff. Wow. Although I think. With you on the Spurs? No, I think he's more into like, I think actually this is a direct quote

potentially from Twitter. He's more into aesthetics than athletics. Stay away from Liverpool then. I hate those hot yellow kits. Well, I think all third kits are kind of terrible. Yeah, I stumbled upon a Liverpool match, and I was like, what are these awful jerseys? And then my...

They should be red. Yeah, my soccer friends inform me that they're the third alternate and really just for marketing. Which, to be fair, feels very similar to the NBA, like, sleeve jerseys. It's just, like, another thing to sell. Oh, yeah. I mean, the sleeve jerseys are ridiculous, particularly when your biggest star is, like, very much on record is hating them. LeBron has a real problem with his sleeves. But we'll see.

You know, I mean, I think I probably retain the... undisputed championship of liking sports the most. That's cool. Which was true with Rosam in the band and remains true with him out of the band. That's great. So I would be surprised, but hey, you never know. Who knows the future for you or for Vampire Weekend? Thanks so much for coming in today.

This was a real treat for me. Yeah, thanks for having me. Yeah, of course. Good luck with the record. I hope everyone checks it out. Youngish Americans by Chris Thompson. Damn. Sorry, against the list. Sorry, so many monikers for all of your priorities for all of your

projects. True. By Christ, Chris T. Yes. Thanks for listening. I'm Julia Lippman. This is Channel 33. Check out the rest of the Ringer Podcast Network. And I'll be back soon. Thanks.