The Ruby Suns' Ryan McPhun: "In Real Life" is a parody of the parody
Categories: Gimme Noise
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| Photo by Frode & Marcus |
Gimme Noise caught up with McPhun before Friday's show at the Entry to figure out who this Christopher fella is, and to discover what it was like to meet Robyn.
Gimme Noise: Your hometown is in California. What's it like being back there?
Ryan McPhun:
It's good; whenever we come to the States we always start or finish in
Los Angeles because I went to school North of Ventura and my mother
lives there- we always stay there.
I bet she appreciates that a lot.
Oh yeah. Very thankful.
What was the recording process for this album like in comparison to your past work?
It
was more varied, I guess. It was made over a long period of time which
is normal for me. I don't work quickly. Quite a few songs started on a
laptop in Norway and were added to in my studio in Auckland when I got
back. I had a little set-up at my Dad's place, north of Auckland in New
Zealand. I did a lot of drums and vocals there. I worked at my friend's
studio in Denmark. I did piano and drums there. It was kind of all over
the place, really.
I was
listening to the album and have heard that "Desert of Pop" is inspired
by singer, Robyn. You recently met her...what was that interaction like?
It was weird. My friend opened for her at a festival. He gave me an
extra backstage pass and we ended up in her backstage room where her
band was getting ready. Robyn walked in. I didn't say much, but she was
very nice. [The song] is not only about her. It was also me thinking
about pop music and how much of it is painfully bad. But there is good
stuff among the crap. Also, it's about how it's easy to form
infatuations with singers when you're listening to their music. You
become obsessed with songs and you think you know these people. It's a
pretty childish thing. It's definitely happened to me a couple of times.
I was super into Robyn's EP that came out in 2010 and it reminded me
how you can get a little bit lost thinking you know the singer.
Gimme Noise: Christopher is the title of your new album. Who is Christopher?
Ryan:
He's a fictional character. One of the themes in the album was some
sort of youthful exuberance. In my case, it was coming from a crappy
breakup. So being bummed out about that then coming out of it with some
sort of optimism. To be cheesy, it's like a sense of rebirth.
Gimme Noise: I saw those themes reflected in your recent music video, "In Real Life." Could you walk me through the concept of that video?
Ryan:
I really hate those performance shows. It's amazing how over-the-top is
is. All those shows seem like parodies already. I thought it would be
funny to make a parody of the parody.
Gimme Noise: You have been living in New Zealand for quite some time, what is the craziest question you have been asked about the country?
Ryan: Do you guys know Flight of the Conchords?
Gimme Noise: How do you respond to that?
Ryan:
I say, "Uh... yes?" Then change the subject. Of course, they're
amazing. In 2008, when Flight of the Conchords were just starting out or
weren't the most popular thing about New Zealand, people would come up
to us after shows, point, and say, "Lord of the Rings," because that's
the only thing they could think of about New Zealand. Now they come up
and point and say, "Flight of the Conchords." (Laughs). No, just teasing, America.
The Ruby Suns perform Friday, February 22, at the 7th Street Entry. Doors open at 8 pm. Click here.
The Ruby Suns perform Friday, February 22, at the 7th Street Entry. Doors open at 8 pm. Click here.
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