Electronic rock group from Brooklyn with many songs in TV series and movies, and great new album "The Automatic Process"...
A brief history of how the band started?
Collin and I went to high school together in New Orleans and we both chose studio art as our elective class for all four years. It wasn't until senior year that we started hanging out a lot outside of school - Collin played me some songs he was working on with another friend, and I was pretty blown away. Then a series of mix-tapes brought me up to speed on a whole new world of pop music I had no idea existed: Massive Attack, OK Computer, Bjork, Cypress Hill. We went to college in different cities but got a place together in Brooklyn after graduating. A home studio was set up, and we naturally started making music together again. That was when the first proper Home Video songs were written and produced.
Home Video is the name very difficult to trace on internet. Why did you choose such name?
Honestly we weren't thinking about google at the time - we just wanted something that was both familiar and blank at the same time. A malleable phrase we could apply our own imaging to. We also liked its association with capturing those personal moments that only really mean anything to the people on tape and trigger a feeling of nostalgia.
As far as google, it all worked out in the end - now you can search for home video without quotes and our website is the number 1 result!
Your songs appeared in many movies or tv-series. Which one do you find most important for your career?
The highest profile usage was probably Gossip Girl - they used our song "I Can Make You Feel It" in the dramatic conclusion to one of the episodes. It was loud and clear, and ran right up to the last second before it cut to black. Then, immediately afterwards, they showed our artwork and directed people to itunes to buy it, while a voice over said something like "You've just heard the music of Home Video...".
Home Video - "I Can Make You Feel It"
None of the TV usages really makes or breaks our career as a band - but they definitely help keep us going. We think of them as grants to write more songs.
Tell us something about new album, The Automatic Process? Does your sound changed?
The new album has a lot more layers than the first, and lot more live instrumentation as well. Piano appears in almost every song, and we were more interested in recording live drums. Guitars are thicker too on some songs, and although harmonically I think we've maintained a minimalist approach, the sound is a lot more complex.
What do you think about comparisons with Thom Yorke's voice?
I doubt any artist really likes to be compared like that, but as a reference point for new people to discover our sound, it can't be a bad thing. There are much worse singers to be compared to.
Are there any song that you would like to cover and any artist that you would like to play with?
We have covered a few songs in the past - "A Forest" by the Cure, "A Perfect Day Elise" by PJ Harvey, and "Horse With No Name" by America - and we've thought about covering others like Talk Talk's "Life is What You Make It". We'd love to play with tons of bands - Hot Chip, Portishead, LCD Soundsystem, Bear in Heaven...
Song/album that changed your life?
For me, I'd have to say OK Computer.
Which do you prefer, cd, vinyl or mp3?
I love holding vinyl, but honestly I really only listen to mp3s these days.
Since there is almost the end of the year, do you have your best of for 2010 (songs, albums, movies...)?
Here are our favorite 10 songs of 2010:
Caribou - "Leave House"
Hot Chip - "One Life Stand"
Twin Shadow - "Castles in the Snow"
Massive Attack - "Atlas Air"
Washed Out - "New Theory"
Robyn - "Dancing on My Own"
Arcade Fire - "Ready to Start"
Bot'Ox - "Blue Steel"
UNKLE (featuring The Black Angels) - "Natural Selection"
ceo - "Everything Is Going to Be Alright"
Thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?