Yeah Yeah Yeahs

You've done the most dangerous thing in music — you've evolved. How dare you!
[Laughs] Sorry, but, you know, I make no excuses for myself.

Now that you've moved forward, how do you feel about your older material?
We still really enjoy it, and feel like that's who we were and what we were about two years ago. I would be dishonest if I didn't say that there was a part of me starting this record that was feeling a little reactive to the old version of myself. The vocals, screaming, all that…the "evolution" part came in where I was much more interested in melodies and stuff.

How are your fans taking to it?
We've only played a string of really small shows, you know, and it always seemed the second night was sort of a younger, more receptive crowd. They were singing along to "Gold Lion" already, which was pretty interesting. So that was really nice to see.

How do you deal with the bloggers who come to your shows and then go home and pontificate online in their underwear?
That's like, 2006, man. Right? That's now. That's what's going on these days. I don't read any of the blogs. I think Nick [Zinner, guitarist] probably obsessively reads every single one of them. But he's a blogger himself, so that's why.

Is Show Your Bones a breakup record?
Uh, I can't say. I can only say, "Who knows." I can't say definitely yes and I can't say definitely no.

Is there some other reason that all the cartoon characters on your Web site are bleeding?
[Laughs] They're from the demented mind of Julian Gross, who is probably just vibing off of my demented mind, and that's probably what he thinks I want to see. I like it.

Which way do you deal with a breakup: hit the bottle, or hit the gym?
I take the high road these days. I've had a few breakups now and I've learned a lot from each one. But you know, I can go dark, and I have gone dark in the past and I sort of know that "bottle + breakup = bad."

Can you recommend a good breakup record?
More recently, Imagine [by John Lennon] was a breakup record for me. "Jealous Guy" — I was obsessed with that song for like two months. I was listening to it incessantly for days and days, and when I wasn't listening to it, I was just, like, humming it subconsciously. I was really kind of going off on it.

Are you in touch with your exes?
Yeah, I'm touching a few right now.

There are several cover versions of "Maps" [from Fever to Tell] floating around the Web. What has been your favorite cover of the song?
Oh, man. I've heard a bunch, but I think I'm still waiting for the one where I'm like, "Bingo," or whatever. I'm waiting for a cover of our song to be way more popular than we ever did it. I'm holding out for American Idol. [Laughs]

Are you ever thinking, "These people know nothing of my work!"?
Totally, totally. I'm just like, "Do they get it?" But no, no, no. It's definitely interesting.

If you were able to play one of your songs for an idol of yours, what song would it be, and who would you be playing it for?
Wow. [Pauses] I wouldn't mind playing a little somethin' somethin' for Mr. Mercury. Freddie Mercury [lead singer of Queen]. And "Gold Lion" would be appropriate because it's got the "We Will Rock You" beginning. There's that sort of little tribute, and ripping someone off is the greatest form of flattery. I wouldn't mind giving a little bit of love back to him for all that he did for me.

You're also known for…
My outfits?

…your outfits. What would you wear?
I don't know if you've seen our DVD or not, but there was one outfit that I wore in that — it's like head-to-toe silver spandex, kind of like a space suit with these kind of balloons around the knees and elbows. It looks like what a really tacky couch would be upholstered in. And nothing's left to the imagination. It's pretty fabulous. I think I'd probably rock that out for him.

Official site

Out 3/28/06
Show Your Bones


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Show Your Bones
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