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Interview: Lana Del Rey Talks ‘Living The Dream’ With Slacker

By Sitar, in New Interviews

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Sitar    22,174

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Last night, Lana Del Rey played a sold out show in downtown Detroit at the Masonic Temple. Fans lined the streets of The D at Noon, almost six hours before doors opened.

I sat down with Lana before the concert to talk about her new album Ultraviolence, her dreams, influences and what she does on her days off, as well as the love she has for her fans.

Regarding her devoted fan base, Lana said, “I think that there is a lot of compassion from people who have had sort of a more tumultuous life. I think people have sort of realized that my career has been up and down and maybe they kind of relate to that inconsistency. So the people that do come…they really are fans, personally and musically. So it’s become a really touching event – each show for me.”

Prior to the interview, we put out the hashtag #987AMPReydio for you to submit your questions for the singer on Twitter, and she answered one from Olivia, who wanted to know “What is your dream and are you living it?”

“My dream was to become a touring musician,” Lana begins, “but now that I’m living it, it doesn’t really feel like what I thought it was going to feel like. Now my dream is to just have fun for the rest of my life!”

Regarding Ultraviolence and how it’s different from her previous record, Lana says that, while both albums are autobiographical, her latest effort felt more natural during the recording process.

“Meeting Dan Auerbach [The Black Keys] in December and going to Nashville with him in January made the experience of recording very different because it felt really live and organic,” the singer explains. “We had such good chemistry between me and him and his best friends who made up this big band that I was playing with. And so I would just say it was really fun.”

Another Twitter question came from Katherine, who wanted to know which song Lana is most excited to release from her new album.

“I’m excited for them to hear the opening track ‘Cruel World,’” she said. “I wrote it with my guitar player in the band, Blake Stranathan, and it has kind of a 25 second heavy guitar interlude and I just like that it kind of sets the tone…kind of puts us on the west coast because it sort of dabbles in Psychedelia. And I like that the verses are really calm and repetitive and then it breaks into this dynamic, chaotic chorus. So I feel like it embodies me and my life.”

 

Audio here: http://987ampradio.cbslocal.com/2014/05/16/slacker-talks-with-lana-del-rey-before-her-detroit-performance/?utm_content=buffer40e34&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

TRANSCRIPTION:

 

 

LANA: What’s funny is, like…being on the road kind of, also being in the middle of promotion, you find that you really want to enjoy your interviews or your time with journalists or your time with, you know, people in radio or press because they’re actually some of the only people you end up seeing. ‘Cause, like, you’re traveling every day when you’re not playing, so…I don’t know, I always learn something.

SLACKER: We put the hashtag out there, #98.7AMPReydio, R-E-Y—

LANA: [giggle] No you didn’t.

SLACKER: We had fans, like, tweeting us, ‘cause obviously your fan base is, like, ridiculous. Can I just ask why? How is this fan base selling out every single…selling out the tour in, like, fifteen minutes?

LANA: I think that there is a lot of compassion from people who have sort had, like, a more tumultuous life. I think people kind of realize my career has been up and down and maybe they kind of relate to, like, that sort of…I don’t know, inconsistency. And so the people who do come, which is not, you know, it’s not like…arena-sized thing, venues. But the people who do come, like, they really are fans, like, personally and musically. So it’s always, it’s become like a really touching event, each show for me.

SLACKER: That’s so awesome. One of the girls, Olivia, she asked “What is your dream and are you living it?”

LANA: Um, my dream was to become a touring musician, but now that I’m living it, it doesn’t really feel like what I thought it was gonna feel like. Now my dream is just to have fun for the rest of my life, and I don’t know if that’s gonna happen. I hope so.

SLACKER: That’s great advice right there though, you know what I mean. You can always keep dreaming.

LANA: Exactly. I mean, dreaming in itself is such an amazing way to spend your time. I’m a big dreamer, Olivia. [laughs]

SLACKER: So, you’re out on the tour, you’re promoting the new album. It’s out in June. What—because I’m sure you’ve heard this a billion times already—what’s the difference between the last album and this album? Or are they similar, or…?

LANA: I mean, they’re similar in that they’re autobiographical. I think meeting Dan Auerbach in December and going to Nashville with him in January made the experience of recording really different just because it felt really live and organic. We had such good chemistry between me and him and his best friends, who made up this big band I was playing with. And so, I mean I would just say it was really fun. It was nice to be with the guys and nice to record live, um, down on Eighth Street. But I mean it feels like they’re continuity, like just atmospherically within all three records, Born to Die, Paradise, and Ultraviolence. So I see a lot of similarities. But it’s kind of just an evolution.

SLACKER: Katherine, another tweet that we got, she wanted to know what song you’re excited for fans to hear off the album.

LANA: I’m excited for them to hear the opening track, “Cruel World.” I love that, like, I wrote it with my guitar player in the band, Blake Stranathan, and it has kind of a 25-second heavy guitar interlude. I just like that it sort of sets the tone and kind of puts us on the west coast, ‘cause it sort of dabbles in psychedelia. And, um, I like that the verses are really calm and repetitive and then it breaks into this dynamic, kind of chaotic chorus. So I feel like it embodies me and my life. [laughs]

SLACKER: Was that your choice to drop “West Coast” a month ago at Coachella? You wanted that to be the first thing that people heard?

LANA: I did, I did. I felt like, even though there was sort of a tempo change and it slipped into a slower groove in the chorus, it just was the one that felt really right to me and also was kind of connecting, in a way, back to the old record but moved on, more towards the Pacific Ocean. So I liked that it was the first thing.

SLACKER: So Lana Del Rey gets a day off. How does she spend it? What does she do, what does she wanna do? Is it like pajamas and do nothing or…?

LANA:  I do do a lot of nothing on my day off, yeah. I mean, like, I’ve been going back and forth to New York ‘cause we’ve been on the east coast for the last couple of weeks in Philly and Connecticut. I lived there for like 10 years, so I’ve seen old friends and I have my good friend Jane and my younger sister is there. So I just, I don’t know, go out to lunch, see the city, go back to the west side highway, do all that stuff.

SLACKER: Say I’m not a fan. How would you describe yourself?

LANA: I would say, um, I mean…I’m a fan of kind of underground jazz culture. I feel like I have roots in jazz music, I love that there’s jazz undertones in this record. Um, there’s cinematic influences, it’s good driving music, it’s good…um, I don’t know.

SLACKER: I would say, ninety-percent females just lined around the building tonight. Obviously, they connect—

LANA: The chicks get it.

SLACKER: Yeah, the chicks get it. Like, you guys are on the same page.

LANA: Yeah, we’re on the same level, me and the girls. They know what’s going on. Yeah, for sure.

SLACKER: So jazz, a big influence. I mean, is there anything else that we wouldn’t think would be such an influence?

LANA: I mean, a lot of things influence me. I mean definitely just, like you said, on days off, people I run into, people I’ve never met who are sort of high-impact characters. I don’t know, I mean, I love early, um, I don’t know, I love early, like, nineties hip-hop. I love movies, I like the fifties crooners. So it’s kind of an amalgamation of different…

SLACKER: Like your job never stops. You’re always influenced by something.

LANA: I am! I’m always, I’m definitely an observer. And I find even the most, kind of, simple, boring things…I’m always taking in and incorporating.

SLACKER: My wife says that she is a professional people watcher. She just watches people, she thinks it’s awesome.

LANA: Totally, I’m with her. And do you live here?

SLACKER: Yes.

LANA: It must be interesting.

SLACKER: Oh, it’s a blast.

LANA: I’m sure.

SLACKER: I’ll take her to shows, and she just watches. We were just in New York for, um, Lady Gaga.

LANA: Amazing.

SLACKER: Yeah, it was a great show, but she’s just like…

LANA: That’s so great.

SLACKER: You can literally—and especially like New York City, you can just people watch forever.

LANA: Definitely. That’s what I did for years, I was just sort of there soaking up that kind of kinetic energy. I mean the energy’s so high in New York, even going back the last two weeks, it’s been really, really good for me.

SLACKER: That’s awesome. Um, one last question: Advice for all those girls that are out there around the building or couldn’t make it tonight or, you know, catch this interview on Soundcloud or somewhere.

LANA: I would just say that I love them and, like, I appreciate each person who’s there and I hope that, you know, they’re all getting to do exactly what they want and that it doesn’t go unnoticed by me that they are supportive and I hope that they are being supported, too…and thank you.

 

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#glimmeringdarling    4,555

#glimmeringdarling
Posted (edited)

"Dynamic, chaotic chorus" OMG yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaass

Edited by SitarHero
jfc
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Rafael    3,512

Rafael
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Prior to the interview, we put out the hashtag #987AMPReydio for you to submit your questions for the singer on Twitter, and she answered one from Olivia, who wanted to know “What is your dream and are you living it?”

Wait a minute. It actually says Reydio?!

 

@@evilentity, pressed? :troll:

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EQFO7rX.png

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Sitar    22,174

Sitar
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@@SitarHero, would you do me the honor of transcribing it? :hooker:

 

In OP boo

 

Wait a minute. It actually says Reydio?!

 

@@evilentity, pressed? :troll:

 

I remember when that pun was first proposed on ldr.fm and there was backlash for its tackiness but where would we be now without it :poordat:

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