Cults: “I think our whole generation has a sneaking feeling that we got a raw deal”

Cults are a band whose name couldn’t be more fitting. Despite being major label Columbia darlings, counting Lily Allen as a fan, soundtracking endless adverts and casually sweeping up critical acclaim for their self titled debut, they continually slide largely under the cultural radar as little known figures, their fans a quietly devoted bunch but thankfully sidestepping all actual cult-like creepy behaviours.

The boy-girl duo came to prominence via the blogosphere in 2010 and even though they’re two great albums in, we’re still none the wiser as to who Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion actually are. Though every band in recent times catapulted into the social conscious seems to need an outrageous line or agenda, Cults let their wistful 60s-informed pop do the talking.

Seeming more modest than deliberately secretive, they don’t appear in the business of courting controversy or ruffling any feathers on the way, but are stoically focused on their own dreamy musical vision – only recently popping up recently to criticise the treatment of smaller bands at the hands of indie labels. It’s safe to conclude that Cults’ understated geniality reflects that of a New York band, while their pretension-free efforts almost certainly don’t.

Their second full length release, Static, strives to appease the believers and add new faithfuls while staying true to their fuzzy retro sensibility. After dating for years, the two amicably split between albums one and two and soldiered on, without any fuss or the apparently requisite social media spats that usually follow such a break in the most contemporary of courtships – a testament to how much they actually love just making music together. We caught up with one half of the duo, Brian, to find out more and get behind the curious veil of Cults and found that, yes, these two are just true blue, chasing their own dreams rather than headlines. There’s nothing more novel than that.

Static has been described as having a more “aggressive sound”. Was there any reason for that transition? Aren’t things supposed to mellow with age?

I think it just comes from touring so much and realizing the kind of songs that you’d like to play live. Also the last record was so specific to a certain era, I think this time we allowed ourselves to let more of our influences into the project.

You’ve been quoted as saying that your latest record was a reaction to a “cookie cutter” idea of success and the attitudes you’ve found around you in New York. What does success look like to Cults? Will it always involve making music?

I don’t think we’ll ever stop making music. When we wake up in the morning it’s all we want to do, whether anyone is asking for it or not. That said you never know where life’s going to take you. I think in the future all art will be free and it’ll be something that everyone does. I love the idea of being able to listen to a cool ambient beats album from your ear doctor or a psychedelic record from the mailman.

It’s been reported that you and Madeleine stopped dating between your first and second record. How has that changed the band dynamic, if at all? How do you keep the personal out of the professional?

Honestly I think it’s made us a lot more functional and much healthier. It’s really nice to go home and be able to clock out of work, whereas before we spent every minute together thinking about the band. We get along much better as friends than we ever did as romantic partners.

Your recent comments about small labels taking advantage of bands were widely covered. Do you guys feel at home on Columbia? Was there any pressure to recreate the success of your debut?

Our label has been really great to us. I honestly feel weird even talking about them because they really let us do whatever we want, and don’t play a huge part in any facet of the band that a regular person could see. We’ve always done our own artwork, our own videos, never had to change a song. I think they’re just the best at helping artists achieve their visions on the highest level possible, which is what a label should try to do.

Once your debut was released it seemed like you were constantly playing shows. How do you stay sane on tour and how do you keep it feeling fresh?

We stay sane because we’re a family. As cheesy as it sounds, all of us go back to high school days, and are each other’s best friends. Just like waking up in the morning and wanting to play music, we usually call each other every morning to see what everyone’s doing, even the day after we get off a tour. I don’t think we could make it if any of us treated like a job instead of a privilege.

Your songs always seem to be lyrically reflective and have a tone of sadness. There’s a real sombre tone to what you sing, though it’s steeped in beautiful melodies. Would you say you were nostalgic for eras that have passed?

I think our whole generation has a sneaking feeling that we got a raw deal. Life is so confusing now, and we’re made to want so many different things. I think if we’re nostalgic for anything it’s the simplicity of the past. That said I think that the music being made today is the best since the 60’s, and we’re glad to exist around all these amazing artists and incredible musical tools.

Your videos are talked about almost as much as your music- Is that visual element as important as the music to you? Do you have a lot of creative input in that area and what are you influenced by?

We take our videos very seriously. Visual art is what we both studied in school and grew up doing, so we get really passionate about the production. We usually start with a list of directors that we’ll talk to and get their input on what they would like to do, and then we’ll narrow it down and go through a round of revisions until we find the concept we like the most. I would never want a director to work on a concept that was all our idea or that he or she wasn’t feeling. I want the videos to feel like a curated thing with all these talented people showing what they can do.

We know you must hate questions like this…So we have to ask. If you were to have a Cult, what would you want to achieve? What would be the rules?

Oh God, we would be terrible cult leaders. I think if there’s one idea behind this whole machine we have going it’s never growing up. Not in the way of never having a family or a house or anything, but never giving in and thinking that you’ve got things figured out or that nothing can be interesting anymore. I watch it happen as some of our friends approach their thirties and it really bums me out.

What’s the mission statement for Cults? What boxes are left to tick?

I always say that we try to write pop music, and we consider pop music to be music that you can use. A good pop song can take a moment in your life and elevate to a point where it becomes a real memory. We get bizarre letters all the time, from one guy who hadn’t left his house in 15 years and listened to “Go Outside” as inspiration to take his first jaunt out, to people who say thanks for our songs helping them have a great day driving in their car. I think with art you just try to be honest and hope that if you work hard enough to make something true, other people will see themselves in it, and it can live on as a little time capsule for a certain moment. I think we get most excited about the idea of our music being dug out of a vinyl crate in 50 years, and people connecting back to this time just like we connect to some of our favorite records from the past.

Static is out now on Columbia.