Lister

By Thomas Meeseenburg

Translated by Anders Knudsen

The enthusiasm shows when Kip Berman, lead singer and guitarist in the band, describes the bands current tour, where they have played their noisy pop songs for the first time in front of a European audience.

“It has been very surreal looking out at so many people singing along and loving what we do – an incredible feeling. I have written my mom an email, trying to describe how awesome it is.”

But even though the rock star life is not yet everyday experience for the four New Yorkers, Kip Berman does not believe that the success has come overnight:

“We have been on tours playing for six people. So it has been all the more wonderful now that our record has come out and people have been really supportive, and we get to travel to places that we have never been to.”

Band name with a purpose

While it has been a fast process for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, it has also demanded a lot of hard work. And the complicated band name is a reference to the battle you will have to fight if you musically want to follow your heart.

“The band name is about sticking to what you believe in. It’s easy to compromise and to be influenced by other people telling you to do things in a certain way. But if you really want to do something you believe in, you are going to run into a lot of opposition and a lot of challenges. Ultimately what you achieve is so much more meaningful when it’s really what you want to do.”

Role models and honesty

The musical universe of the band leads the thoughts on to indie treasures as Teenage Fanclub and My Bloody Valentine, and it is obvious that the composition of the noise and the carefree pop sound is the foundation stone in their songs. And as Kip explains, the band is not afraid to tell about their sources of inspiration.

“Every band has bands they love. I’m sure Teenage Fanclub grew up listening to Neil Young and Big Star. And in some way they sound like them, and in some way they sound totally distinct and unique. I think it’s totally natural to grow up loving bands, and trying to be like them. And in the process you forge your own identity and start playing your own kind of music. It’s always good to be honest, saying that you didn’t grow up in a cave but that you actually love music. So we’re never afraid to talk about bands we love.”