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Florence + The Machine
- Thread starter LegsXI
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- florence welch
La bordélique
earthbound
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I'm really thinking about participating in that contest. 5 days left.
And submitting only ONE illustration for an outfit is hard.
How is it possible to show how we want the back of the outfit?
...
And submitting only ONE illustration for an outfit is hard.
How is it possible to show how we want the back of the outfit?
...
Label Basher
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Florence (and the Machine) Discusses Haunted Dresses & Living with her Parents
Florence and the Machine has landed on the shores of the US, touched down on American soil, and exploded into the scene more robustly than the illegal firecrackers sold on the side of the road in the state of Indiana. The UK-based band sizzled at the VMA’s, racking up nominations for 4 MTV Video Music Awards, picking up the award for Best Art Direction for the “Dog Days are Over” video, and topping off the evening with a triumphant performance that served as a powerful announcement of their arrival to the United States music scene. Lead vocalist, Florence Welch is an icon in her hometown, but still resides with her parents. She has a voice and a style that is distinguishably hers and wears a gown that she considers haunted. With the upcoming shows selling out, everyone wants a piece of “Flo.” I was lucky enough to nab the songstress to discuss some very important topics such as how she considers subjects like subatomic particles to be perfect inspiration for songwriting.
Your song, “Dog Days Are Over” was featured in the Eat, Pray, Love trailer. That’s quite an accomplishment. Are you a fan of the book?
Well, I’d never really heard of it before they showed me the trailer but I thought it was beautiful, and fit well with the song. We say no to so much stuff, something really has to work for me to ok it, and when I was deciding whether or not to do it I was in Miami and found a copy of the book completely by accident in the back of a taxi, so I took that as a sign.
Speaking of “Dog Days Are Over,” I love the video. There is so much going on. How did you come up with the concept?
The narrative of the song is quite ambiguous, I’m not sure if it’s happy or sad. It’s chaotic and apocalyptic and choral and sad and celebratory all at the same time, with tribal and gospel influences, so that gave us a blank slate and a lot to play with, if that makes any sense. I think my only specifications were that I didn’t want to look pretty and I wanted there to be exploding people, so we kind of had a free-for-all stylistically, going from ethereal goddess with blue Bhangra backup dancers, through to kabuki sex monk with psychedelic choir and tribal drummers, and a feral smoke child complete with riot explosion. I think we managed to get away with it without all being committed.
What is a typical outfit for you to be seen in on stage?
Something long and floaty I suppose. Stevie Nicks said that it was good to wear something loose that flows around you, and I kind of agree with that. It’s nice to feel that your outfit is doing a performance as well, and what you wear really dictates how you play. When I was going through my Goth-bat-leather-lady phase I was a more aggressive performer, perhaps with more rigging climbing. Now I’m going through a Lady of the Lake thing, lots of peach chiffon.
Your pink dress is haunted? How did you come to realize this and where did you get such a dress?
We bought it from a vintage store in New York. It was a party dress from the 1930s in the basement, and flood damaged so they weren’t going to sell it, and it was just going to go to rot. But we rescued it and restored it, and when we played at Somerset House it sort of came to life around me as if the dress was fulfilling some sort of past dream. I love clothes that have a history, I’ve always liked pretending to be a character from the past, ever since I was a kid…but now I’m not dressing as a Roman emperor or someone from Little House on the Prairie….well not all the time.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for the sake of your music?
Erm..rigging climbing that made my mum cry, crowd-surfing that made me cry, touring Europe in a camper van with my dad as the tour manager being paid 50 Euros a gig split between 4, painting people bright blue, nearly choking to death on coloured smoke, being locked in a duvet-insulated cupboard for 24hrs doing a million backing vocals, and generally sending myself and my family insane making the first record.
If you had to listen to the same song on repeat for an entire day till it drove you mad, what would you pick?
Probably “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. I think that song has the best build of any song ever. It always makes me feel like I’m running down a hill really fast with my eyes shut. Or perhaps Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness.” I do have a tendency to gorge myself on one song until I cant listen to it for a while.
Why did you decide to call your album Lungs?
The title track from the album is “Between Two Lungs” and it was the first song of the album where I composed the music as well as the lyrics. Before I’d sort of been writing these folk songs with guitarists, and every time I went in the studio with them it never sounded right. So when I made “Between Two Lungs,” which was sort of just for a laugh anyway. It opened up the whole sound of the album, a release so to speak, and singing’s all about your lungs anyway and breath control – your lungs are your instrument. So there are lots of reasons. It was the first title I thought of, and there was never any question that it was the one.
I know the UK and US music scene can be two very different animals. Has America been kind to you?
After the VMA’s I felt like suddenly America took notice. Before that I had a fantastic and extremely supportive, but pretty underground, fan base. America is so big that you kind of need an opportunity like that to make it. The radio play in America is strange because its so segregated: you’re either rock, pop, country, or alternative, and the songs on this album cross over so many different genres I think it was pretty hard to place. But now it seems like it’s taking off a bit, which is funny because the album’s been out for so long in England. Playing live is how I made my name in England, and I’m really looking forward to coming back to America in October to do some more touring.
Is it true you still live at home with your parents? I’d imagine that’s a nice sanctuary from all the chaos in the industry.
Yeah, it’s nice. I come home, shout at my little brother, ask my sister where all my clothes are, pack the dishwasher, shout at my little brother again, make cups of tea… It’s very grounding.
Tell me about your songwriting process…
Erm…throw stuff at the walls to see how it sounds, put sub-bass on everything, double everything, then reverse everything, then bury it in the garden for ten years and when it comes out it’s done.
What is the wackiest thing that has ever inspired a song for you?
Me and my dad had this conversation about subatomic particles very late at night and he was telling me about these atoms called “strangeness and charm,” and how they are so tiny we cant see them but we can feel their effects. I thought that was quite beautiful and wrote a song about it for the next album. Me and Isa also used to challenge ourselves to write ten-minute songs about objects in the room so it would end up being about stationary and D12 LPs.
Words and Interview by Nicole Pajer.
Photo by Scott Gries/PictureGroup
Florence and the Machine has landed on the shores of the US, touched down on American soil, and exploded into the scene more robustly than the illegal firecrackers sold on the side of the road in the state of Indiana. The UK-based band sizzled at the VMA’s, racking up nominations for 4 MTV Video Music Awards, picking up the award for Best Art Direction for the “Dog Days are Over” video, and topping off the evening with a triumphant performance that served as a powerful announcement of their arrival to the United States music scene. Lead vocalist, Florence Welch is an icon in her hometown, but still resides with her parents. She has a voice and a style that is distinguishably hers and wears a gown that she considers haunted. With the upcoming shows selling out, everyone wants a piece of “Flo.” I was lucky enough to nab the songstress to discuss some very important topics such as how she considers subjects like subatomic particles to be perfect inspiration for songwriting.
Your song, “Dog Days Are Over” was featured in the Eat, Pray, Love trailer. That’s quite an accomplishment. Are you a fan of the book?
Well, I’d never really heard of it before they showed me the trailer but I thought it was beautiful, and fit well with the song. We say no to so much stuff, something really has to work for me to ok it, and when I was deciding whether or not to do it I was in Miami and found a copy of the book completely by accident in the back of a taxi, so I took that as a sign.
Speaking of “Dog Days Are Over,” I love the video. There is so much going on. How did you come up with the concept?
The narrative of the song is quite ambiguous, I’m not sure if it’s happy or sad. It’s chaotic and apocalyptic and choral and sad and celebratory all at the same time, with tribal and gospel influences, so that gave us a blank slate and a lot to play with, if that makes any sense. I think my only specifications were that I didn’t want to look pretty and I wanted there to be exploding people, so we kind of had a free-for-all stylistically, going from ethereal goddess with blue Bhangra backup dancers, through to kabuki sex monk with psychedelic choir and tribal drummers, and a feral smoke child complete with riot explosion. I think we managed to get away with it without all being committed.
What is a typical outfit for you to be seen in on stage?
Something long and floaty I suppose. Stevie Nicks said that it was good to wear something loose that flows around you, and I kind of agree with that. It’s nice to feel that your outfit is doing a performance as well, and what you wear really dictates how you play. When I was going through my Goth-bat-leather-lady phase I was a more aggressive performer, perhaps with more rigging climbing. Now I’m going through a Lady of the Lake thing, lots of peach chiffon.
Your pink dress is haunted? How did you come to realize this and where did you get such a dress?
We bought it from a vintage store in New York. It was a party dress from the 1930s in the basement, and flood damaged so they weren’t going to sell it, and it was just going to go to rot. But we rescued it and restored it, and when we played at Somerset House it sort of came to life around me as if the dress was fulfilling some sort of past dream. I love clothes that have a history, I’ve always liked pretending to be a character from the past, ever since I was a kid…but now I’m not dressing as a Roman emperor or someone from Little House on the Prairie….well not all the time.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for the sake of your music?
Erm..rigging climbing that made my mum cry, crowd-surfing that made me cry, touring Europe in a camper van with my dad as the tour manager being paid 50 Euros a gig split between 4, painting people bright blue, nearly choking to death on coloured smoke, being locked in a duvet-insulated cupboard for 24hrs doing a million backing vocals, and generally sending myself and my family insane making the first record.
If you had to listen to the same song on repeat for an entire day till it drove you mad, what would you pick?
Probably “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. I think that song has the best build of any song ever. It always makes me feel like I’m running down a hill really fast with my eyes shut. Or perhaps Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness.” I do have a tendency to gorge myself on one song until I cant listen to it for a while.
Why did you decide to call your album Lungs?
The title track from the album is “Between Two Lungs” and it was the first song of the album where I composed the music as well as the lyrics. Before I’d sort of been writing these folk songs with guitarists, and every time I went in the studio with them it never sounded right. So when I made “Between Two Lungs,” which was sort of just for a laugh anyway. It opened up the whole sound of the album, a release so to speak, and singing’s all about your lungs anyway and breath control – your lungs are your instrument. So there are lots of reasons. It was the first title I thought of, and there was never any question that it was the one.
I know the UK and US music scene can be two very different animals. Has America been kind to you?
After the VMA’s I felt like suddenly America took notice. Before that I had a fantastic and extremely supportive, but pretty underground, fan base. America is so big that you kind of need an opportunity like that to make it. The radio play in America is strange because its so segregated: you’re either rock, pop, country, or alternative, and the songs on this album cross over so many different genres I think it was pretty hard to place. But now it seems like it’s taking off a bit, which is funny because the album’s been out for so long in England. Playing live is how I made my name in England, and I’m really looking forward to coming back to America in October to do some more touring.
Is it true you still live at home with your parents? I’d imagine that’s a nice sanctuary from all the chaos in the industry.
Yeah, it’s nice. I come home, shout at my little brother, ask my sister where all my clothes are, pack the dishwasher, shout at my little brother again, make cups of tea… It’s very grounding.
Tell me about your songwriting process…
Erm…throw stuff at the walls to see how it sounds, put sub-bass on everything, double everything, then reverse everything, then bury it in the garden for ten years and when it comes out it’s done.
What is the wackiest thing that has ever inspired a song for you?
Me and my dad had this conversation about subatomic particles very late at night and he was telling me about these atoms called “strangeness and charm,” and how they are so tiny we cant see them but we can feel their effects. I thought that was quite beautiful and wrote a song about it for the next album. Me and Isa also used to challenge ourselves to write ten-minute songs about objects in the room so it would end up being about stationary and D12 LPs.
Words and Interview by Nicole Pajer.
Photo by Scott Gries/PictureGroup
Merryhussel
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Instyle Russia June 2010
edit: Playing with Fire
ph: Andreas Larsson
style: Ursula Lake
assainova.livejournal.com
edit: Playing with Fire
ph: Andreas Larsson
style: Ursula Lake
assainova.livejournal.com
she is dead on about how music is so segregated here in the states. it's really probably why her music was only heard by a small number of people for a while because indie artists very rarely share the same air space with bigger,more mainstream artists. and a lot of people really need some sort of outward promotion to discover things in this country too because it such a competitive world here there are those that tend to have a short attention span. it used to be we had more accessible avenues to hear music like her's when it's just beginning,such as MTV2,but they've all abandoned their premises and we no longer hear anything.
Empress Merel
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I never really payed attention to Florence before but Lungs will be forever on my Ipod. I love it so much. It was like a big f*ck you to crap American music when she performed at the VMA's.
Label Basher
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Florence Welch @ Chanel Fashion Show during Paris Fashion Week - 5 October 2010 - tlfan.to
FLAWLESS
FLAWLESS
La bordélique
earthbound
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Aw, she looks adorable! Her look at Chanel is very Swinging Sixties somehow.
Label Basher
Active Member
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Q Magazine - May 2010
my crappy scans
my crappy scans
Label Basher
Active Member
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- 13,367
- Reaction score
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Florence To Perform On Dancing With The Stars
Florence will be slipping on her dancing shoes next week after being lined up to sing live on US reality show Dancing With The Stars. Flo will perform as part of 'Acoustic Week' on the hit ABC show on Tuesday October 12th at 8pm (EST). For more information head over to the Dancing With The Stars website right here.
Florence will be slipping on her dancing shoes next week after being lined up to sing live on US reality show Dancing With The Stars. Flo will perform as part of 'Acoustic Week' on the hit ABC show on Tuesday October 12th at 8pm (EST). For more information head over to the Dancing With The Stars website right here.
La bordélique
earthbound
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Lovely... I don't mind at all that she's getting a much bigger fan base since her invasion in the US. She deserves to be heard!
dancing with the stars,eh? hmmm...probably a little more mainstream than i would have loved but like you said L-b,any notice for this woman is a good thing. she certainly deserves it. i've never watched that show before but from what i've heard they've had some pretty cheesy musicians on there so this is certainly a major step-up.
but i agree,i'm loving that people are beginning to take notice here in the states. perhaps now we can finally start to hear music from somebody who actually is musically versed and talented and not some superficial electro-clash rehash poseur who rips people off and calls it art.
but i agree,i'm loving that people are beginning to take notice here in the states. perhaps now we can finally start to hear music from somebody who actually is musically versed and talented and not some superficial electro-clash rehash poseur who rips people off and calls it art.
