Journal #6: We Used to Wait Film (Arcade Fire)

The how-to!

The S*#% Hits The Fan!

Wayne Coyne vs. The Arcade Fire... Let the Games Begin!

"The S.S. never intended to start the Indie War of '09 but when Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne went off on Arcade Fire recently, we had to go public. "We've played some shows with them, and they treated everyone in their vicinity like sh*t," Coyne told ROLLING STONE'S Andy Greene, clarifying that Arcade Fire were a**holes to their crew and fans. Though AF turned down a request to respond, frontman Win Butler took to the Web. "The only time we have ever shared the stage with the Flaming Lips was...over three years ago," Butler wrote. "We arrived the morning of the show from Brazil, slept all day and awoke into some surreal Vegas jet-lag dream in which we were playing after [them]." Butler tries to take the high road, mentioning his love for the Lip's '95 album The Clouds Taste Metallic, but then succumbs. "Unless I was way more jet-lagged then [sic] I remember, I hope I was less of a 'prick' then [sic] telling ROLLING STONE that a bunch of people I don't know at all are really a**holes". It's on!"

- Smoking Section, by Austin Scaggs, ROLLING STONE Issue 1075 April 2, 2009



ROUND 1 -
Courtesy of ROLLING STONE:

"I'm a fan of them on one level, but on another level I get really tired of their pompousness ... We've played some shows with them and they really treat people like s**t. Whenever I've been around them, I've found that they not only treated their crew like s**t, they treated the audience like s**t. They treated everybody in their vicinity like s**t. I thought, 'Who do they think they are?' I don't know why people put up with it. I wouldn't put up with it. I don't care if it's Arcade Fire or Brian Eno. If either of them walked into a room and treated people like s**t I'd be like, 'F**k you, get outta here.'

... People treat Arcade Fire like they're the greatest thing ever and they get away with it. Those sort of opinions change my view of their music. They have good tunes, but they're pricks, so f**k 'em. Who does Arcade Fire think they are? I've been around groups. I've been around the Edge from U2 and he's the f**king sweetest guy ever. I was around Justin Timberlake when he was young and he was just a normal, nice, kind person. Anyone can be polite and kind and people who have the privilege and money and attention should understand that. If they don't, then f**k 'em."

ROUND 2 -
Courtesy of ARCADEFIRE.COM (Click: "Win"..."Win's Scrapbook"..."I still like clouds taste metallic")

Wow,
I can't believe I am actually writing to defend my band's "real" personality. I wish I could not respond to something like this, but the reality is, is that people will be asking me questions for the next 5 years. I also fear that people will base their opinion of our band on the media quotes of a guy who doesn't even know us.

The only time we have ever shared a stage with the Flaming Lips was our last show on the Funeral tour at a festival in Las Vegas (over 3 years ago)...we arrived the morning of the show from Brazil, slept all day and awoke into some kind of surreal Vegas jet-lag dream in which we were playing after the Flaming Lips...how strange...I was really excited to meet Wayne. Clouds Taste Metallic was a huge record for me, and growing up in the weirdness of Houston, I always imagined Oklahoma City to be in the same universe. I was really nervous to meet him and I felt a little weird that we were playing after them. We traded a little hello, but he was a hard guy to get a read on. Steven Drodz was super nice, and I felt good after talking to him...

So...I am not sure Wayne is the best judge (based on seeing us play at a couple of festivals) if we are righteous, kind and goodhearted people like The Edge and Justin Timberlake (who I am sure he knows intimately as well). I can't imagine a reason why we would have been pompous towards The Flaming Lips, a band we have always loved, on that particular night, all those years ago. Unless I was way more jet-lagged then I remember, I hope I was less of a "Prick" then telling Rollingstone that a bunch of people I don't know at all are really a bunch of a**holes.
As a closing note, the main point that I am offended by in this whole thing is for Wayne to say we treat our audience like s**t...

At times like these I am comforted by knowing that even though Wayne slammed Beck all those years ago, he seems like a really nice guy to me. I guess everyone has a different idea of what being pompous means.

Win