Listen to interview
Watch video clips: 1Their name evokes memories of the Iron Curtain. Their sound draws comparisons to greats like Dylan, Waits and Black. But the Cold War Kids are as tied to the Soviet rule of Eastern Europe as they are trying to recreate a sound popularized by those who came before them. Make no mistake. Cold War Kids are ahead of their time. Not trying to relive the past.
Hailing from a county in Southern California known as much for its sensationalized prime-time dramas as it is for producing pop-punk all-stars like The Offspring, Sugar Ray and Something Corporate, the band has taken their wide array of influences and fused together a sound refreshingly original and unique unto themselves. With industry buzz behind them and fan fare to match, Cold War Kids are poised to break down the borders of popular music.
What can $100 at a bookstore get four indie rock guys from California? Click here to see what Cold War Kids came up with.
The Blurring Line
"I think the line blurring kind of comes with the territory all the time. You’re always going to ask yourself, 'Am I doing this because it’s more exposure in a bad way or a good way?'"
The Positives of Criticism
"In a weird way, harsh criticisms kind of work to your benefit. I guess they give some layers to the identity of the group. Controversy is always attractive to people."
We Belong Together?
"I think it’s pretty spelled out. It’s just like a sense of unity I guess, right?"
Moving On Up
"Even though we’ve only been touring for two years, in that time the amount of work that we’ve put into this band has been what may be the equivalent to somebody else’s 10 years of work… In terms of your band growing, you can grow a lot faster if four people are totally committing their life to it for two years."
Thou Shalt Not Steal
"I get this call the next day from a girl who stole my journal off the stage and then felt really bad about it, so she wanted to send it to me. The whole thing was very weird. She wouldn’t tell me her name and she was just really awkward and nervous the whole time. I didn’t know what to do with her and I didn’t want to be mean, because I thought, 'What if she doesn’t send it if I’m mean?'"
Be Cool, Stay in School
"Keep going to school… Be involved in music and learn about music and do everything you can do, but don’t ever do it because you think you’re going to make it."
