ISSUE #38 MMUSICMAG.COM

SPOTLIGHT Zen Sekizawa

Andy Ross, Dan Konopka, Damian Kulash, Tim Nordwind OK GO The quirky pop-rockers take collaboration to a new level

IT’S NOT A STRETCH TO LIKEN THE IDEA token deadpan, poppy vocals and compelling factory behind OK Go’s colorful musical and beats. Although no two songs sound alike, visual dimensions to Santa’s workshop. In fact, most are reminiscent of ’80s new wave hits bassist Tim Nordwind describes it as such. by the likes of INXS and New Order. Whether matching guitar riffs, crafting After Nordwind—and bandmates the sonics in the studio, or coordinating Damian Kulash, Dan Konopka and Andy an athletic dance routine on treadmills or Ross—circulated a series of demos, they motorized stools, the band’s creative toiling teamed up with producer Dave Fridmann, knows no bounds. and over the course of a year traveled to his Nordwind calls their fourth studio upstate New York studio for six two-week album Hungry Ghosts—on the band’s own sessions. “He doesn’t let anyone stay there Paracadute label—OK Go’s most wholly or it could turn into a situation like in The Issue #33 collaborative effort to date. “As time has Shining,” Nordwind says. “It can get intense.” M MUSIC & MUSICIANS gone on, we’ve gotten more confident with During those sessions, Fridmann making music that reflects who we are and and each band member had a separate MAGAZINE not worrying about what’s popular and in workspace and doctored up songs on their vogue at the moment. own until they all agreed each had reached “Fifteen years ago we sat in a rehearsal its maximum potential. space with guitars and we’d say, ‘OK, we’re It’s a collaborative strategy the band going to make a song that sounds like the employs making their viral videos, several Cars or a song that sounds like Cheap Trick,’” of which have gleaned more than 30 million says Nordwind. “For this record, we’d take YouTube views. The new video for “I Won’t different pieces—a nugget that feels joyful or Let You Down” was produced by filmmaker happy or sad—and in the studio get a beat Morihiro Harano, and features the band riding and sound forming some kind of magic. It around Tokyo on UNI-CUBs—motorized was a little like hunting for magic in the dark. stools designed by Honda—and captured We’ve gotten good at deciding the magical from a bird’s eye view with drone cameras. moment of where a song comes together.” “I think we make our best stuff when Once the magic was captured for we don’t realize what we’re making,” says the record’s dozen tracks, the result was Nordwind. “We like to go in without rules.” a hodgepodge of catchy guitar and drums, –Shauna Farnell

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