This past Wednesday, I had a chance to sit down with the full outfit of Portugal. The Man before their sold out Southpaw show in Brooklyn, and talked about the new record, touring, costume wearing customs and a bit more. Portugal. The Man is on a high horse right now, having just finished a very successful set of days at Bonnaroo, playing for more people than they can count with their fingers and toes. Portugal have high expectations for The Satanic Satanist, considering this album is the best produced, and best rehearsed thus far in their career, and only see themselves going up.
You guys had friends produce your earlier records, but The Satanic Satanist was produced by big timers, Paul Kolderie, Anthony Safferie, and Adam Taylor.
John Gourley: They lucked out and became our good friends.
Zachary Scott Carothers: Now we're super close friends.
John: Yeah, They were pretty cool.
Zach: We were a little scared going in to the whole process but I think it was good for us to do demo's and actually write songs, which was something we'd never really done, so that was pretty awesome, and worked out pretty well.
I don't know if it's a secret, but I think you guys recorded two records, at once, or back to back?
Zach: Not really at once. There's some stuff that's laid down for a later one, but it's not quite done. John and Ryan went back in with Zoe over to Boston and worked a little more with those guys. The studio was really awesome. It was really cool.
What songs are you guys tired of playing if any?
Ryan Neighbors: All of them. (Laughs all around) No. Not true.
Zachary: Any time we get a little tired of song, we just switch up the playlist awhile, and the next time we're at practice we just revamp them add a different jam or a different feel.
How long did it take to actually make this special vinyl artwork?
Zach: They've actually been working on it awhile, and John's been talking about it forever, and we were all a little skeptical, because the way John explains things sounds a little bit impossible, and he kept talking about it, and he was drawing up diagrams and he was working with our buddy Austin Sellers. They totally came up with a way to make this whole thing doable.
Ryan: It's totally badass.
Zachary: We're really excited about it. It's pretty much the coolest packaging.
So do you have a different one for the CD and one for the Vinyl?
John: The main thing with vinyl was more the fact the last one we had done, on Censored Colors, it was too hard to mix the art and the affordability of it all anyway. It was just too expensive for people to buy, and that was something that Austin and I talked about a lot. And I guess he had just bought a record and it was 30 dollars and it was just fucked up you know?
You guys wanted to add more value to what you're doing?
John: Yeah, plus, CD's are kinda on the way out and it just made sense to do one last big thing.
Now, since you did this with The Satanic Satanist, the next project is gonna have to be a step above like Pandora's Box or something.
John: Yeah, I think that was the mistake in doing something like this. You kinda always have to step it up, and it would kinda be a mistake for us to not.
Zachary: Yeah nobody likes getting uh...
Ryan: UH... This sure is not as cool as the last one.
I was talking to Zach, about how you guys did Bonnaroo, and you played for more people, in a big place then you've ever played before. What do you guys kinda see happening in the future for your band?
Ryan: Hopefully that more often. (Laughs) Hopefully things keep improving.
John: Yeah, it was kinda proof this all wasn't an accident.
Ryan: We always want to climb up, not down.
Who choose “People Say” to be your single?
John: Um... I like that song. I talked to my dad, I talked to Heidi our publicist, and it just came down to it, it really came across for everyone. All of our parents really liked it.
Zach: Yeah we still listen to our parents.
I really like “Everyone is Golden”.
Zach: I really like that one too. I like that one a lot.
And “The Woods” is really cool too. When you write albums, it feels like everyone song could be a single. It wouldn't really matter which one you choose.
John: That's what I said. (Laughs) Just put all the money into everything.
I guess you'll have to see what happens with the iTunes charts. If they all sell out.
John : It's really funny to check that stuff out
Zach: We got some surprises.
John: With Churh Mouth, what do you think sold the most? I think it was “My Mind”.
Ryan: What sold the most from Censored Colors?
John: “Lay Me Back Down”. Yeah, if you have a music video that helps and brings in more plays.
Are there any music videos planned for this record?
John: Actually already done.
Zach: For “Do you”, our friend Ryan, is just a really awesome director, just does a bunch of really crazy graphic design stuff, and we've seen a bunch of his little videos.
John: I used to stay with Ryan all the time, and live with him and Austin. Austin does all of our art and graphic design stuff, so like five years ago pretty much came to Portland all the time, and just hung out with them, and it's kinda cool getting to work with them finally.
What's gonna be the theme of the video, because you guys kinda do weird things all the time?
Zachary: It's going to be a Sci-Fi Satanic Western.
John: He's just so fucking good. He comes up with the weirdest things.
Zachary: Lots of glowing neon, and acrylics, props in this video, are fucking crazy. One of our friends designed the costumes. Weirdo face paint.
Who are you going to tour with, in the next coming months?
Ryan: I don't know if we know for sure yet.
Zach: We're going to Europe and we're just by ourselves, playing some festivals, kinda doing our own thing. When we come back here, we're doing a headliner, but we're not totally sure who we're bringing out.
Are you guys still working with Equal Vision records?
Zach: This next record is going through them.
www.myspace.com/portugaltheman
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