Chris Allen, Elaine Bradley, Tyler Glenn and Branden Campbell of Neon Trees. Photograph by Andrew Zaeh.
Neon Trees
We spoke to bassist Branden Campbell not all that recently—it was in advance of Neon Trees’ appearance at PointFest back in April—but we held off on posting our chat with him, because we heard the band would be back in town for a full show. And lo, it came to pass: the band will be at Ballpark Village June 26, touring on its brand-new disc, Pop Psychology.
It’s been a big year for Neon Trees. Not only did they release a new album in January, but lead singer Tyler Glenn came out as gay in a Rolling Stone interview, and the response from many leaders in the LDS church—which all four band members belong to—was surprisingly positive and supportive. Though much of the attention has been on Glenn and his songwriting process with the new record, Campbell has had a huge year, too, undergoing open-heart surgery in December to correct a mutated aortic valve, something he knew he'd have to do to prepare for the band's upcoming tour. He played his first full show in late February, and since then Neon Trees has been on the road playing nearly every night, a schedule that won't let up till this fall.
Campbell was in high spirits when we spoke; our edited conversation follows.
So, I wanted to start by talking about Pop Psychology, which I understand was sort of a different experience for you guys, recording that.
Yeah, it was different. In the past, we would all go in a room and bang out the tunes and make a record. This time, we started it this way, and we all got in the room and played through all the songs and knew what everyone was doing, but then we sent everyone off with the producer to do their part separately so that we could break them apart and just do illogical things. Sometimes for drum beats they would open and close file cabinets for a rhythm, stuff like that. Or for me, you know playing bass is usually played through big speakers, but this time we had to play through like a really tiny toy guitar speaker, or we would even use a keyboard to replace the bass guitar part… all theses wacky things that splitting up allowed us the time to do, without making other people sit around. I thought, in the end, it comes together like a good pop rock record.
So it sounds like you guys pulled a Beyoncé here—no one knew you were going to put this record out; there were no leaks. You had the luxury of letting the project own time. Were there other things that changed the music in terms of having the luxury of recording essentially without eyes on you?
Yeah, we got to wear what we wanted to, could show up in our pajamas, no one was watching us. [Laughs.] No, it was just that like if we decided we needed two more days for one particular thing, then we did it. There was, I guess the first rule was, there are no rules, while still making something that sounds like music.
Pop Psychology’s been described as a more mature sound for you guys, especially Tyler’s songwriting. There’s also much made of the ‘80s influence, but it seems that the sound’s more complex than that—if you listen closely, you hear a lot soul, old school rock, R&B…
Yeah, we do get tagged a lot with having an ‘80s vibe. Now, you need to remember in any decade that if you're talking about the early part of a decade, that means you're still trailing pieces of the decade before it. So 1982 still sounds like ’79, and 1989 trails on, and will influence up till like ‘92, ‘93. So for to stay ‘80s, we don't feel like a wall is going to crash down and Cyndi Lauper and all her friends are gonna come hang out. There were a lot of complex in those times, and so for us, it's like we are influenced by Blondie as much as we are by Elvis Costello and The Specials, and as much as Van Halen as by a band like Was Not Was. What great, though, is that there was a lot of colorful sounds used in the art of synthetic drums, which they started to play a lot [in the ‘80s], and when you do hear that it takes you back to a spot. Lots of times when people hear stuff from the ‘60s and ‘70s, you can't really put your finger on it, you can't say, “Oh, that's 1975,” or “that’s 1968,” but there is something about some of those Simmons drum pads that they used in the 80s where you say, “Aw, that’s the ’80s right there!”
Exactly.
Just like, it's just like if you hear Du-Wop, you think the ’50s. Then if you hear autotune, then you hear these crazy days we live in. So it's great, though you know until for us, it's funny because we thought, well, with this record it is more mature, so we'll get away from that ‘80s stigma, because we're not trying out to be anything certain. We’re not trying to ride on the coattails of a cool decade or anything like that. We really just want to make good music and if people hear that, and it takes them to a place that's fun and safe for them, and to them that is an ‘80s vibe place, then so be it. I hear the music and I think man, this a band that's kind've mixing it all up from yesterday and today, but have good songs.
You mentioned The Specials—I know that Provo, Utah, had a very strong ska scene back in the ’90s, and that was one of the reasons that a lot of these alcohol-free clubs were able to thrive. It was just about the energy and the music.
Yeah, I used to go to those kind of shows. I grew up in Las Vegas, and my band would drive up here to play with a variety of different bands that would also travel into town. Provo in Utah Valley is such a mecca, because we have two huge universities, and so you get a variety of cool people. And face it; ska and reggae is such a fun music. It’s about dancing; it’s about getting people together. What’s different with ska than with reggae is ska then has connections to punk and other modern tunes, and so I think that’s where we still find that connection. That’s what I always loved about coming to Provo before I moved here, is all the shows are so much fun, and people are here to get down and really celebrate the music, and it was a great place for a new band to be able to get a following.
Is the band still living in Utah?
Yeah, three-quarters. Chris is living in Southern California currently. He flies in his helicopter to come up here for band practice. [Laughs.]
You guys are the Utah band now—it was once just The Osmonds.
Yeah, right? Well that’s going to be our dream though, is when we can have a Neon Trees Osmond Christmas Special. [Laughs.] We will represent Provo like none other. And we’ll get Steve Young to host, um, and you know… David Archuleta, of course. David Archuleta is going to a duet with Tyler. I think this summer, we do have to get Archie to do a number with us somewhere.
So, you had open-heart surgery recently, if I read correctly?
Yeah, I did.
I guess it was something you had to do because you guys were gearing up for this huge tour with this new record?
Yeah, it was the perfect window of opportunity to get it done, so I did it the week before Christmas, and it’s been a slow recovery. I think that for the most part, you know, I’ve been able to do good so far with the travelling, but it’s always good to get checked up and make sure everything’s working right.
Right now, you see Tyler out there a lot talking about his influences and his creative process for this record, and you talked a little bit about how you guys had worked as a collective, but I was curious about your personal musical influences and your experience specifically working on the new record.
Oh, yeah, my personal influences, well… I’m into a lot of older stuff. I’m into a lot of Neil Young, Tom Petty, The Jam, Paul Weller… and I don’t necessarily have to write a song on bass. It can be written on guitar. I just kind of like to see where it’s going. We’ve done that before, where I’ve been playing something on an acoustic guitar for days, and then Tyler will hear and he’s like “Man, I’ve been walking… walking around, you know, with a melody that’s in my head that will be perfect for that,” and it’s just like this synergy that happens. I like doing that.
So it really is a group process for you guys.
Yeah. I really enjoy playing off of other people. I think it’s a fun thing, too that we write with other people. We write with our producers, and other friends at times, and just make it a good camaraderie, because they make your music different than just the four of you together will. So it’s a great opportunity to step outside of yourself, and be forced to try something different. Most other bands won’t do that, because they have to do every little step themselves, and sometimes they realize why they don’t have a song that catches on because they’re just walking in circles, album after album.
Yeah, I have to say, you guys seem like you have a really harmonious dynamic between the four of you, which really comes through in both the music and the videos. It seems that in a lot of ways, the band is really cemented together with friendships.
Yeah. Yeah, I think it is. You know, I think it’s us remembering that, you know, we need to keep each other healthy and happy and that while the music is the purpose that we’re together, there are four humans involved and that the happiness of each of these humans should never be sidelined just for the machine—the machine of the music. Because sometimes we have done that in the past, not on purpose, but just keeping our nose to the grindstone and just working hard, and realized that someone’s exhausted or someone needs help, you know, in their personal life … or that someone needs a heart surgery, you know? Then it’s time to put on the breaks and say “Hey, you know what? It’ll wait.” And it does, so it’s great.
So what do you think will be the big breakout hit, the “Animal,” or “Everybody Talks,” off of Pop Psychology?
Oh man. That’s always hard because I have my personal favorites. Um…
Oh, yeah, you can just talk about your favorites too—you don’t have to predict pop charts here, if you don’t want to.
Well, me and my wife really love, “First Things First.” We jam that all the time and the video for that is amazing. Same with “Voices in the Halls.” What would our third one be? “Living in Another World.” Those three together for me show what a diverse, like, new-style record it is for Neon Trees.
Neon Trees play Ballpark Village (601 Clark, 314-345-9481, stlballparkvillage.com) Thursday, June 26. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and $15. For more information, go to ticketfly.com.
