DIIV’s Zachary Cole Smith talks ‘Is the Is Are’ on Mornings
February 19th 2016
FBi Radio
- DIIV :: Interview with Greta Balog on Mornings
“I think all debut records should be a short statement of purpose; a kind of ‘in and out’ thing… But this record I wanted to have a real human quality. I wanted it to be vulnerable, kind of like I was, or I am. I wanted it to be something that on the surface might seem easily criticised, but hopefully, through the course of listening to it and immersing yourself in the world of the record, will win you over.”
In town for St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival, DIIV frontman Zachary Cole Smith spoke with Greta Balog on Mornings about their long-awaited new record, Is the Is Are.
Named FBi’s album of the week shortly after the interview, this double album has been a vessel through which DIIV have poured the narrative of their last few years. Cole spoke about how the band has tried to move on from the negativity that has plagued them between their debut album Ocean and Is the Is Are:
“I definitely wanted to shift the conversation back to the music. But also, that whole story and everything that happened is an important part of the narrative of the record… It’s a part of my life no matter what. I hear everything that people say about me, it all affects who I am.
“The record is a response to all that’s happened in my life over the last couple of years – good and bad. It’s not all a dark, wallowy record that’s all negative and addiction and all that stuff – there’s also love songs and, I hope, a bit of humour. Or at least some irony.”
While Cole talks about the human quality of DIIV’s music, in their time off in Sydney the band hit up some natural wildlife, tried to find platypus, panicked about spiders and made friends with a couple of ‘roos – so these two things mustn’t be mutually exclusive.
Aside from obviously being friends to the animals, they’re great mates themselves, with Cole admitting that his favourite part of playing live is watching Bailey “jump around and have fun on stage, honestly that gives me so much joy.”
Listen to the full interview above – including a Rolling Stones track chosen by Cole.
He also made us an artwork – which you can now bid on it our Brush With Fame auction!
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