Grammys interview with Thomas
Pitchfork interview with Thomas
Pitchfork: Congrats on winning a Grammy!
Thomas Mars: Thank you! It sounds like a joke.
Pitchfork: What was the best part about being at the ceremony?
TM: Sitting next to Slash. We talked a little— nothing too deep. We were right by Alice Cooper, too. It really felt like being on a different planet. And then when the show started it really felt like I was on a different planet [laughs].
Pitchfork: Besides Slash, did you run into anyone you never thought you’d actually meet in real life?
TM: Neil Young congratulated us. You never know if it’s his manager saying, “Can you shake these guys’ hands,” or if he knew who we were. But, either way, I’ll take it, you know? [laughs]
It’s weird because it’s very nice, but you feel some sadness to it, too. It’s hard to enjoy the moment. It felt like we’re already on the other side of something, so the four of us are all trying to protect each other. I don’t know if that’s a French thing. I think Serge Gainsbourg always said he was writing sad songs when he was happy and writing happy songs when he was sad, so there was always this feeling that you’re anticipating the next thing.
Pitchfork: What was your favorite performance of the night?
TM: Well, my favorite Cirque du Soleil performance was Pink. It was just…yeah. People were scared she would fall. Someone behind me said, like, “Artists can do that?!” But otherwise, I don’t know. I wish there were more bands that I like, like Dirty Projectors or MGMT. I remember seeing Beck on there when I was growing up and thinking how he was just a totally fresh thing. He was both a great songwriter and he would bring that element of spectacle to the Grammys.
Pitchfork: I always read that people get a lot of free crap at these award shows.
TM: They want to give you everything from perfume to underwear but I don’t accept free things. You have to refuse it because, first of all, they are the ugliest things in the world [laughs], and you feel really like shit when you accept them. The only thing I said yes to was Pirate’s Booty. It was delicious. [laughs]
Pitchfork: I have to ask: Where are you going to put your Grammy award?
TM: It has to go on a shelf somewhere— my girlfriend [Sofia Coppola] has so many awards and now I have one to put on the shelf, too.
Posted by Ryan Dombal on February 2, 2010 at 2:55 p.m.
