In this interview, American musician Kurt Samuel Vile (b.1980) talks about his background, and how growing up in a large family may have affected his personality, causing him to be a little weird ”in a charming way.” He explains that he can be quite hyper when with good friends, but that he is also an introvert drifting of into his own little world, often creating music while in sort of a daze.

About his latest album, Vile says that the songs are the result of a natural evolution. He is always a bit more ambitious, spending more time, using new skills. Vile also says that he likes music and writing because you can convince someone that something is real, but it doesn’t really matter if you believe it or not.

Kurt Vile is a former member of indie rock band The War on Drugs, but went solo with the album ‘Constant Hitmaker’ in 2008. Vile is accompanied by his backing band, The Violators, which currently includes multi-instrumentalists Jesse Trbovich and Rob Laakso, alongside drummer Kyle Spence.

Kurt Vile was interviewed by Børge Igor Brandt at Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2013.

Footage from the music video Never Run Away, 2013, from the album ‘Wakin On A Pretty Daze’.

Edited by: Kamilla Bruus
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2014

Supported by Nordea-fonden