We talk to the frontman of one of the most infamous live bands on the planet, Gogol Bordello to catch up on their new album, Pura Vida Conspiracy, whether they have any plans to tour Australia again, clown training and more!
Congratulations on the new album. Are you enjoying getting to play the new songs live?
Absolutely.
It’s been a few years since your last record. You’ve been living in Latin America, so there’s a lot of different sounds happening in it.
This album is an all inclusive album. The title is taken from a Spanish phrase “Pura Vida”, which means pure life. That’s because every language has something to offer that others don’t.
Through writing the album, I was thinking of a unifying thing, and that seemed to have potential, because that’s something I’ve always been interested in; the sensibility of the human spirit.
And then, one time we walked off stage in Colombia, the crowd started chanting “Pura Vida! Pura Vida!”, and I thought “Wow. That’s the title right there!”
I think now actually that the title is a kind of ironic of most people, the people who are obsessed with living in the future or in the past. Very few are living right now, in the present.
Speaking of present; You’re getting to tour all over the world in the next few months. Is there anywhere you’re looking forward to going?
I have my favourite places to go of course, but at the same time I look at touring as difficult… but I enjoy that kind of challenge. At one point I want to take the four most fit guys in our band, go into clown training so we could juggle and reach into the people and dance around fire with them. That’s kind of what I want to do. But that would probably a year or two from now.
Any plans to get down to Australia in the near future?
Well, we had a great time in Australia when we went the first time. So in a way I can’t wait to get back there. It’s really just a matter on fitting it in on a schedule.
Well we hope to get you back down here soon. I imagine your live show is amazing at the moment, as always.
Yeah, the band at the moment is in a very uplifting condition. Because we’re all pretty much in agreement that it’s our best record.
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Pura Vida Conspiracy is available now.
Transcription assistance from Leo Silvestrini. Photo by Johnny Au.
