FOSTER MEN
Mark Foster of American band Foster The People is no fan of the pretentious. He spoke to Leigh-Anne Hunter
Marc Foster sings of violence but speaks peace
I NEVER wrote Pumped Up Kicks [the band’s first hit single, nominated for a Grammy award but widely censored for references to teenage gun violence] to purposefully raise awareness. The song just took on a life of its own. I’ve always looked at a song like a house. The melody invites you through the front door. If it’s good, you’ll easily walk into the house. But the lyrics will make you sit on the couch. A catchy melody is the perfect Trojan horse. I’m proud of that song, though, for creating a discussion around a topic that’s a huge problem in the US. When I moved to Los Angeles I was broke. I delivered pizzas. I learned about appreciating what you have. It was a lesson in work ethic to get home from an eighthour day and have to write songs, knowing that it was my only way out. Funny enough, I found a beautiful symbiotic relationship with working a day job and creativity. That’s when I wrote some of my favourite music. When we started the band, we were committed to social change. There are many artists putting negative messages into the world. The world is dark enough. If we have the ability to write music that takes people out of their head for a few minutes and provides relief, that’s the most powerful thing we can do. I love that music has the power to lift people’s spirits. It can start political revolutions. I wish the industry was as pure as music itself. It’s tough when art is looked at as a product. It’s such a vulnerable thing to be honest in a song. Commerce is often at odds with art. It’s been important to stay close to my family and old friends that will call me out if I’m acting up.
I feel contempt for any pretension when it comes to
art. People who use their knowledge of art to try and outshoot you in a conversational pissing contest drive me crazy. Art should be the truth. It should be closest to the voice of God.
I asked Bono if he had a cure
for writer’s block. He said if you have nothing to say, let the first line you write be, “I don’t have the words.” And then BOOM, writer’s block is over. You just wrote your first line. Sometimes you need to put the pen down
and live your life. Walk out your front door and do something out of the ordinary. The well needs to be filled up before you can drain it out onto paper. I wish I could turn off my internal dialogue. My thoughts rob me of my joy. I watched this video of the philosopher Alan Watts talking about the addiction of thinking. He says that we can get into patterns of thought that lead us to nowhere. Addiction is a taboo thing in
our culture still. I’ve realised as I’ve grown out of some dark situations that it’s a beast I will be wrestling my entire life. It is public discussion and understanding that will allow people who need treatment to have the courage to get it. I got a bulldog puppy this year. His name is Mr Business but his friends call him Biz. His Instagram is @bizthebulldog. I love Game of Thrones. I wish I could roll everywhere with Jon Snow, Daenerys and Tyrion. That would be such a strong crew right?