Hi, we're back This is Radio
And we're here with Conor Oberst of the band
Bright Eyes
How are you doing Conor?
Fine, thanks
Just a little wet
Oh, it's still coming down out
there?
Yeah, I sorta had to run from the car
Well, we are glad you made it
Now, your new album fevers and mirrors
Tell us a little bit about the title
I noticed there is a good deal
of repeated imagery in the lyrics
Fevers, mirrors, scales, clocks
Could you discuss some of this?
Sure, let's see
The fever is (first)
First, let me say that this is a brilliant
record, man
We're all really into it here at the
station
We get lot's of calls, it's
really good stuff
Thanks, thanks a lot
So, talk a little bit about some
of the symbolism
The fever?
Sure
Well, the fever is basically whatever ails you or
oppresses you
It could be anything
In my case it's my neurosis, my
depression
But I don't want to be limited to that
It's certainly different
for different people
It's whatever keeps you up at night
(I see)
And the mirror is like,
as you might've guessed
Self-examination or or reflection, whatever
form
This could be vanity or self-loathing
I I know I'm guilty of both
That's interesting, how about the scale?
The scale's essentially our attempt to
solve our problems quantitatively
Through logic or rationalization
In my opinion, it's often fruitless but
Always, not always
And the clocks and calendars,
it's just time
Our little measurements,
it's like always chasing after us
It is, it is
Uh, how about this Arienette? How
does she fit into all of this
I'd prefer not to talk about it, in
case she's listening
Oh, I'm sorry,
I didn't realize she's a real person
She's not, but I made her up
Oh, so she's not real?
Just as real as you or I
I don't think I understand
Neither do I,
but after I grow up I will
You know what?
A lot of things are really unclear for me right
now
That's interesting,
now you mentioned your depression
No I didn't
You're from Nebraska right?
Yeah, so?
Now let me know if I'm getting
to personal
But there seems to be a pretty dark past
back there somewhere
What was it like for you growing up?
Dark? Not really
Um, actually I had a great childhood
My parents are wonderful,
I went to Catholic school
They have, they had money, so
It was all easy
I basically had everything
I wanted handed to me
Really?
So some of the references like babies in
bathtubs are not biographical?
Well I did have a brother who died in a bathtub,
drowned
Actually I had 5 brothers that
died that way
Haha
No, I'm serious
My mother drowned one every year for
5 consecutive years
They were all named Patrick
So that's, they all got one song
Hmm
It's kinda like walking
out a door to discover it's a window
But your music is certainly very
personal
Of course, I put my a lot of myself
into what I do
But it's like being an author
You have to free yourself to use symbolism
and allegory to reach your goal
And a part of that is compassion,
empathy for other people and their situations
So what I sing about comes from
other people experiences as well as my own
It shouldn't matter, the message
is intended to be universal
I see what you mean
Can you make that sound stop please?
Yes
And your goal?
I don't know, uh, create feelings I guess?
A song, it never ends up the way you
plan it
That's funny you would say that,
do you think that
Do you ever hear things that aren't
really there?
I'm sorry, what?
Never mind
How long have you
worked at this station?
Just a few minutes
Uh, now you mentioned
empathy for others
Would you say that is what motivates you
to make the music that you make?
No, not really
It's more a need for sympathy
(depression)
I want people to feel sorry for me
I like to feel the burn of the
audiences eyes on me
When I'm whispering all my darkest secrets
into the microphone
(Like we're a god damn fucking,
hospital)
(But it's just a little fucking VJ radio
bullshit show man)
When I was a kid I used to carry this safety
pin around with me
Everywhere I went, in my pocket and
When people weren't paying enough attention to me (what the fuck do you think
we are?)
I'd dig it into my arm until I started crying (are we recording
artists or puppets?)
Everyone would stop what they were doing and ask
me what was the matter
I guess, I kinda liked that
Really? You're telling me you're doing this all for attention?
(this is bullshit dude)
No, I hate it when people look at me
I get nauseous
In fact, I could care less what people think
about me
Do you feel well? Wanna dance?
No, I'm feeling sick
I really just wanna be warm yellow
light that pours all over everyone I love
So you're going to play something for us
now, is this a new song?
Yeah, but I haven't written it yet
It's one I've been meaning to write
Called, "A Song To Pass The Time"
(yeah)
Oh that's a nice title
Mmm
You should write your own script
Yeah, no (check the fucking
mic)
(I kept singing today)
