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Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld and Jeremy Gara Reflekt On Going Solo, Collaborating And Juicers

Rice cookers are apparently very important to members of the massively influential Canadian group.

Photo via Instagram You may know of a band called Arcade Fire. They’ve won a Grammy, some BRITs, many Junos, and a Polaris Music Prize. Their debut album scored an unheard of 9.7 on Pitchfork. Many people believe they put Canada on the map as an indie rock mecca. Others believe they made they accordion cool. Well, this massively influential band is comprised of individuals who do plenty of work outside of Arcade Fire. Two of them–violinist Sarah Neufeld and drummer Jeremy Gara–just so happen to be releasing solo albums at the same time. And as with most projects outside of Arcade Fire, they’re also collaborators. On Neufeld’s second solo album, The Ridge, Gara provided the percussion she sought to help expand her vision beyond the minimal scope of her 2013 debut, Hero Brother. On Gara’s solo debut, Limn, well, he didn’t return the favour, but during a technically challenged, cross-continent (Neufeld was in New York, Gara in Los Angeles) Skype call, he explained to Noisey why. But what became obvious over 35 minutes was that not only is Arcade Fire a band full of collaborators, it’s also a band full of BFFs that like to break conversation and discuss the joys of juicing on the road.

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Noisey: Was there anything you guys wanted to start with?
Sarah Neufeld: Well, we’re in different cities right now.
Jeremy Gara: It’s just nice to talk!
Neufeld: I know. I’m like, “Well, I miss him.”
Gara: Ditto. Sarah, your first record was drumless. What made you want drums on this record?
Neufeld: Well, I just knew I wanted some percussive element. We had originally talked about doing something a little more electronic, but then the drums just really felt right. The texture felt really alive and complementary to what I was doing already. And I just really heard drums on the songs the way I heard more singing on this record. I wasn’t trying to do the same thing again.

You mention the singing on this record, which is something that you didn’t attempt on your first album, Hero Brother. Was it natural for you to start singing?
Neufeld: Yeah, totally. I’ve always thought of my voice as a little more like an instrument. So I was using it harmonically a bit on the last record, and then just let go of that concept a little and allowed some words to come in. I think it felt natural.

Jeremy, you did not sing on your record. What’s up with that?
Gara: [Laughs] Well, I do not consider my voice to be a pleasant instrument. I didn’t have any words to say. It was just never a possibility. I don’t do that.
Neufeld: I mean, the real elephant in the room Jeremy is why didn’t you get me to play violin on your record? I feel really weird about that [laughs].
Gara: That’s a really good question. You wouldn’t even know if I did though. I manipulated everything so much.
Neufeld: You did put some violin in there but then it went in a blender. In a Vitamix.
Gara: I wish I had a Vitamix!
Neufeld: You don’t have a Vitamix? What are you gonna do?
Gara: I have a $20 Black & Decker.
Neufeld: I am drinking a green juice right now feeling sad for you.
Gara: Thanks.

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When you guys are on the road together do you juice regularly?
Neufeld: A little bit.
Gara: Sometimes there is a juicer kicking around and sometimes not. If we don’t do it ourselves there’s just an excuse to go out and find it.

I suppose you’d need all of the fruits and veg, which isn’t always available.
Gara: That’s the thing. When we’re rolling along on a fancypants tour and we have nice food everywhere then it isn’t necessary. But it’s nice to have a reason to go out and find good food though.
Neufeld: I wish there was an invention for my solo tour that was one part rice cooker, one part juicer, one part AeroPress. Because I’ll be living in a van!
Gara: Isn’t there a Ninja brand Bullet that does something like that.
Neufeld: It doesn’t make rice or espresso. Okay, let’s get off this thread or we’re going to sound like [singing voice] assholes!

I was going to ask Jeremy about bringing in other musicians for his album, but I feel like since it was this minimal ambient record it might not have needed anyone.
Gara: For me, it didn’t work that way. I didn’t have a plan. Sarah made a plan to make a record and she put it in my brain months before we even started. She wanted some ears and collaboration on it. And it didn’t end up exactly as planned, but she did plan to have me and Colin [Stetson] on it. But with me I just ended up making a record by going deep with music I was messing around with. I never planned to do it. I don’t think I will include anybody in it for a while. It’s so new to me to spend time on my own thing. I don’t know how yet.
Neufeld: That’s how I felt on my first record. It’s such a natural starting point when you’re so used to collaborating, to want to do the complete opposite. You just want to be in your own wormhole and see what you do. Have no input at all. It’s so refreshing.

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Jeremy, you’re known as a drummer but you also play a wide array of instruments. Was there a reason why you went with an ambient record that doesn’t really demonstrate your multi-instrumental talents?
Gara: Probably subconsciously, yeah, that’s the music I listen to the most. One could argue it’s the complete opposite of all the music I collaborate with people on. It’s the opposite of Arcade Fire, which is a lot of different instruments and pop song structures and words. So when I’m just goofing around in my basement or on tour with a little synth, I realize that I totally zone out on single synth tones. Sarah probably had the same experience with her first record. Your impulse is to first do what comes naturally, which is usually the opposite of what you’re doing every single day. So it kind of started that way.

When I spoke with Will Butler a year ago, he discussed how easy it is to work with Jeremy on something outside of the band. Plus, he added that you are “as good as any drummer from any band, ever.” Sarah, is Jeremy just a go-to kind of guy or was this a specific collaboration in your mind?
Neufeld: Well, I think it’s kind of an indirect bunch of reasons. But Jeremy and I love a lot of the same music, and we get excited about music together. And none of it necessarily sounds like my music or Arcade Fire. So we nerd out on stuff together and he introduces me to a lot of new stuff. I also listen to a lot of ambient music and weird electronic music. We had a moment of glory together watching Slowdive together last summer in Spain. We pull from a lot of the same worlds, so I thought it would be fun to put our heads together and collaborate in a different way musically in a project. We’ve played together on a lot of different stuff, but this was the first time we got to put our brains together as a little team. And yeah, he is as good as any drummer ever, but it was more about geeking out together. I don’t know, Jeremy, does that make sense?
Gara: Umm, yeah. I don’t know [laughs]. We’ve always had, even within the context of a giant band, a really good relationship. The two of us connect beyond working together. And it’s been ten years that we’ve played in Arcade Fire, so it’s nice to go beyond the talk of “we should do something!” and crossing that line to see what happens. Less technical stuff like, “Your drum style works here” and more about connecting on a level.
Neufeld: Yeah, more about walking through a door together. And it was fun!

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And Jeremy, you’ve worked with Sarah, Owen Pallett and Will Butler on their projects. Do you enjoy that role?
Gara: Yeah. And Tim [Kingsbury] too. I’m in his band too [laughs]. I think I’m just easy to get along with, which is probably the main reason why I’m doing all of that stuff. But no, I love it. I will play with anybody. I love playing drums, quite simply. I don’t know if I have chops, but I’m pretty pleasant to be around, I think. I don’t know! I remember when Owen had me play on his record Heartland and we went to Iceland to record. Owen is open to ideas, but really knows what he wants and has strong ideas of his own. He had me trying some things he had in mind that technically I wasn’t able to do. Like I can’t do a press roll or I’m not so good at counting to 13 with my left foot with my hi-hat. I just couldn’t do it. But I’m really nice at dinner [laughs].

So, you’re a better companion than drummer?
Neufeld: You’re doing the classic Canadian undersell, that’s good.
Gara: Yeah. Also I’m super cheap and I’m very available!
Neufeld: Do you know how bad the dollar is right now? It’s amazing! [Laughs]

Obviously neither record sounds like Arcade Fire. Did you ever take into account what an Arcade Fire fan might think about the music when you were making it?
Neufeld: I don’t think about it too much, because I’ve had a pretty experimental band the whole time that I co-founded. And I’m such a music weirdo that I don’t ever feel synonymous with the type of music that is Arcade Fire. I play the strings in the band, so it’s different for me. I’m always really happy when someone walks through the door via Arcade Fire. I think it’s cool when there are kids in the audience that are into all kinds of music, but that’s a bit of a crapshoot.
Gara: Yeah, we’re both mindful of it. Of course we know that a lot of people will stumble upon the music through Arcade Fire, but I don’t think it really changes the process or why we’re doing it or what we’re doing. Some people might really be into it, which is cool.

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How often do you guys discuss your solo work or solo ideas when you’re on tour with Arcade Fire? Is that something you all do together?
Neufeld: I think it happens quite a bit, especially considering how much we all play on each other’s solo projects. Like I played with Richie [Reed Parry] on Heart and Breath and Bell Orchestre, and Jeremy plays with everyone. We’re just supportive of everyone’s musical landscapes. Owen was opening up for the Reflektor shows way, way back. We’re all there for each other in many ways.
Gara: Ever since we’ve all been able to do music full-time we’ve been constantly thinking about things and actually just trying to move forward on all the ideas we have. When Arcade Fire is really busy or on tour together, it’s a really strong pool of good musicians, so it’s nice that we can ask each other to spend more time together on a different project, knowing that the way we all are as musicians is pretty open. Also we’ve been together so long that we know how to communicate well together. Like if I go play with Will and he has a strong idea I know I will just play drums. But if I’m working with Sarah and she’s open to collaboration, we have such a good relationship that we can dig in different ways together.

So are you guys touring together for The Ridge?
Gara: I wish!
Neufeld: Well, we got to a little bit last year when we opened up for St. Vincent’s tour, way before the record was even finished. I loved that. But these tours I’m doing are long, and Stef Schneider has gracefully stepped in and accepted the time challenge.

How do you like the intimate solo gigs compared to the arena or festival gigs you play with Arcade Fire?
Neufeld: Oh, so fun, so easy. Arcade Fire shows are so fun too, but this is very, very different. We would set up and break down in seven minutes [laughs]. We do exactly what we want to do all of the time.
Gara: Yeah, it’s a lot easier to get dinner reservations for three than it is for 30. And to me the default is still to hop in a van with your comrades and just make it happen. That’s it. It still feels like a default even though hours wise we do more with Arcade Fire.
Neufeld: Yeah, I am so hands-on involved in the nitty gritty of my upcoming tours. It’s such a different experience from having everything planned out for you. I am happy to know both sides, and it makes you really appreciate when you don’t have to do everything for yourself, but also it also feels really rewarding when you do. It’s a different exchange with the whole process.

Is there one key piece of advice as a solo artist Sarah that you can give to Jeremy?
Neufeld: I don’t know if Jeremy needs my advice. I overthink everything way too much and I don’t think he does that. So you’re already a step ahead of me buddy? You have good boundaries with that kind of stuff. You’re like, “I’m gonna do it. It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be great.” And I get really obsessed with stuff. Practice. Practice. Practice. Don’t you think?
Gara: Wow. Thank you. I appreciate that advice. Cam Lindsay is a writer from Toronto. Follow him on Twitter.