fun., a super trio of former band members from The Format, Steel Train and Anathallo, began in 2008 as an inspiration from singer/songwriter Nate Ruess. Ruess moved from Arizona to New York, and contacted musicians Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost. They got to work on album one, Aim and Ignite, an immediately appealing and stirring CD. Since its 2009 release they’ve toured as openers for bands Jack’s Mannequin, Paramore and Weezer. Now they’re back on tour after nearly completing album two (plus releasing a deluxe edition of Aim and Ignite), and on Friday, June 24th they’ll be in Seattle with Panic! At the Disco. I can’t wait! Nate Ruess talked with me last week about movies, musicals and the great vocals in fun..
Is your follow-up to Aim and Ignite completed?
Nate Ruess: Almost finished and hoping to be out in late summer. It’s 90 percent done.
Have you made any changes in sound for this CD?
NR: I think so. Nothing that wasn’t natural as far as us progressing. As a songwriter I always want to look for something different but I never want to force the issue. I want it to be as natural as possible. I think we made some big changes but there’s still a naturalness to who we are.
How was making the video for “Walking the Dog”? It must have taken a long time to do all that painting.
NR: It was horrible. I was in the worst mood I think I’ve ever been in. We had 24 hours to do it and then we had to fly straight to England. It was one of those moments, like touring with bigger bands, when I see them get carted around so much I always feel so bad for them. That was my one moment to be carted around, doing 90 different things. Usually we space things out so that we have a moment to catch our breath. That wasn’t the case and I think I was just in a really bad mood so you can imagine taking 4 hours to paint my entire body.
fun.
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