Interpol

Interpol are a quartet from New York perhaps best known for their color-scheme.

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Interpol Biography

Interpol are a quartet from New York perhaps best known for their color-scheme. Their first two LPs featured red/black/white artwork, and the band themselves are forever clad in a black wardrobe that borders on Hitler Youth Chic.

This visual representation suits their sound: a moody, gloomy brand of rock heavily influenced by English post-punk acts like Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, and the Cure, but still sounding distinctively like Interpol.

"I think that we have a sound," vocalist/guitarist Paul Banks told Pitchfork, in 2007. "I think that you can always hear when it's Interpol, and I think that's because of the personalities in the band."

Background

In 1998, when attending NYU, guitarist Daniel Kessler "individually approached everyone who is now in the band," including Banks, who he'd met at a summer program in Paris. "I had a pretty good feeling that he was someone who could contribute greatly to what we were doing."

The 'we,' in the beginning, were Kessler and original drummer Greg Drudy. Kessler first invited Carlos Dengler to play bass, and then approached Banks, who was, at the time, performing as a Neil Young-inspired singer-songwriter.

"I was never in a rockband before Interpol, and I only joined Interpol because it was really good s**t," the never-modest Banks told me, in a 2004 interview. "Daniel was the only person I’d met who was writing compelling, original music —other than me— so, I was sort of pulled towards him in spite of the fact I wasn’t looking to work with other people."

Initially, the calm Kessler and brash Banks butted heads as Interpol set out on the slow path to discovering their identity. Banks "became the singer because [he] happened to be the guy with the lyrics."

Initially playing under an array of names, they eventually settled on the name Interpol. Their early recordings and shows had, Banks would later offer, "monotonal qualities," because he "wasn't really a singer in a rockband, [but] just someone shouting lyrics."

"It was always therapy, just rehearsing with the band and making a lot of noise," Banks told me, in 2003. "I think it prevented me, through my college years, from smashing a lot of things in fits of rage. If I hadn’t been able to go and play with the band and turn the guitar up really loud, I think I would’ve had a lot of repressed anger."

Beginnings

Playing around New York between 1998 and 2001, Interpol set out to follow "good kinds of career strategies." Meaning, though they self-released early EPs, they were holding out for a big label to sign them. Diligently sending out demos whilst endeavouring to build a local following, they discovered very few labels "were even interested in the slightest."

"We just didn’t want to sign with a bad label, or a label that couldn’t promote the music," Banks recalled. "The majors certainly weren’t knocking down the door for us at that time, because rock wasn’t really a marketable thing in ’99, compared to as it is now."

Their first official release, the Fukd ID #3 EP, came out on Scottish indie imprint Chemikal Underground (home of Arab Strap and the Delgados) late in 2000. After its release, Drudy departed Interpol, and was replaced by Sam Fogarino; whose experience and skill served to 'tighten up' their sound moreso.

Eventually, New York mega-indie Matador Records signed the band in early 2002, but only after the label had already turned down Interpol's first three submissions. "Being on a label like Matador in the US, this great label filled with great artists, that was enough for me," Kessler said, of their early ambitions.

By the time their debut LP, Turn on the Bright Lights, was released in 2002, Interpol had been together for exactly four years. The recording took the band "a long time to be even remotely happy with it," and their hopes for it were of the 'solid' variety. "If we had been angling for some sort of massive fame," Banks would offer, to Pitchfork, in 2007, "we would've written different music."

Interpol Videos

  • interpol-obstacle 1 - YouTube
  • Interpol-Slow hands - YouTube

FAQs on booking Interpol

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    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Interpol for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Interpol, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Interpol or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Interpol

    Speaking fees for Interpol, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Interpol are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Interpol, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Interpol speak about?

    Interpol is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity, Entertainers, Music.
  • Where does Interpol travel from?

    Interpol generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Interpol’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Interpol for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Interpol for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Interpol or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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Interpol is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Interpol for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Interpol generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are The Wallflowers, Tommy Emmanuel, The xx, Dennis E. Gilbert and Debra Christofferson. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Interpol for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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