Passion Pit

A conversation with Ayad Al Adhamy

(July 2009)

Interview by Alex Pudlin

Passion Pit have had quite a whirlwind 2009 so far. From a nationwide tour to major exposure in mainstream magazines like Rolling Stone to an addictive full-length debut album adored by fans and critics alike, the guys in Passion Pit haven’t had much time to take a break. Even John Mayer gave them a shout-out on his blog recently.  But we managed to track down one of the elusive bunch.  Passion Pit’s synth wizard Ayad Al Adhamy admirably steps in to rep Pit mastermind Michael Angelakos and the rest of the guys as we chat about working with kids, crowds and the death of music videos. And for those who haven’t yet heard Passion Pit, pay close attention to Adhamy’s advice on the best way to hear their music. You don’t want to deprive your ears of any unabashedly poppy enjoyment.

Since the recording and release of Chunk of Change, Passion Pit's become a full-scale band. How do you think your position in the band has affected the process Michael began on Chunk of Change?

Beyond what I actually contribute to the recording in terms of production and programming/sequencing, I think having a full band has been on the forefront of Mike's mind when he writes the songs, which in turn makes it easier to reinterpret live.

A couple songs on Manners feature the PS22 kids choir. What's it like working with kids on music?

Incredible and humbling. Those kids are more talented and passionate about music than I have ever been. Greg (their director) had an amazing system of conducting them really efficiently and creatively that made it extremely easy to get what we wanted, which they exceeded; they were way better than we could have ever wanted.

What do you like most about the road? From the stage can you sense differences in city's fanbases? What city has the best/worst fans?

Every show has a different energy, even the same city two nights in a row can be completely different. It's not so much specific cities that are bad or good, its more the circumstances of the show. If we have been there before, it's usually a great crowd, and all ages shows tend to be really hectic; younger people care more about music than old people that just want to get drunk at the bar. That being said, nothing makes me happier than a head of grey hair dancing in the middle of the crowd.

Hailing from a place with frigid winters, humid summers and an undying passion for sports, do you think Boston culture has influenced your music at all?

The northeast in general has an attitude and I think that has affected all of us. When its 10 degrees and snowing, no one has time for bullshit. I think that is how a lot of our music is, straight to the point. If the light is green and you're not moving, we are honking.

Although the sounds of Manners have plenty of elements that make the album undeniably contemporary, there appear to be nods to the electro-pop of the '80s. Growing up did most of you guys listen to the music of the day or did you rediscover it once you got older? How do you effectively synthesize older genres with your more forward-thinking ambitions?

I definitely rediscovered new wave in high school. I had a Tears for Fears/Duran Duran/XTC phase that lasted too long. Something about it was familiar being born in the '80s, but I don’t remember the '80s at all so it was kind of fresh. I don’t think we attempt to recreate that music in anyway; we just happen to love pop and a good analog synth, and that tends to lead down the same road as a lot of '80s pop.

Since music videos don't appear on TV all that often anymore, what role do you think the music video has for current artists?

As TV becomes obsolete, the music video will always survive and thrive on the internet. Music videos have a great effect on how someone visualizes a song, and there is a lot of opportunity to stretch the affinity of song. A dance song can become a ballad with the right video.

Who are some of your contemporaries, across all genres, that you hope to collaborate with one day?

I really like all the guys coming out of Bristol rite now. Gemmy, Joker, Jakes and the like, I really like what they are bringing back and elaborating on.

What's the best way to hear Passion Pit's music?

I think live but CDs and iPods are just fine. And vinyl is cool cus it forces you to listen to the tracklisting in order.