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James Mercer Needed A Break From "Exhausting" Shins
James Mercer Needed A Break From "Exhausting" Shins
Ben Hewitt
, January 20th, 2010 06:35
Singer also reveals new album won't be out until 2011
James Mercer has admitted that he took a break from The Shins because he was "exhausted" from his work with the band.
Mercer, who is about to release an album with Danger Mouse under the guise of Broken Bells, said that the collaboration had appealed to him as a way of lessening the creative burden he felt in The Shins.
"I think I had just been doing the same thing, you know, for so long and wanted to do something new," said the singer. "I was getting a little bit exhausted over having so much responsibility over the success of the records and everything, so I wanted to collaborate and see what it was like to work with somebody on an equal footing.
"It puts you in a situation where all you have to do is come up with ideas and be creative."
However, he did reveal that he plans to work on new material for The Shins this year, even if the album isn't released in 2011.
He said: "The main thing I'll be doing is promoting this [Broken Bells] record, but in between I'll be writing songs and recording stuff probably later on in the year, but it won't come out until next year."
Coming soon: A Quietus interview with James Mercer and Danger Mouse aka Broken Bells
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Luke Turner
Jan 27, 2010 1:43am
Jan 27, 2010 1:43am
"Bin man needs break from 'exhausting' round"
"vet needs break from 'exhausting' lambing"
"doctor needs break from 'exhausting' stopping people dying"
"Funeral director needs break from 'exhausting' burials"
Bloody lazy bastard indie rock musicians.
Fin
Feb 6, 2010 10:52am
Feb 6, 2010 10:52am
Heard some of the new shins material, it sounds awesome. Disappointed that we're going to have to wait at least another year for the album
Deborah
Aug 27, 2010 11:37pm
Aug 27, 2010 11:37pm
In reply to Luke Turner:
we assume therefore that you are familiar with/responsible for producing high quality songs/touring etc. etc. mmmmmm... perhaps not...
Alex
Jan 27, 2011 1:16am
Jan 27, 2011 1:16am
James Mercer is a lot of things. Talented, certainly. A nice person? Less so. Here he is singlehandedly taking credit for the success of an entire band - and an excellent one at that. If the other members don't have much creative input, it's only because Mercer's something of a control freak.
Feb 25, 2011 8:27pm
In reply to Alex:
Are you stupid? Mercer comes up with a lot of the ideas; it's more of a solo band that the other members contribute to. I'm not saying the rest of them don't have ideas, but Mercer's clearly the main songwriter. Get over it.
AtheistConservative
Mar 21, 2011 2:48am
Mar 21, 2011 2:48am
Yeah, Mercer's kind of a douche. This is why I hate learning about people whose music/movies/stories/whatever I like. They're always such a disappointment.
Oh, and Broken Bells was really meh. One great song, one good song, the rest was awful. Kind of puts the whole "I come up with everything The Shins do" thing in perspective. Sometimes it seems that way, but it's a collaborative environment that makes you more creative. Get the band back together, James.
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News Headlines
Jan 19, 2010 6:59pm
Goddamn seductive Danger Mouse
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