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Interview: Glen Hansard of the Frames

By Maya Marin
Noisetap Editor


After nearly two decades of releasing album after album of critically acclaimed music—but receiving surprisingly little mainstream response in the U.S.—Irish band the Frames seem to finally be getting the attention they’ve long deserved. Strange that the vehicle to get them there would have been a low-budget indie film written and directed by ex-Frames member John Carney. The film, Once, is a musical starring Frames frontman and songwriter Glen Hansard and Czech singer/pianist Marketa Irglova, and the accolades it’s received are glowing—to say the least. “Close to perfect” says New York Times. “A magical, beguiling wonder,” declares Rolling Stone.

Glen and Marketa are currently playing shows to support the Once Soundtrack as well as their 2006 album The Swell Season, and the Frames are gearing up to embark on a North American tour in August. I caught up with Glen (and briefly with Marketa) via telephone to speak about the film, the tour, and his approach to performing live.

We American Frames fans have always felt somewhat spoiled to be able to see you in smaller, intimate venues—but all of that will probably change when Once gets its wide US release in October and more Americans are exposed to your music. Do you have any anticipation in regards to this?
Glen Hansard: Well I have to say that I’m over the moon. I’d be an idiot to say, “Fuck it, I don’t care” because it almost feels to me that the Frames have almost gone out and canvassed for every single member of our audience so far, and it almost feels to me sometimes that we know every single member of our audience. On this trip, for instance, there’s a really good fan of ours in Philadelphia, Emma, and she’s like “This fucking film! What is this going to do to you?” And I was like, “What do you mean?” And she was like, “You’ll be playing to Wachovia Center now in Philly and we’ll never get to see you again and I don’t like this!” And I was like, this is amazing! Fair play to her honesty, but on the other hand, I’m like, you know, isn’t this what we do it for and isn’t this what you wanted? So it’s a weird double-edged sword. You have to just kind of embrace this and kind of enjoy it. And to be honest with you, the past couple of weeks have been really, really amazing for me. And it kind of feels like for seventeen years…it was kind of like the Frames against the world. You’re making your albums and you’re putting out your art and you’re really into it. And then one day you make this little film as part of you moving on and doing your thing…and one day the world just turns around and goes “What?” You’re kicking the world’s ass for all that time and it turns around and goes “What?”—and it’s the most terrifying and overwhelming and weird feeling. So that’s what it’s felt like. We landed in New York four or five days ago, myself and Mara. We did an interview with I think it was Sirius Radio, and we decided to walk back and within two blocks we got stopped like twenty times saying “I really enjoyed your film. Thank you.” And the response we’ve been getting has been really genuine, which gives me a lot of heart, I’ve gotta say. Because, you know, if we were in some sort of big American romantic comedy I’d be so fucking ashamed right now. But it just doesn’t feel like that, it feels like a different thing. Not that American romantic comedies are evil. (laughs)

Well, I’m not going to argue with you that they’re not evil! It’s really just selfishness on the part of fans, which is really funny because for years they’ve been saying that the Frames has to be one of the most underrated bands out there. So that, now, when you’re finally getting your due, it’s funny that they shouldn’t accept it.
GH: You know, it would feel very strange and would make me feel very angry. And I don’t know because we haven’t toured here since all this kicked off. We’re going to be out here in a month or so—we’re going to Australia and New Zealand first. We’re going to tour with Bob Dylan next week and I’m really excited about that. But if we come back to America and people start giving us shit about it, I’m just going to say, “Are you going to fucking pay my rent?” (laughs) You know?

That’s right! I remember when I watched the film a couple months ago, I couldn’t help but overhear a couple talking next to me who were amazed that you and Mara had not only “acted” in the movie, but were shocked to find in the credits that you both wrote the songs as well. How do you react to the fact that a lot of people’s first impression might be that you’re an “actor who also writes music?”
GH: Well that’s kind of strange for me. Yeah, it is. But then again I guess in all the interviews we’ve done—and maybe people don’t read interviews—but certainly anything that we’ve put out there in the world, the whole thing was that John had kind of discovered fairly late on...I mean…Cillian (Murphy) was to play this role. And Cillian only pulled out like two weeks before we start shooting and I was given, basically, a couple days to decide. Because John had kind of thought about a couple other people. I’d recommended Damien Rice for the role because Damien’s younger than me and the character in the film was meant to be a younger kind of guy. And John was like, “No, Glen, I really want you to do it.” So I only had a couple of days to think about it because after that I was in. I was locked in to the job. And so…so…I can’t remember your question now, sorry!

Would it get your goat in any way that people wouldn’t know that, foremost, you’re a musician?
GH: Not really. I don’t really care. Because the kind of people who would come and see the film who’d say, “Oh look a couple of actors wrote music, let’s check them out…or let’s not.” It doesn’t really matter to me. I guess, in a way, what always really matters is that someone says, “Well, who are these guys? What are they about?” And John came to the conclusion very quickly that he’d rather have a couple of musicians who can half act than have a couple of actors who can half sing. And that’s been kind of the thing we’ve been saying across the board and it makes a lot of sense to me. So, I don’t know. If anyone does their homework they’ll realize that we’re musicians and not actors.

You seem to be a big fan of the cinema, having named the album Fitzcarraldo after the Werner Herzog film and if I’m not mistaken, there are maybe a few other cinematic allusions in your music?
GH: Ah, there’s plenty of ‘em!

So is film a medium you’ve always wanted to dabble in?
GH: Well it’s always something I’ve wanted to do as somebody who made films. I mean, I do shoot a lot of stuff. I’ve got a 16mm camera and I do really enjoy that idea. But I guess I’m more just a kind of lover of film. I was very upset to hear today that Ingmar Bergman died. I was really, really sad. So I guess I’d be a fan of film rather than somebody who would ever feel that I had a place in it. But I have to say, John’s original script for Once…was, you know…it was pretty light. And that was the thing, once myself and Mara got on board it was kind of like, “Ok John, you want us to do this film? Now you’d better be fucking brave and you’d better make something that’s real.” And it was almost a challenge. Let’s make this film for nothing because if we use a producer, it’s not that making a film for money is bad, but if we use a producer it means that we’re in a situation where they’re gonna have a say in what goes on. And I really don’t want anyone telling us what we should and shouldn’t do with this film. Let’s fucking do it against all odds. And also, that kiss scene at the end? It’s gone! There’s no fucking kiss scene in this film. They never get it together because they can’t! And so myself and Mara and John sat down and we argued and argued and basically fought for what I think ended up as a good script or a good basic story. So I guess my love of cinema definitely helped with fighting John on a few points. Because what I think Once is, for me anyway, is it’s kind of a simple…it’s almost like a Dardenne brothers story but with music. But for some reason, I never would have thought, honestly, no disrespect for the taste of America, but I just never would have thought that America was a place where it would have any impact.

Sometimes there’s just no telling.
GH: Yes, there’s no telling. That’s the thing, there’s no telling. And what people have responded to in this film is something that we never really even thought about. ‘Cause people keep on saying there’s a genuineness to it. And that was something I guess we never even thought about.

Have you been getting offered more film roles as a result?
GH: (laughs) Yeah, I got offered a couple of film roles, yeah. We’re not doing them, but I got offered them and it was nice to get offered. It’s one of those things, you know, if someone like Herzog comes along and says “I know you’re a fan and I’d like to use you in something.” Or, you know, Jim Jarmusch…you know what I mean? Of course you’d do it! Of course Mara would do it. But that hasn’t happened (laughs).

So nothing less is going to tempt you away.
GH: Well just the idea of getting an agent here in L.A. or wherever right now…it’s just a bit surreal.

Alright, so let’s talk now about music. You’re currently on your Swell Season tour, and the Frames start touring in August.
GH: Yeah.

So when was the last Frames tour? I know you’ve been touring solo for a while.
GH: We did a European tour about two or three months ago and then we come back and did a US tour after that. (Speaking off the phone to Marketa) When were we here last Mara? When were we last in America, the Frames? (Pause) It was in the spring sometime, was it in April? Yes it was in April and me and Mara now have kind of come back and done this. And then we’ve been doing summer festivals. And even the night before this we were in Belgium for a festival. So, like, the Frames has been working pretty much nonstop up to now and I’ll jump on a plane straight to New Zealand after this, so we’re busy, you know? And I guess I have to keep both of them on the go. But it’s quite difficult for me jumping from one to the other. It’s not as simple as just putting down the electric guitar and picking up the acoustic. It is quite difficult because it’s a different head space, you know?

Definitely. I can imagine. So…Mara is there?
GH: Mara is here, yeah. Do you want to say hello?

Sure!
GH: ’K, hang on.
Marketa Irglova: How are you?

I’m good, how are you doing?
MI: Good, good.

I wasn’t expecting to talk to you today, so thanks so much for jumping on the phone. So…I wanted to ask—will you be making any guest appearances on the Frames tour?
MI: No (laughs). That’s a question people have been asking me. They’ve kind of just expected me to be there with the Frames in September. But no, I kind of have to explain to them that I’ve never really played with the Frames. So no, I’m not going to be over in September.

I ask because I’m sure this is something our readers would be interested to know. But, too bad, then.
MI: Well…apologies. (laughs)

It’s alright. But you are playing live right now. In fact you’ve got a show in LA coming up very soon.
MI: Yeah. We’re playing on Wednesday at the El Rey Theatre.

I saw you play at the Troubadour last year with Glen, and also at Largo.
MI: Oh nice, nice. I remember both those gigs.

I was front row center and you both sounded amazing.
MI: Thank you.

Is it a bit more intimidating playing in larger venues now for this tour?
MI: No, not at all. I mean, we’ve just been really excited about the whole thing. It’s just great walking onstage in a venue full of people. The biggest gig we did was in Washington D.C. which was 1200 people in the 930 Club and it’s just such an amazing feeling to walk on stage and feel the energy of the room. So intimidating is not the word. If anything, it’s exciting and energizing and…and… (voices are heard in the background) Oh, we’re just in the Jay Leno (The Tonight Show) studio…I think we’re on soon.

Oh, are you on soon? Ok! Well…thanks so much for talking with me.
MI: No problem (laughs). I’ll put you on to Glen.
GH: Hiya.

Hi. So I hear you’re onstage pretty soon?
GH: Yeah! It’s cool, it’s cool. I mean, we’ve played this song a million times so it’s not like we…uh…

What song are you doing?
GH: It’s ”Falling slowly.” So it’s not like we have to worry about it. (laughs)

Alright, speaking of live performances, you encourage a lot of interaction when you perform. Is it important for you to have the audience dictate, in a way, the setlist and other elements of a gig?
GH: Not really, no. I guess at one point in my life it was…I’m really into the idea, the hippie idea of a happening. That we’re all in a room and it’s all happening there and then. I’m really into that, but I guess more and more I’m kind of getting more into the idea that…actually what audiences want sometimes is that they want you to be the artist, you know. And sometimes I get stick for it from my band who say [the audience] just wants you to do your thing and they can just watch it. Rather than you interacting and you, basically, letting them set the terms. So it’s definitely a bit of both. I mean I do like the idea of it but I think sometimes you have to…you’ve got to know when to…uh…

Take the reigns.
GH: When to take the reigns, exactly, and take control of what you’re doing.

You’ve already released two terrific live CDs (Setlist & Breadcrumb Trail) but are there any hopes of you releasing a DVD?
GH: Well, we’ve got so much footage now. So much footage. It’s all down to me. I keep blocking it because I keep looking at it and going, “It’s not good enough and people won’t like it.” So basically what needs to happen is that it just needs to be taken away from me. I need someone to kind of take it away from me and someone else just put it out and say, “Glen, fuck you. You don’t have any say about this. We’re doing it anyway.” So that’s kind of where I need it to go.

I see. Ok, let’s make that happen.
GH: Yeah (laughs). We’ve got tons of footage. At this stage it will almost be like a DVD which will span 20 years almost.

That would be amazing.
GH: Yeah.

I know that you are a big admirer of greats like Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen & Bob Dylan whom you were fortunate enough to meet early on in your career. Do you think it’s important for established musicians to seek and help out emerging musicians, and are there any up and coming artists that you’re championing?
GH: I don’t think it’s important to seek anybody out or to help anybody out. I think it’s important that you make your way in the world and that you do your thing. And I think that if you’re being true and if you’re good, you’ll always find your way. Fionn Regan…he’s an Irish guy who’s just released an album that has just floored me. I just think it’s fantastic. He’s on tour right now in the States. If you get a chance to see him, you shouldn’t miss him.

What is it about him do you believe sets him apart?
GH: I’m not really sure, you’ve just got to listen to those songs. He’s got an album called The End of History that’s just come out. He’s getting a little bit of attention, but I really think you should take a listen to it. It’s kind of hard to explain what it is he’s doing. It’s kind of simple, but sometimes something that’s quite simple has such a great impact.

Certainly. Well, I think we’re up to our last question--which is a standard question that we like to ask artists. What’s the most memorable concert that you’ve ever attended and why?
GH: The most memorable concert I’ve ever attended was a Leonard Cohen concert when I was 15. I went to see Leonard Cohen with my cousin who was like five years older than me. He had recently been hit by a stolen car in Dublin, and he was having epileptic fits after. And during “Famous Blue Raincoat” at the gig, my cousin went into a fit, and Leonard stopped the gig and basically said, “Is this kid alright?” He was doing a matinee and an evening show, and we went off to the Hospital and they made sure we got tickets to the evening show. And we came back and Leonard come up and shook our hands and said “Are you ok?” to my cousin. And as a 15-year-old singer/songwriter, that was the most profoundly important moment.

That’s an incredible story.
GH: Yeah, so that will always stand out as the gig, for me.

And it’s probably one of the best answers I’ve ever gotten to that question!
GH: (laughs) Oh good, good.

So have fun there with Leno, and thanks again for talking.
GH: Nice to talk to you.