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Technorati(Holding up the album cover) What’s the concept of this drawing? Is that … blood on Jerome’s head?
Jerome: Could be!
Drew: Jerome had a head-bleed that day. (laughter)
Jonathan: We put a lot of the songs in artwork. When you open it up (opens album cover) there are all these hidden stories that we put in there. Different symbols and things that we think are important to the song.
What do these symbols mean (points to a drawing)?
Jonathan: Well, all of them are very subjective and can be interpreted in different ways. All the songs you can see down here: ‘Circles,’ ‘American Dream,’ ‘Yesterdays,’ ‘Dirty Second Hands’ … this is a clock … a boat … and we liked the idea of the bird – but birds have been done so much. There’s a surfboard and a whale there.
Back in the days, you had all these different records you can look at. You have it up, you know, it was a very discernable element of music where you can look at the record as you listen to it. We wanted something that was as large as a record to be able to look at the whole time you’re looking at it. It was fun to make.
Well, it does look fun.
Jonathan: Every one of these were drawn separately …
Drew: … and put together like a collage.
Jerome: Yeah. Like this was a certain section, and that was a section, etc.
Is that an octopus there?
Jonathan: It can be whatever you want it to be. I thought it was a snail.
Drew: I thought it was a fruit necklace.
(Laughter)
So, have you guys heard about the U2charist? It’s an adapted Holy Communion service that uses U2’s songs in place of hymns.
Drew: Yeah, I read about it.
What are your thoughts on that?
Jonathan: When Handel’s ‘Messiah’ was performed in opera houses, people were outraged. ‘Why is this music being sung outside the church? You shouldn’t do it.’ With Johnny Cash, he wanted to play gospel but certain records wouldn’t let him come out with that. I think it’s a struggle we’ll have to continue to deal with. It’s a timeless struggle. You have faith, commerce, and art colliding at the same point. As musicians, we believe in God, we like music, and we also try to pay rent. This is something you wrestle with every time you pick up your guitar. But I think it’s cool; it sounds exciting. It’s like everything; you have different challenges you face with that kind of approach.
Would you like your songs to be sung in churches?
Jonathan: Part of me would be honored, you know, but part of me thinks it might be taking it out of context almost. There are just so many anthems to God from celebrity rock clubs… My idea of worship is more like straight Old Testament songs. I’m a little bit more traditional (smiles) … a bit conservative. Continue »
