In New York for a DJ set, K.I.M. from The Presets took a moment to talk to me about The Presets, their work ethic, his time as a Raver, and In & Out burger.

What were you doing in London?

We were touring. We did a couple of weeks in the UK, did some dates in Europe, we shot a video in Paris, so it was just kind of a 3 week tour over there. [The video] was for “Talk Like That”. Right now we’re getting the first edit back and sort of making all the initial changes.

How long did it take to shoot it?

Probably about 24 hours. We were only there for a couple of hours but most of it was this girl just going crazy and I think she was there about 24 hours. The guys directing it was Jonas&François who did the D.A.N.C.E. video for Justice and did the Kanye one but it’s not animated.

The art design in a few of your videos sort of relate to the art design on your album covers. I was wondering if you have a particular person that you always go to for that? Or is it different people that worked on it?

The two last videos were done by different people. The “My People” video was done by my brother. Who also did “Are You The One” video from our last record. And then, the person that did “This Boy’s in Love” is a Danish director called Casper Balslev. But I mean all that art work is kind of taken care of a guy named Jonathan Zawada. He actually did a bit of art styling for the “My People” video but, I mean, he didn’t really do anything else. I don’t know, I guess, we just kind of go for people that are sort of on the same page as we our. The “Talk Like That” video is a little bit of a departure from all that stuff, so, it’s not entirely true.

When you go about putting your album together do you have a particular story that you’re trying to tell?

We don’t really have the luxury of getting to that point. Especially with this last album, we were on such a deadline to just, get it out, that we were really just working song by song. And trying to finish as many songs as we could. I actually had only one song that was a dud while we were writing this record. We didn’t really, sort of, pull are heads up to look at the whole album until, like, maybe the end of December, or something. Then once we got to that point we realized the shape that the album was taking and we need to sort of add more things to it. I think that when we work it’s a more instinctive sort of story, if you like, going on. But it’s not like we have really mapped it out and it’s super obvious. I think we know what we are trying to achieve, in terms of what we’ve done before. It’s all built up inside of us and it’s just kind of spewing out!

When you do work on your tracks, do you work on them together, or do you each kind of take your own crack at it?

At the pace that we did Apocalypso, we were working a lot separately and we would get together every day for a couple hours and kind of go through what we’d done the day before. Every morning we’d get together at my studio or at Julian’s studio and just kind of discuss what we’ve been doing and then, kind of, swap tracks and then continue working by ourselves for the rest of the day. I mean, we sort of oversee it together and then take on different responsibilities and then do our thing individually.

When you work on your solo tracks do you feel that the process is different than that of the band?

For that, I think of it more like sketches. It’s much more dance floor orientated. I guess there are a few less rules I have to adhere to because it doesn’t have to be a pop song. It’s a little bit more of a freedom thing for me. It’s kind of just more of an exercise, if anything, for me when I do that stuff. I just kind of do it and foolishly play it for someone and they like it. I don’t really think it’s that great. (Laughs) I mean, I don’t hate them. It’s funny, like, it’s sort of a bit aimless, that sort of stuff. It’s kind of like meditative.

Do they flow out naturally?

Yeah, totally. Really naturally and really quick, and when I get a chance to do that sort of stuff it’s really, really fun. I love it. But, I sometimes doubt if they should be seeing the light of day. (laughs)

When you were first becoming established there were a few names the press had for you style of music. One of my favorites was “Sleazy Synth Pop”. Did you have a favorite?

I named it Spaz Dance Fag Rock, but like the Spaz had 5 Z’s and the Fag had 5 G’s. (Laughs) That’s been one of the biggest questions when we came out, “how would you describe your music?” People, when we first came out, were calling us ‘Electroclash’. People were calling us ‘New Rave’. And we were just like, “Fuck that! Let’s give them a genre!” but now I’ve started to call it Pop Techno, ’cause in Australia Pop Rock is really a big sort of thing.

Is there any older Australian bands that you reacted to or drew from?

We have some favorite Australian bands but I’m not sure how much it kind of rubbed off on us, like. There’s so many great older bands. Bands like, Dive Pretty and The Church, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. We’ve had such an amazing tradition of Rock and kind of, weirder rock. And, I guess, on the electronic kind of lines, there was a band called Severed Heads and there was another band called Itchy & Scratchy that was really big when techno was big in the early 90’s. I think maybe out of all of them that sort of rubbed off on us a lot, Itchy & Scratchy did. I think a lot of what we really loved was not necessarily Australian but we never not listened to Australian music. We just kind of thought of all of it, Australian music, and English music, and American music, and European music, it wasn’t all that different when it was good.

What era did you find to be most influential?

I guess, like sort of mid 90’s. That Daft Punk record came out in ‘97, I think, and that was huge! Techno and everything had kind of come up from underground and then all of a sudden spilled over in to mainstream and it was a real Acid sound, which was quite big at the dance parties we used to go to. And the Chemical Brothers’ “Exit Planet Dust” came out around ‘95, ‘96. So, the “Exit Planet Dust” record by Chemical Brothers and the “Homework” record by Daft Punk were huge. Because it was all of a sudden a legitimate style of music and it was such a fresh sort of sound and I guess it was a big thing on us but we weren’t making that sort of music then. We were still studying music and doing classical shit.

What kind of classical shit did you study?

Well I guess everything really. Julian’s education and mine are very different because of the instruments that we play. All of the music I was learning was very modern, avant-garde, kind of contemporary. I call it Contemporary Classical or Contemporary Art Music. A lot of it is written in the 20th Century and some of it is written and it’s very complicated and difficult. And really kind of out there sort of stuff. Where as Julian, you know, he’s a piano player, so… I mean, he was doing a lot of contemporary sort of stuff as well but a lot of the tradition of the piano is rooted in the 18th and 19th century. When you go to music school you have to go through the whole bit.

Nowadays there are loads of people that are now able to create music on their own, in their room, basement or garage. How important do you feel education is for that? Or do you feel it can just come naturally?

It can definitely come naturally for people that have an ability that is sort of freakish and kind of intimidating but there’s nothing that replaces good, old-fashioned, hard-work and discipline. And I think what Julian and I got the most out of learning music is just sort of applying yourself and you get that classic thing in the type of music that we’re doing that “it’s rock & roll, man!!” But a lot of times it’s not, it’s just people turning up to do their job and it’s an illusion of Rock & Roll. I think the best attributes, both Julian and I have, is just a solid work ethic and discipline and we got that from learning instruments where we had to practice every day. You never stop learning in any craft that you choose to do or anything in life. You’re always trying to learn more and I think that education and applying yourself is hugely important to developing as a an artist or as a craftsmen or whatever. You have to keep pushing yourself forward and getting better at what you do.

A bit ago I spoke to Vin from Midnight Juggernauts and asked him about the Australian music scene. His opinion on it was that what you all had in common wasn’t necessarily the music, it was more of just a support for each other.

Yeah, yeah. I mean it’s true. Midnight Juggernauts are one of our favorite Australian bands and we’re really great friends and Cut Copy as well and The Avalanches and stuff. There’s probably a lot more in common than we care to realize but I think the most important thing is that they’re just good bands and happen to all be friends. And we’re just lucky enough to be amongst that kind of vibe. And more than anything is just being friends with these people and egging each other on and happen to be doing really well at the same time. It’s quite inspiring.

Do you often get to see each other at the same festivals or town?

We’re all sort of touring from Australia at the same time but then we have so many friends in bands as well that we’re always sort of gagging to be on the same bill as well.

Causing trouble?

Fuck yeah! It’s kind of like mini reunions. Especially being a 2 person band, Julian and I get pretty sick of each other. I mean, understandably so when there’s only 2 people. I mean, it’s not like a bad thing but when we get a friend in town like the Juggernauts or like Cut Copy, we’re like, “Fuck yeah!!” “Oh my god the Juggernauts are here tonight!” “Let’s go out and…” you know [in an American accent] “Let’s go out and cause some trouble.”

How is it going into places where there isn’t anyone you know, do people do a good job of making you comfortable?

It’s great. I mean, unless you cancel a show that someone drove 200 kilometers to see, most people are pretty welcoming to a band member or a band. We really love when we come to the States and people say [in an American accent] “We really appreciated that”. And it’s so… warm. I mean, it’s funny, we really, like, buy into it. We’re really like, “Aw, wow, that’s so great. He really appreciated it.” but yeah, I’m sort of starting to realize that “I appreciate it” in the States is like saying “how are you?” you don’t really mean it.

Aww, you don’t know that! I mean, they did choose to go to the show, right? So, they probably did.

I’m sure they probably did. I really want to believe “I appreciated it.”

I didn’t even know people said that that often.

OH MY GOD! It’s so fantastic! Like, it’s a big joke with us. We always say [exaggerated American accent haha] “We really do appreciate that!”

On a separate note. What were your ages in the mid 90’s?

We were about 17 or 18 in the mid-90s. We were mere puppies.

(without giving my age away completely) About my age at the time. When you were younger, and had like a specific style, would you guys have considered yourselves Hippies, Goths, Punks, or Ravers?
I guess, in the mid-90s, we were definitely Ravers. Yeah, like, definitely Ravers. (laughs) Like, stupid… I kind of went a little bit weird with my rave outfit. We had this thing called Farels, in Australia which were like Hippies mixed with Ravers and sort of looked like they were from a sci-fi movie, like Mad Max or something. And I kind of got into, sort of, weird haircuts and piercings and shit. So, uh, yeah, I do look back at that time with a little bit of a “Eeeeeggggghhhhh!”

(Laughing and trying to get some incriminating evidence) Are there any pictures to remind you?

Yes there is, and no you can’t have them.

(still trying to get a better “picture”) And… clothing-wise how was it? I’ll draw it! So people can visualize it!

Yeah, just go rent Mad Max 2 and trace over The Feral Kid with a metal boomerang.

And add maybe some wide pant legs?

(laughs) Oh, no, no, no…………..Probably.

Ohhh, but we thought we were so cool back then.

We were! Keep it alive!

(On his way to L.A., and most of us being from Cali, I had to ask) How do you like California?

Ohhhhhh, it’s great! I loooovvveee In & Out Burger! Like, I cannot tell you how much I love In & Out Burger. I want to start my own franchise! (For those of you that haven’t been, it’s burger franchise based out of Cali and mostly only available there).

Aghhhh! I’m so jealous! I haven’t eaten In & Out in a year!

Duuuuuddddeee!!! When I get to L.A., there’s an In & Out burger near the airport, I’m gonna get the cab driver to go straight through the drive through and I’m going to eat a cheeseburger! And there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s so good! I just love how you can see all the freshness. And how you can see them make all the chips, the fries. Just smashing potatoes into fry shapes. And the whole weird sub-menu that you kind of have to learn. We made our tech guy to eat a 4-by-4 the other day [4 patties and 4 pieces of bread stacked]. And I was trying to work him up to a 10-by-10 [10 patties and 10 pieces of bread].

Oh jesus! How do you even eat that?! Do you have to step on it before you take a bite?!

I don’t know! But I want to see it!! It’s like one of those cartoons where they make the sandwiches too high and they put them in and you can see it through their neck!

Anything more you’d like to add?

Uh, no. I think you’ve got it all.

Special thanks to KIM for having this interview with me. Make sure to catch The Presets on their joint headlining tour with Cut Copy in North America.

9/13 - Monolith Festival - Denver, CO
9/15 – The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
9/16 - Fine Line Music Cafe- Minneaplis, MN
9/17 - Metro - Chicago, IL
9/19 - Sound Academy - Toronto, Ontario
9/20 - Club Soda - Montreal, Quebec
9/21 - Webster Hall - New York City, NY
9/22 - Webster Hall - New York City, NY
9/23 - Paradise - Boston, MA
9/25 – The Trocadero Theater - Philadelphia, PA
9/26 - 9:30 Club - Washington D.C.
9/27 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
9/29 - Emo’s Alternative Lounge - Austin, TX
9/30 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
10/3 – The Glass House - Pomona, CA
10/5 - Mezzanine - San Francisco, CA
10/7 - Hawthorne Theater - Portland, OR
10/8 - Showbox At The Market - Seattle, WA
10/9 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, B.C.

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