Posted 19 November 2009 - 06:42 AM
Here's the translation of the Rock On Interview with Jared (french magazine)
It's a little drafty... hope there aren't too many mistakes!
Enjoy!
Provehito In Altum
-J.
PS: Read the original article here:
http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_30stm/146300.html
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It’s at Jared Leto’s, in the famous Hollywood hills, where we were the first to listen to a little – but valuable – preview from “This Is War”, 30 Seconds To Mars ‘s third album. That was last April 30th, and many things happened since then… The trio kept doing many “Summits”, real events where fans could interfere, vocally, to the summons of Jared & Co. But we have already told you all about this. So when we promised to gift them the cover of our magazine once the album is finished, the 3 artists from 30STM were on time, ready to reveal all about the conception of their impressing cd, surely one of this year’s bests. So they did. The band will be at the Cigale in Paris on November 11, ready for a “war”, and planning to do a concert that will be, without taking many risks, the event of the month! If I dare say, Jared had the chance to be on ROCK ONE’s cover, because there’s a strong publicity and a big fanbase. [… (something not related to the article, talking about what’s featured in the magazine)].
Thirty Seconds To Mars – Battles of Los Angeles
Four years after “A Beautiful Lie” and the craziness we know about, the most intriguing and ambitious trio of its generation comes back with “This Is War”, a third album showing that the Leto brothers are far from saying their last word, and that the one who has the same level of talent isn’t born yet. An interview with Jared, the frontman, who can’t wait to show what he is capable of.
How do you feel when you are a couple of weeks away from releasing the much awaited “This Is War”?
I’m so excited. We did what we had to do, the album we wanted to make. We worked very hard on this cd, it was an unbelievable experience, an intense journey for us, and we are very excited because we finished it and can share it with everyone. It’s a great feeling to be able to make other people listen to it. Now, we’re still in the starting-blocks, but we’re not waiting for a particular feedback. We really got into the process, that’s the most important thing. We hope that people will react positively, love and interact with this album, but this doesn’t depend on us, we do not have any control over it. We just tried to make the best and most honest cd.
A time of disorders…
When we listen to This Is War, the feeling of revenge and conflict appears clearly throughout the songs…
Yes, it’s an album born from conflict, and it questioned lots of things. It was a difficult moment for the band under many aspects, artistically of course, and in a more evident way, during our lawsuit with our record company. It was a very difficult phase to overcome, but a useful one. And, you know, there’s a time for war and a time for peace. It’s nice to be at peace today. When we were writing the songs, many things were going wrong in the whole world, everything was shattered to pieces, not only at home. This album is a reflection of that time of disorder.
It is known that the first “war” we think of is the one you had to go through with your label…
Of course. People know what has happened, those who know the band know that it was a fight for us and the name of the album is very appropriate, it really sticks to the phase it was created in. But for 30STM in general, it was also a fight. Once, a very wise man said: “The point of war is peace” (Aristotle). It’s sadly very true.
At the center of this chaos and those fights, we can still see light and beauty in this cd…
Of course! I think you can actually learn a lot from fights. You learn about yourself, the others, the human being, art, life. When you are at the center of this chaos, you don’t realize it. But once you’re out of it, you gain in experience and lessons; at least, I wish you that!
People usually tend to avoid confrontations. But you decided to do it without looking back and to make something positive out of it…
I think it is very important to fight for what you believe in. It’s important to fight for your thoughts, for art. A big part of the process of creating is a fight, a fight in order to give birth to your visions, either when creating music, painting, doing “Summits”, or trying to put 2000 faces on your album’s cover. The biggest work isn’t to actually have the idea, but to make it real, to have the necessary support; it’s a big part of what’s happening in the band. People tend not to try, to be too shy. I do not stick to the status quo, because I don’t have a choice. It’s a matter of life and death.
A collective spirit
The Summit is on the cd, these voices give a sense of reality to the songs, as if you had an entire army of fans behind you…
Absolutely. There’s a collective spirit. The album is marked by the Summit that we did everywhere. It’s a wonderful thing to witness, and to say that people from the entire world helped us to make the album we very often dreamed of, is unique.
Also, when we’re 60000 to say the same message, it’s much more powerful…
I hope so. You feel something “federator” when you listen to a group of this size singing, it’s awesome. We’re very happy and grateful to our fans; they helped us do an amazing thing.
When listening to This Is War, some of them will say: “Hopefully they’ll hear us singing!”…
(Laughs) I hope so. I hope that they’ll like it, and that they won’t be unhappy about not being here. I hope they’ll go with the music.
During those agitated times, recording at your house was it a means to work in a neutral and comfortable zone?
We did a studio at our house (Jared and Shannon live together). We did this cd ourselves, our record company didn’t interfere as you could imagine, because we were in a fight. I’m not trying to condescend it, but I’m trying to make you see what was happening at the time. We decided to record the album at home, in the Hollywood hills; we worked with Flood, a very interesting and talented guy. We had a very emotional moment. For this cd, it was us against the world, we did everything ourselves, from scratch. It made us stronger, more united.
In need of a guide
When you met Flood, what were the first things you said to him concerning the album you wanted to do?
I knew that we were ready for a transformation in matter of creativity, and I thought that Flood was the best person to help us, to be with us. We were very clear about the fact that we wanted to travel, we knew the destination, but we needed a guide, that’s what Flood was. The first time I saw him, I told him that I found he was uniquely at ease with bands trying to change their sound. And I thought we were in that type of situation. We wanted to make an album that transcends our past and gives a new definition to what represents 30STM.
We heard you say how much that album needed work and concentration. In what way did This Is War tire you?
It was a very long process. At the same time, I found it very inspiring and awakening to be able to work as we did, to be able to put a studio in our house. To live, breathe, work, nothing else. To be totally merged with work and music all the time, to wake up in the studio until sleeping time. There have been moments when I didn’t leave the house during many weeks, months, working non-stop. I found it very stimulating. We gave what we had to give.
Wasn’t it a little bit scary not to go out from this bubble?
It was necessary… I think it’s important to be immersed, enwrapped with positive energy, to be productive all the time, to have the opportunity to take a pen or a guitar and to record our ideas. It was really the point of staying so concentrated on work. I wanted to say something with sense, unique, I did more than I could to transform, transcend. It’s not an easy thing to do, there’s a price to pay in order to have it, a price we were more than happy to pay.
There’s also a big work on the atmosphere and the sounds on This Is War, so many things happen that the listener must concentrate in order to not miss anything…
It’s a very complicated album, indeed, we had lots of things to say and it was very interesting for us to talk about that part of our lives. There are complex moments, simple ones, others very grandiose. The diversity is really what had us so enthusiastic in this cd, thank you for noticing it, it’s important. I think people are going to be very surprised when they’ll listen to it in its entirety.
To never give up
And would you like that this cd incites people to fight for what they think is right?
Yes, I think there are fights that are worth it. To fight for the good cause is the best quest. Everyone should fight for what he think, and never give up or surrender. Even on a small scale, if this cd encourages some people, it’s awesome. If these people like the songs, it’s great too.
Are you happy about playing in Paris on November 11? What should the fans wait for?
The Armageddon (laughs). I’m very happy about coming to France, and playing here. It’s going to be very interesting because it has been some time since we did the last concert of that size. It’s going to be cool; I think it’s already sold out. It’s a nice way to meet our fans again, our old friends, to say hi before coming back for a bigger tour. It’s kind of like a family visit. We can’t wait.
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If you want to post this translated version somewhere else, please credit!
Thank youu
xoxo
this was already posted, by me, translation included in the Pantheon : THIS IS WAR,mars in the news tread, like yesterday or the day before.
