the video for Declare Independence

The military thing was Michel’s idea. I was quite intrigued by using the costumes that we had been using live ; they’re very colorful, very happy. But for him, because of the whole thing with the string being the only part that’s in color, the costumes couldn’t scream for attention. So the military thing was something that we thought might help [the performers] blend into the background.

Like camouflage.

Yeah, that was kind of the idea. When I spoke to Michel, it was important to me that it was a live performance. And it was important to me that there wasn’t a hierarchy. That everyone be kind of equal. I never see myself in a position of controller, or as someone with authority, even though I happen to be on stage. So that was something I was quite sensitive about. That [the other performers] would be giving me as much energy as I was giving them, that it was an equal thing.

Well, quite literally, with the string, there’s an amazing exchange of energy.

That was one of the reasons we were all wearing the same thing. We’re supposed to be on the same level. If I was wearing some crazy colored dress it wouldn’t be balanced. But maybe— I haven’t really thought about this— but maybe you’re right, maybe it comes across as too military. It wasn’t military, it was more just about trying to make everybody equal. Having the clothes be neutral. I think we were more excited about the flags on everybody’s arms.

What is the significance of the flags ?

It’s Greenland’s flag and the Faroe Islands’ flag. Iceland became independent from Denmark 60 years ago. We were a colony for 600 years, and we were treated really badly, as all colonies are. And Greenland and the Faroe Islands are still part of Denmark. The song was partly written to those countries. In Iceland’s newspapers, there’s always some talk about the Faroe Islands and Greenland wanting independence, and Greenland seemed close, but then they found a lot of oil, and Denmark doesn’t want to let that go. If you were to go into a local bar and ask about Greenland and the Faroe Islands, people get very feisty. People are very supportive of Greenland and the Faroe Islands getting independence. I think that Greenland and the Faroe Islands have looked a lot to Iceland as an inspiration, the way we set up our bank systems, the way we became more and more independent.

And I thought it was hysterical to say to your friend who is having a lot of problems with his girlfriend, to just say ’Declare independence and raise your own flag.’ Maybe it’s just my silly sense of humor. But it’s definitely written to Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

I was so excited to be working with Michel again. We wanted to do something that was opposite from what we’d done before. The ["Declare Independence"] video is based on a live performance. It didn’t have a complicated narrative like our earlier videos have. It’s very immediate, because the song is quite punk. So we basically shot it and a week later they had edited it, and it was ready.

You’ve worked with Gondry quite a bit in the past, but it’s been over a decade since you’ve done a video together. Could you sense the ways in which you’ve both grown ? Was it a different experience working with him now ? Or did it feel familiar ?

I think it was both. The first videos he did— outside the low-budget stuff that he did for his own band— were all for me. So when I was working for him, I probably had a bit more experience than he did. But now, he’s gone and done movies and amazing videos with other people and I think he’s grown a lot. We’ve always kept in touch and we’ve become such great friends, so in a way, it was like nothing had changed. It’s great working with him, I think we’re quite excited about doing more stuff now. Not videos, but something else. I think we’re a very natural fit. It’s a very happy experience for both of us and very stimulating

pitchforkmedia, January 2 2008