OK Go, the quirky pop band originally from Chicago, is best known for homemade, choreographed dance move-driven videos, which made them overnight Internet sensations and won them Best Video Grammy in 2006 - the treadmill-filled "Here It Goes Again."
Bassist Tim Nordwind talks to us about "getting big," being dorky with women and how inexpensive really good ideas can be the most gratifying.
How has your lifestyle changed since "getting big"?
Lifestyle-wise, things are pretty much the same. Our schedules have gotten busier, we've toured a lot more places, met a lot more people, in terms of things like that, made another record - we've been able to sort of continue having a career making things. But lifestyle-wise I think that everyone is pretty much the same. Nobody's gotten a big head, and we're just kind of thankful that our job description is still write something awesome, make something awesome out of it for people.
If you had a weekend off, what would you do?
I would sleep in. I'd probably sleep in to about 11 a.m. And then I would get up and call friends and go to brunch. And then I would go see a movie and then go get gelato. I would get salty chocolate gelato at Scoops in Los Angeles and then I would get pizza. And then, um, hold on. Then I would probably try to get into bed early. ... I guess what I am getting at is I don't have a lot of weekends off, and so when I do, I try to - it's not very rock 'n' roll. I'd get in my private jet and fly to Hawaii, but I don't have a private jet, so that doesn't really work.
What's in heavy rotation on your iPod?
It's kind of an eclectic mix of things for the most part. I'm trying to think ... "It's Blitz!," the Yeah Yeah Yeahs most recent record ... and The Horrors. Then there's a lot of old bands; T.Rex would come on a lot. I listen to a lot of '60s soul and glam and '70s glam rock, you know? So like, do you know Ernie K-Doe?
(No.)
Well OK, Ernie E-Doe is a soul singer from New Orleans. I like him a lot. So it would be like Ernie K-Doe, T.Rex, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
When was the last time you did something stupid?
Let me think, the time I did something stupid ... Oh, it was today, actually. Funny you should ask. I was on an interview before this one. And about 45 minutes ago, before I started doing interviews, I was like, "I think I'll have some tea," and so I put the kettle on. Then 45 minutes later, I looked and was like, "Why is there a flame coming out of the stove? Oh my God, I've been boiling water for 45 minutes." Yeah, the last stupid thing I did was just moments ago really. I left water boiling. ... I feel like I'm giving you all these lame and domestic, cheesy answers.
Since we are talking about how your lifestyle changed, now that you're big, is it easier or harder to pick up women?
You know, I am a firm believer in the fact that whoever you were before the band is who you are when you're in the band. You know, if you're a total scumbag womanizer before, you'll only become - your scumbag, womanizing ways will only be heightened by the experience. If you're sort of an awkward dorky dude before the band, it just heightens your awkwardness and dorkiness, I feel like, you know?
I fall into the later category, I feel like, where I was sort of awkward and dorky beforehand, and I still haven't figured out how to be any better. I actually do have a girlfriend though. So that must have helped at some point because now I have a girlfriend. But I've never been much of a player when it comes to that stuff. And I don't think that being a band member made me feel any more confident and I don't think I got into a rock 'n' roll band to do that.
That's so not what people want to hear, but I got into a rock band to make things. Meeting people was a secondary thing in my mind. I knew that would probably be happening, but it was not my sole reason for doing it. You know what I mean?
Speaking of making things, what was the most recent gratifying creative experience that you had?
We just made a video for a song that is coming out on our new record called "WTF?" And that was really fun. It was another really inexpensive good idea that a friend of ours help come up with. And that video is actually coming out on iTunes Nov. 10. I've never really seen anything that looks like it, so I'm really excited to have people see it come out.
Can you tell me anything about it?
It's a super big, secret surprise. I can tell you that it's awesome, and you'll probably want to watch it over and over again.
