You’re just not cool if you haven’t tuned into LCD Soundsystem.
At least, that’s the message you can take from the endless praise thrown at James Murphy’s dance-rock project, whose self-titled debut album landed on multiple 2005 year’s-best lists and earned two Grammy nominations, one for the album and the other for the single “Daft Punk is Playing at My House.” The glowing reviews are only burning brighter for LCD Soundsystem’s new album, “Sound of Silver.”
On stage, the one-man band becomes bigger. “We’ve played shows where it feels like a disco and everybody dances, and shows where it feels like a punk show,” Murphy says. That dynamic will be tested in August, when LCD Soundsystem plays in Grant Park before a massive Lollapalooza crowd.
From his place in New York, Murphy told us about being spoiled by good reviews, becoming a top 40 artist and making his hit song come true.
Your records get so much praise. Are you tired of being called a genius?
Never! I’m a narcissist, so I don’t get tired of it at all. It just feels like all is right with the world, finally, after my parents didn’t understand me. [Laughs] No, it’s very sweet. I think I’ve just become more aware of how things work, so it doesn’t really affect me very much. I don’t mean to dismiss it at all. It’s lovely, but it’s not a very big deal. But then again, I’m saying that as someone who gets a lot of praise. Maybe I’m just spoiled and I’d be, like, crying and trying to figure out how to change my record [if I didn’t receive praise]. Maybe I would be all mad. Maybe I’m just like a rich kid who thinks he doesn’t like money. The socialist rich kid.
Is it true you want “Sound of Silver” to make you a top 40 artist?
No, I don’t think about that when making a record. I just thought it would be funny. That all came about because “Dreamgirls” was the No. 1 record one week [on] the Billboard Top 40. [With] like 66,000 records it was No. 1, which is really low. … I think it was the lowest in history. And I laughed because I had sold, I think, 1,000 more records total of my first record than they had sold that week, so I was like, “Man, I could be No. 1.” And then that just made a light bulb in my head. I was at a meeting with record marketing, and [they laughed at me]. I was like, “No, I’m serious. Let’s ask everybody who bought the first record to buy it the week it comes out if they want it.” And they were just like, “Well, you can’t do that.”
You’d be the first artist to sell zero albums after the first week.
That was my goal. That would’ve been really, truly funny. But people took this stuff really seriously. And then I started posting on my Web site that this was what I would like to do, and people started coming back with suggestions that were deceitful. Like, “Why don’t you include a bonus track that wasn’t on the leak?” I’m like, “I don’t want to trick anybody into buying the record!”
Who are you excited to see at Lollapalooza?
I have no idea who’s playing. I never know what’s going on, mainly because I’ve decided when I’m home, I’ll just be home. And [Lollapalooza is] far off.
Daft Punk will be there. Would you move into Grant Park so that they’re playing at your house?
That’s not technically my house; I’d have to own it. And I don’t think I have that kind of money. It depends on how well this record does. If the record does really well, maybe I’ll do it.
LCD Soundsystem
When: 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Metro, 3730 N. Clark St.
Tickets: Sold out
———-
MPAIS@TRIBUNE.COM
