A native of Athens, Georgia, vocalist and guitarist Kevin Barnes formed Of Montreal following a failed romance with a woman from Montreal. After five full-lengthed albums and the addition of Nina Barnes (Kevin’s wife), Of Montreal signed with Polyvinyl Records and released the band’s sixth full-length album, Satanic Panic In The Attic. With Satanic, the band again reinvented their sound, this time with the inclusion of electronic and Afro beat influences. Of Montreal now returns with their lastest album The Sunlandic Twins. Peppered with beats from the eighties on top of the traditional Of Montreal sound. Kevin Barnes recently took time out from the band’s busy schedule to brave mtvU’s The Hot Seat and to fill us in on some interesting times in The Big Easy, what he’s been listening to lately and the importance of your daily Vitamin C.
Q: Tell us about your craziest touring experience.
A: Once we played a show in New Orleans on the same night as this huge Gay Pride parade and tons of the marchers came to the show. I felt like I was in some wild Freddie Mercury fantasy world. It was great and everyone had a blast. I ended up at this table full of female impersonators drinking whiskey out of the bottle and singing songs from My Fair Lady. It was very surreal.
Q: What type of college class would you most want to take and why?
A: I’d like to take a course on electronic music taught by Stevie Wonder because if I found a lesson boring I could take a nap and he wouldn’t notice.
Q: What city in America is the most fun to visit and why?
A: I love NYC. The energy there is so amazing and I always feel really inspired. I also have a bunch of friends who live there so it’s like this crazy reunion every time I visit.
Q: What’s some of the best advice you were ever given?
A: Don’t use a blow dryer near your manhood.
Q: What’s in heavy rotation in your mp3/CD player right now?
A: Four Tet’s “Everything Ecstatic”, Caribou’s “The Milk Of Human Kindness” and M.I.A.
Q: The last good book you read or TV show you’re addicted to.
A: The last good book I read was Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem and my favorite tv show right now is Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Q: What’s the first concert you ever saw? How was it?
A: Huey Lewis and the News. It was in this big arena so I was pretty far back from the stage but I had a lot of fun. My Dad took me so that was nice. I was a fan of Huey’s. The heart of rock and roll is still beating and stuff.
Q: What are three items you can’t live without on tour?
A: Emergen-C vitamin powder, apple jacks at night and my cell phone.
Q: Who are your major musical influences?
A: Los Mutantes, Ray Davies, The Beatles, Brian Eno, Prince, David Bowie and Queen.
Q: Any random messages or tips you’d like to give to mtvU watchers?
A: Stay sweet.
