Fostering Hope for the Scene: Foster the People Bring Summertime Vibe Back

Summer has finally hit Cleveland and not a moment too soon. We were getting restless, itching to peel back the cover off the pool, put the top down on the convertible, throw on some shades and get outside. The question is never what kind of food to cook up for the summer -America's got its burgers and hot dogs down pat. As with every summer, the question is, what to listen to? What will be this year's 'sound'?

This summer's sound is a blend of memorable beats, instrumental parts, and smooth vocals . It's nostalgic and fresh at the same time. It's playful. And it hails from Cleveland.

I know what you're thinking...how could Cleveland, OH, notorious for its tough winters, turn out a warm, whimsical sound? 

Ask Mark Foster, the mastermind behind the catchy tune “Pumped Up Kicks” which is sky-rocketing his band (and brainchild) Foster the People to the top of the charts. It's no wonder the band sold out more than half their US tour dates, including the upcoming Cleveland show on June 13th. 

Last week I had the opportunity to chat with the Cleveland native and talk about how his musical career has changed since his days in the Cleveland Orchestra Choir. (Fun fact: One of Mark's life goals is to write a piece for the Cleveland Orchestra and Children's Choir to perform!) 

AP: So how do you go from Cleveland to LA, from this traditional musical performance to what you're doing now with the band? 

MF: Uh, I was born in California, moved to Cleveland when I was five. I would go back to California in the summers and visit friends in the summer and stuff and I always loved it. When I was 17, and trying to figure out what I'd do with my life, I really had no direction. I liked making music but I didn't really think that was an option. It was my dad, actually, who was like, “Why don't you move to LA or NY and pursue music? You've always loved that and been good at it. If after a year or two if it doesn't work out you'll still be young enough to go to college or you could do something else and you'll be okay.” It was the first thing that made sense to me. So, I graduated high school, packed up my car and two months later, I was in LA. 

AP: How'd you meet the guys from the band?

MF: I met Cubbie... I went to an acting school in LA that Cubbie's roommate went to, and that's how I met Cubbie. We'd always hang out and play poker. I didn't even know he played. For a while he was just a buddy of mine. I met Mark Pontius through a friend of mine as well and we played music off and on together, but he was really invested in another band...eventually when I was thinking about starting a band again, I kind of tapped those guys to come play with me.

AP: Do you remember where your first show was when you guys got together?

MF: Yeah, it was at the Dakota Lounge, it's an old temple bar in Santa Monica. And there were probably 30 people there. I remember feeling totally unprepared,  and we all jump on the stage and everybody just stepped into their element. And I think we walked off the stage, looking at each other saying, “Wow, that felt really trip. That was really fun.” I don't know, there was just something and we could all feel it, I think that's kind of what we do. I think there's something special going on between us.

AP: So who would you say some of your major musical influences are?

MF: Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is huge. I grew up listening to the Beach Boys. I was six when I heard “I Get Around” for the first time. That's probably the biggest. But then I'd say Aphex Twin, Blur, Bowie...

AP: So, that's probably why your sound has been described as a 'low-fi sixties vibe'. How would you describe it?

MF: I think it's a little bit of everything, there's something nostalgic about it, but there's a modern element to it that the program unit adds. I kind of think that's where the Aphex Twin comes in, the glitchy element. It's quirky pop. Intelligent pop. That's always been my favorite kind of music. 

AP: Is there any equipment you use that helps make your sound unique?

MF: I do a lot of stuff in Logic, it's a recording program. I mix a lot of sounds in there. I know how to use that program pretty well. I'll make my own synthesizers, I'll chop up vocals and certain people's vocals into instruments. You can't really tell what it is. That's definitely when I get to make a true thing, chopping up vocals and chopping up samples, and using them as percussive elements in a song, I tend to do that a lot.  

AP: In regards to the album, “Torches”, how did you go about writing it?

MF: I'm a songwriter, so I kind of constantly write. When we started this band, I had a lot of songs written already, which we started to play with, and a few made the record, but when we started to gel as a group it really gave me a vision...that's when a lot of the songs on the album were written. 

AP: How was the recording process?

MF: The recording process was good, we recorded with four different guys, three in LA, one in London. I'd bring in a demo to express the vision of the song before we recorded it. 

AP: Do you remember where you were when you first heard “Pumped Up Kicks” on the radio and how you felt about that?

MF: We were in rehearsal, getting ready to leave for a regional tour, and we heard it on the biggest rock station in LA, and the DJ talked about it for like 30 seconds afterwards, about how he loved it. It was a pretty good feeling, it was pretty surreal. 

AP: So most of your US tour dates sold out, where are you looking forward to playing most? 

MF: I'd say Cleveland. I haven't played a show in Cleveland for years; my dad's gonna be there, my little brother will be there, it's going to be a really nice little homecoming show.

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If you haven't heard them yet, turn on your local radio station (might I suggest 92.3), get to a music store and pick up “Torches”, the debut full-length album by Foster the People. Or you could stand outside the Grog Shop on the 13th with your ear to the door. Either way, this band is just what you've been craving this summer....besides that second piece of grandma's pie.