Ilan Rubin of Angels & Airwaves chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about their new album “LIFEFORMS” and being an artist in the digital age.
On the song selection approach for the new album, he said, “There were only a couple of songs that didn’t make the cut for ‘LIFEFORMS’. I’m sure they’ll see the light of day but when it comes to sequencing an album, it’s usually pretty easy to hear the odd man out that doesn’t quite work with the rest of the material.”
Rubin listed “Euphoria” as his personal favorite song on the album. “I think ‘Euphoria’ has crept up my list of favorites as we’ve started playing it live. I think it’s a unique blend of different influences. Plus, the harmonies are a very nice touch on that one,” he said.
Regarding his music and songwriting inspirations, he said, “I get inspired by sound or whatever mood I happen to be in when I’m playing an instrument. I then turn my focus to lyrics/mood and what the song should be about.”
For young and aspiring artists, he encouraged them to “get good at their craft.” “That is an art form that is dying at a staggering rate and it’s unfortunate,” he said.
On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “I’m not the biggest fan of it, to be honest with you. But I think the worst part of the digital age is not necessarily the prevalence of streaming, although it has seriously devalued music, but the fact that everything has become entirely data-driven. Data and quality are two things that rarely go hand in hand.”
Rubin holds the record for being the youngest ever inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he was inducted as a member of Nine Inch Nails at the age of 32). “It felt great. A nice little dream that I thought would be nice to accomplish but I had no idea I would do it at 32,” he exclaimed.
On his definition of the word success, he said, “I think it’s a combination of respect, continual progression, and financial freedom. By financial freedom, I mean being able to afford to spend time and money on your art and producing the best thing you possibly can. Of course, money isn’t essential to this, but it can certainly help.”
For his fans and supporters, he said, “I would like to say thank you to all fans and supporters. It means a lot and feels particularly important when we release new material and finally get to perform live.”
“LIFEFORMS” received a favorable review from Digital Journal. The album is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
For more information on Angels & Airwaves, check out their official website, and their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
