Hi everyone! We're wrapping up our sound check now and will be starting at 6:30. Ask us anything.

Our new album Supermodel comes out tomorrow and features the single "Coming of Age." Many of you know us from our first album Torches and songs like "Pumped Up Kicks", "Don't' Stop (Color On The Walls)", "Houdini" and "Helena Beat".

We're writing this before our show tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Ask away and we'll try to answer as many questions as we can!

PROOF: https://twitter.com/fosterthepeople/status/445687036532383745

EDIT: Thanks for the questions guys! We've gotta go get ready for our show. Tune into Alt Nation on Sirius if you want to listen to the stream live. Check our twitter feed for details. I have no idea what time it starts. Much love! Mark, Mark, and Cubbie x

Comments: 1326 • Responses: 29  • Date: 

Cervantes37305 karma

You guys saved my life.

Sorry I had to tell you guys somehow.

Foster_The_People282 karma

we're glad you're alive : )

mojo_sweat79 karma

"Raise up to your abilities". My favorite lyric on Torches.

chilo_W_r160 karma

Houdini is literally one of the greatest songs of the millennium.

Foster_The_People287 karma

Houdini is my favorite song on Torches. Glad you dig it.

TheDuskDragon198 karma

Besides "Pumped Up Kicks", which song on your album has the most interesting background story behind it?

And yet the downvotes on every single comment is still inevitable...

Foster_The_People261 karma

The coyotes that are barking in the beginning of goats in trees actually were barking as we were recording that song. you could hear they were on a hunt and if you listen closely, you can hear that the alpha dog let's out a howl and the rest of the pack go silent. To me, it was symbolic to the subject matter of the song and the feeling of being pursued by an enemy that comes from all directions. When I think back to that time and hear the intro to that song, it takes me right back into the feeling of being trapped by a multi-headed animal.

digitalnostalgia164 karma

1) Do you ever think you'll have a hit as successful as Pumped Up Kicks again?

2) Who are your favourite bands/artists? (I'm hoping The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys.)

3) What was the most challenging track on Supermodel?

Foster_The_People369 karma

I think that Pumped Up Kicks was an anomaly that may never happen again. To me, it's amazing that the song ended up on Top 40 radio sandwiched between artists like Beyonce and Rihanna. At the end of the day, I think we're fortunate to have made something that created a cultural impact of that scale, but as far as moving forward, it's more important to us to keep putting out authentic music. It's more important to us than trying to write "hit" songs.

Foster_The_People164 karma

I'd say that every song had its own challenges, but I've always felt like Best Friend was the easiest/hardest song to write. It's complex in the way that reggae is complex. The percussive nature of all of the instruments have to be played exactly right in order for the beat to swing.

Challahween154 karma

Torches is a really great workout album, so thanks for that!

What's your favorite place to get pizza?

Foster_The_People450 karma

you have a dualistic nature don't you?

smallmango103 karma

Can you explain these lyrics in Are You What You Want To Be: "A young one dripping makeup put her hands out to holla I gave her what I got but couldn't handle her broken heart"

and

"The young one dripping makeup lift her leg up to holla I told her what she's got should be protected in the arms of love"

in the context of the song? I thought I understood it but the more I listen to it the more I'm confused.

Foster_The_People250 karma

Well the first line is about seeing a young girl begging in the streets and giving her all the money I had in my pocket but not being able to truly give her what she needed, which was fixing a broken heart. The second line is a progression of the same girl, now hitting the streets to make money and sacrificing a piece of herself in the process.

Rome_at_home86 karma

The chemical equations on the cover: were the substances any of you used? I noticed Cocaine as one and Nicotine as another. I know Mark Foster wanted to give up smoking. Were you successful?

Foster_The_People166 karma

Yep! Quit for about a year now. The chemical equations on the cover are more representative to the themes on the record, not my life personally.

mojo_sweat71 karma

This ones for Cubbie Fink, growing up as a christian our family listened to alot of christian music and Rebecca St James was one of my faves and my earliest crush :), so my question is whats it like for both of you being married while being involved different genres of music?

Foster_The_People93 karma

She's taken a step back from music right now to focus on being a wife and mom which has been her dream for many years. She's been really supportive of me and what we're doing with the band - Cubbie

caitlyndoyon55 karma

Will you guys be playing The Truth on tour? It's my favorite song on the album :))

Foster_The_People92 karma

Thanks. We've actually been playing The Truth and it's quickly become one of our favorite songs to play live.

nicoleslawww53 karma

cubbie, how do you achieve such level of chillness

Foster_The_People188 karma

"Do like the koalas do" - cubbie

YoungLegends47 karma

What's your favorite song from the new album? Mine is Best Friend (so far)

p.s. Can't wait to see you guys at Coachella!

Foster_The_People80 karma

foster's is pseudologia right now - pontius' is goats in trees and cubbie's is the truth

mr_nogga43 karma

Cannot wait for the album tomorrow and I can't wait til you do Ritz, Manchester in June! You guys were class here last time.

  • Can I ask what comes to mind when writing first the lyrics and then the music to your songs? You feature some abstract sounds (ie. Life on the Nickel), how do you know what sound should be in which song?

  • EDIT: also, me and an old friend (who is no longer a friend) used to love your shuffle-dancing on stage. Will we see more of that? :D

Cheers, your beloved mr_nogga. See you in June!

Foster_The_People70 karma

Good question. A lot of times when I'm writing a song, the sound will eventually lead to the melody or part. I'll go through a synth and find an interesting sound and usually it will end up defining the melody that comes next. I tend to be attracted to weird sounds.

PS sorry to hear about your friend who's no longer a friend. Shuffle on, friend.

AlpacaArousal39 karma

Mark (Pontius), what is your true passion: Music or Dodgeball?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Io_VnxMXrw

Foster_The_People57 karma

"dodgeball obviously" - pontius

Daylend34 karma

What did each of you think you would be after leaving high school when you were teenagers?

Foster_The_People77 karma

Pontius went to school for cinematography. Cubbie was, is, and always will be a gypsy. I had my sights set on music with a back up plan to join the air force (pre-war)

MagoMuffinz32 karma

I'm going to bother you on every social media site until I find the answer: Is 'Nevermind' spelt the way it is because of Nirvana?

Foster_The_People53 karma

maybe subconsciously but not intentionally

IAMAjuiceboxAMA30 karma

A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon is my jam. What is your inspiration on that?

Is there a difference between the BBC radio version and the studio version? I kind of like the BBC more for some reason.

Foster_The_People54 karma

We played it live on the BBC so it was a bit more raw I guess. Also, it's funny how songs usually become better versions of themselves live after we've had some time to really digest them and continue to let them evolve. A lot of times, we'll trim the fat (make the song shorter where it needs to be shorter or vise-versa) live, and by the time we've finally got them into a good place, we're in the studio recording new ones. Vicious cycle isn't it.

daryldd30 karma

What's the story behind The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones?

Foster_The_People77 karma

It's a small piece of a bigger song that we haven't released yet. Titled "The Unforseeable Fate of Mr. Jones"

jgatica2928 karma

Hey, Foster The People! Hope you guys are doing okay!

So I'm a sucker for recurring themes in musical albums. In my opinion it helps link the different songs in the album and makes the musical experience of listening to the whole record special.

So I was wondering: Is there an overall theme that persists in the whole 'Supermodel' album?

Foster_The_People62 karma

searching for the truth

Ali_Parker1727 karma

Boxers or briefs? Beach or mountains? Coffee or tea? Socks or barefoot? Mani or pedi?

Foster_The_People60 karma

briefs, beach, coffee, barefoot, ponsi loooovesss a good pedi

cowboykev25 karma

Will you ever bring a tour to Cleveland?

Foster_The_People57 karma

I don't know why that hasn't been a stop on our next tour. My dad gave me an earful about it the other day. Trying to make it back there. There's no place like home.

lstots22 karma

favorite tv show at the moment?

Foster_The_People127 karma

True detective was insane! Now that it's over, we just twiddle our thumbs and wait for the third season of house of cards.

mr3wolfmoon20 karma

Hi guys! Im a big fan of your music and love Coming Of Age. What are your favorite hobbies to do that is not music-related?

Foster_The_People60 karma

Cubbie and Pontius are either building things at their houses or surfing. I like to watch movies and play reversi online. They're laughing at me right now.

Einalem103915 karma

Mark, Cubbie, and Mark-

First off, thank you so much for doing this! I bought Torches 2 years ago and I have to say, it totally changed my music taste for the better. thank you for giving me, and so many others, such beautiful music.

my question is- pumped up kicks brought quite a bit of controversy after it skyrocketed up the charts. are you wishing to push the boundaries in a similar fashion with Supermodel? I will honestly be a little disappointed if you say no, because you guys always have a way of speaking the unpopular truth in such an eloquent fashion.

thank you again for taking the time to do this, and for responding to me on twitter not too long ago. "Supermodel is about confronting the animal in the room. turn the light on in the closet and watch the monster disappear." absolutely gorgeous. thank you so much.

xo, Melanie

Foster_The_People33 karma

I'd always rather make something that challenges you for better or worse. If you love it, great. If you hate it, great. If you respond indifferently, then that means we aren't making something interesting. Kicks always created a conversation that I thought was healthy. Sometimes we ended up being scapegoats because we were an easy target, but at the end of the day, I feel like it preempted a larger conversation that is still happening now in the US.

PvtMarc13 karma

What are your favorite books?

Foster_The_People74 karma

wrinkle in time, pokey the little puppy, wisdom of the enneagram, atlas shrugged, on The Road, catcher in the rye, ham on rye, anything by malcolm gladwell, Ponsi likes anything by dr. seuss, picture of dorian grey, clifford the big red dog

whatevver13 karma

What is the best piece of advice you have for someone that is moving to LA?

Foster_The_People59 karma

learn how to bartend (seriously)

gilkful9 karma

favorite reverb plugin?

Foster_The_People26 karma

Logic's space designer - I put that beast on everything

taylorftp6 karma

Are you planning on touring next year in 2015?

Foster_The_People16 karma

we might play some shows early in the year…to be determined

glarocc5 karma

is the fire escape okay after the earthquake today?

is it bad that i never realized cubbie's real name is jacob

also why didnt cubbie name his child cubitha

does ponsi like cats or dogs more

do you take the reviews of supermodel personally or is that not a focus of yours?

is social media overall good or bad?

favorite new instruments used on supermodel?

Foster_The_People20 karma

cubitha was a close second