2014 Artist Survey: alt-J

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2014 Artist Survey: alt-J

Gus Unger-Hamilton on Driving Tests, the Directors They'd Most Like to Work With, and Selling Out

Feb 02, 2015 Issue #52 - January/February 2015 - St. Vincent By Mark Redfern Photography by Pal Hansen

For Under the Radar's 12th annual Artist Survey we emailed some of our favorite artists a few questions relating to 2014. We asked them about their favorite albums of the year and their thoughts on various notable 2014 news stories involving either the music industry or world events, as well as some quirkier personal questions.

Check out our Best of 2014 print and digital issues for answers from Camera Obscura, Chromeo, The Dears, Death From Above 1979, Deerhoof, The Drums, The Flaming Lips, Glass Animals, Hookworms, Sondre Lerche, of Montreal, Ought, Owen Pallett, The Rosebuds, Strand of Oaks, Teleman, Sharon Van Etten, The War on Drugs, Warpaint, Woman's Hour, Wye Oak, Zola Jesus, and others.

Here are some answers from Gus Unger-Hamilton of alt-J.

[This interview first ran in Issue 52, the Best of 2014 and January/February 2015 Issue, which is still on newsstands.]

What was the highlight of 2014 for either you personally or for the band?

Personally, probably passing my driving test. For the band, I think we just found the feeling of making a second album we loved extremely exhilarating.

Did you take part in the ice bucket challenge? If not, why not? Grimes declined due to animal testing issues, was the grief she got for that deserved?

As far as I know, I wasn't challenged by anyone! I didn't hear about the Grimes debacle at all, so it can't have been THAT much grief.

Which subject do you wish you paid more attention to in school?

It sounds weird, but probably Latin. I dropped it as soon as I could, but in hindsight I think it was a pretty cool subject.

Which well-known filmmaker would you most like to direct one of your music videos?

Shane Meadows or Wes Anderson. Two directors who, to my mind, haven't made a movie that isn't great.

In which instance did you most sell out and compromise your music?

We once were the after-dinner entertainment for a group of Russian telecoms managers on an away weekend in Iceland. We had to dress up as Vikings and play while they had a banquet. It was amazing.

www.altjband.com