Last fall, Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio released one of 2015’s most underrated albums, the restless and smart electropop offering “The Names.” It’s Baio’s official full-length debut and first album as a vocalist. His 2012 maiden EP, “Sunburn,” was an album of instrumental house music made during band hiatuses.
Baio joined Vampire Weekend when he was a student at Columbia College in Chicago, and got famous right out of school. Being a famous musician, he seems embarrassed to admit, is the only real job he’s had.
Baio, who lives in London, was interviewed the day before bandmate Rostam Batmanglij announced his departure from the group, which may explain his hesitation when asked about plans for Vampire Weekend’s next album. (There will definitely be one, he’s just not sure when.) Baio (who releases albums using only his last name) discussed his band, his new life as a solo artist and the dark side of EDM. The following are excerpts from that conversation:
On his slow progression from Vampire Weekend bassist to DJ to vocalist:
I always loved deejaying and loved electronic music, and it was something I always really wanted to explore but couldn’t do it as a bass player in a rock band.
Whenever I was home from tour, I would lock myself in my room and learn how to mix, try to learn how to become a decent DJ.
Around the time of the second Vampire Weekend record, I started deejaying out. I had some great gigs and I had some terrible gigs but even when it was a terrible gig, it was still worth it to me. … Eventually I came up with something that I liked, which was “Sunburn,” and instrumental house music.
On critics who compared “Sunburn” to a Vampire Weekend album:
I found that interesting because it is a very different form. Those are six-minute house tracks, mostly instrumental. I was kind of surprised by that, but I do understand that everything I do for the rest of my life there will be mention of Vampire Weekend.
People far better than me have had far worse problems. I’m totally fine with it.
On his former, intense dislike of his own singing voice:
I tried recording my voice four or five years ago. I would try once, play it back and be so frustrated I wouldn’t try again for six months. Especially when you’re learning how to be a producer, you hear a finished recording where everything sounds really nice, but there’s so much work that goes into that. … You experiment with different sounds, different ways to use the instrument. Eventually, you find your sweet spot, the thing you can do with your voice that you like.
On his new life as a frontman:
I’ve been loving it. I’ve always loved singing karaoke, now I get to do a version of that with my own songs. I haven’t been too anxious, I’ve gotta say. We’ve toured so much as a band, I’m kind of used to being onstage. It didn’t take too much adjusting, to be honest.
On “The Names” track “Brainwash yyrr Face,” which examines the grim side of EDM nightlife:
I wanted to explore the darker side of a night out, the shame that can come with too much to drink. It felt to me like a new place to start a record of electronic music. I wanted there to be a progression from darkness to light. I like optimistic records, but I think to make an optimistic record, you have to start in a dark place.
On his eventual return to life as a bass player:
For me, I just always really, really love music. Any way of working on music to me is thrilling and exciting and life-affirming. I scored two movies, and in that situation you’re fulfilling someone else’s vision.
I have this (solo career) now as a thing I can always go back to. I can’t wait to make another record.
And with the band, I love playing bass and I’m looking forward to doing that, too. With every project I make for the rest of my life, I don’t need to be front and center, but I’m happy to have it in my life.
Yes, Scott Baio is his cousin. And no, he doesn’t mind that you asked:
He is my grandfather’s brother’s son, although I’ve never met him. We’ve never crossed paths. Even now, if I’m going through Border Control, I still get asked about it a lot. It’s pretty funny, to have that be a lot of people’s first impression of me.
