After taking the top-spot on the Billboard 100, it seems fun. is more than just a fad. Despite being around since ’08, it was the band's catchy “We Are Young” featuring Janelle Monáe that prompted overnight stardom and landed them among the top played tracks of our (and your, and everyone's) iTunes. Having released their second album, Some Nights (also a perfect top-down jam of the same name) in February, as well as jumping on board with Monáe’s stateside tour, they’ve been praised with some pretty major hype. As native New Yorkers, fun.‘s Nate Ruess and Jack Antonoff share some city scoop, and school us on music and taste.
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Your band has been coined as "alternative," — what advice would you give to young people starting out in your category?
Jacke: "It’s a really big world, but when you’re young it seems like a really small world where it's just people you know and the high school you go to... Ther truth is, as long as you’re being who you are, there’s a place for you."
Jacke: "It’s a really big world, but when you’re young it seems like a really small world where it's just people you know and the high school you go to... Ther truth is, as long as you’re being who you are, there’s a place for you."
Hit with overnight stardom, how has this year been?
Both: "Surreal. Honestly, just surreal."
Both: "Surreal. Honestly, just surreal."
Growing up, who inspired you guys musically?
Nate: "Oh jeez, a lot of ‘80s music like MDC and The Cure. We really do fucking love everything.
Jack: "It probably all started with The Beatles, and then I guess it goes out from there. Springsteen… Fleetwood Mac… I mean, that’s all so inherent in us that when we’re making records now, we take a lot from the artists who are around us."
So who is influencing you now?
Jack: "We’ve talked about it to death but Kanye really has been a huge part of us wanting to make records."
Jack: "We’ve talked about it to death but Kanye really has been a huge part of us wanting to make records."
And, you’ve worked with Jeff Bhasker, who has produced for Kanye and Drake; When you set out were you looking to create a particular sound?
Nate: "I think our particular sound has come by just not adhering to any specific sound. For us, it’s about the song, and being able to fit in to what is appropriate. When we sit down, we’re not talking about what type of band we’re gonna be within a specific genre — there’s a uniqueness to all of us individually that throws putting anything in a box out the window."
Nate: "I think our particular sound has come by just not adhering to any specific sound. For us, it’s about the song, and being able to fit in to what is appropriate. When we sit down, we’re not talking about what type of band we’re gonna be within a specific genre — there’s a uniqueness to all of us individually that throws putting anything in a box out the window."
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So, do you boys go out in the city?
Jack: "Well, we don’t go out unless there’s a dinner involved…"
Jack: "Well, we don’t go out unless there’s a dinner involved…"
Okay, so let slip where you like to dine!
Nate: "We love the Knickerbocker. And we just went to a bar in Grand Central, that was pretty cool. Where else? Jack loves the Mercer Kitchen.
Jack: "It’s a good restaurant, it gets a bad rap! I used to love Blue Ribbon. I go to the same places over and over again, trying to drag people with me."
Photo: Courtesy of Fun