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The Magazine

January 27, 2013
 

Passion Pit

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Written by: Amanda Slater
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Passion Pit

The dark story behind one of music’s brightest burning stars.

When the single, “Take a Walk,” was released, some Passion Pit fans were a bit confused.

It was the first single off “Gossamer,” the band’s sophomore effort – and in many ways it had the markings of a band trying to reinvent itself. Unlike so many of the songs from “Manners,” it wasn’t the kind of track that you’d hear in some kind of underground danceclub. Plus, the lyrics were clearly discernible with a soul-searching quality to them. For a moment, it seemed a far cry from the poppy, electronic explosion of early Passion Pit songs that were as foreign and mysterious as they were catchy and danceable. Or was it?

The brainchild of Michael Angelakos, Passion Pit first began with the “Chunk of Change” EP, a collection of songs written by Angelakos as a belated Valentine’s Day gift to his girlfriend at the time. Although, at first, Passion Pit just consisted of Angelakos and his computer, friend and former bandmate Ian Hultquist approached Angelakos during one of his solo shows in the Boston area about the possibility of collaborating. Slowly, a full band began to form with the purpose of performing Angelakos’ songs live.

“I just thought it was a fun thing to try to do. I thought we’d put on a couple of shows, and that would be the end of it,” says Hultquist.

Instead, things quickly sped up. The “Chunk of Change” EP was released in September 2008, and the EP’s single, “Sleepyhead,” soon skyrocketed to popularity, with the video earning a spot on Pitchfork’s Top 40 Music Videos of 2008. The band’s first full-length album, “Manners,” was released in May 2009 to rave reviews and “Gossamer” was released in July 2012 to further critical acclaim.

“Passion Pit has always kind of been an evolution [reflecting] whatever point Michael is at in his life when he’s writing,” says Hultquist. “He’s always been very adamant about how he didn’t want to repeat himself and make the same record over and over. So when the ‘Chunk of Change’ EP came out, he was like, ‘Oh, I never want to do that again.’ And when ‘Manners’ came out, he was like, “Oh, I never want to do that again.” I think you hear his maturity as a songwriter through the albums.”

But the road to success has been anything but easy for Passion Pit, and behind the upbeat, synthy sounds on Angelakos’ tracks lies a darker reality that, over time, became impossible for the band to ignore.

“Passion Pit has always kind of been an evolution [reflecting] whatever point Michael is at in his life when he’s writing.”

Just before the release of “Gossamer,” Angelakos posted on the Passion Pit website that the band had cancelled the remaining July tour dates and suspended the tour as he sought treatment for bipolar disorder – a condition that he was diagnosed with at 18, according to a Pitchfork interview.

As fans and critics began to digest the album, it became evident that threads of Angelakos’ struggle were woven throughout – although there were also hints in past seemingly upbeat tracks like “The Reeling” and “Little Secrets” that were largely overlooked. However, if the lyrics on “Manners” were laced with a whisper of Angelakos’ inner struggles, those on “Gossamer” were more like a scream. For instance, “Where We Belong” alludes to one of Angelakos’ suicide attempts that occurred while he was attending Boston’s Emerson College (“And then I’m lifted up / Out of the crimson tub / The bath begins to drain / And from the floor he prays away all my pain”).

In the same Pitchfork interview, Angelakos described the incident, saying “It was a pretty gruesome scene. I walked myself to the hospital and waited for hours – my coat had blood seeping through it, and I was passing out on the floor. The hospital employees finally realized what was wrong with me and said, ‘Why did you not tell us what was happening?’ I didn’t tell them because I was embarrassed.”

However, at this point in his life Angelakos seems to have traded in his embarrassment and is open about his struggle.

“This is something that he’s been dealing with his whole life. I’ve been a part of it as well since I’ve known him for the past six years or so. He just got to a point where he was like, ‘I don’t want to hide this anymore.’ He felt enough courage to open up to everyone and let everyone else know what’s going on,” says Hultquist.

“I’m really proud of him,” he says. “I think it was for the best and that it helped us grow closer as a band.  I definitely hope that it helps people find courage do to that as well. It’s something that you can’t do on your own. I’m not saying that every single person in the world needs to know about everyone’s personal details, but being able to stand up and say you need help with something definitely shows a lot.”

“Gossamer” also delves into Angelakos’ evolving experience with serious relationships – something he had little of before he began dating his now fiancée, Kristy Mucci, three years ago.  Prior to dating Mucci, his view of relationships was very different.

“I was very carnivorous. I just thought I was going to ruin someone else’s life and someone was going to be impeding on my life, too,” he said to Pitchfork. “I don’t know how to make sense of love or lust – that’s why I write about it a lot. […] On a literal level, love does not make sense. But that’s what makes it love.”

He proposed to Mucci, who he credits with saving his life many times, after dating for a year and a half – although no concrete wedding plans have surfaced as of yet.

At this point in Passion Pit’s life as a band, their next step is anybody’s guess. In addition to their ever-evolving discography, they consistently surprise the music world with collaborations and other anomalies – like Tiesto’s remix and video for “Carried Away.” As far as Angelakos’ health goes, he has a world of support behind him in the form of his fiancée, family, band and now a large – and growing – fanbase. Although Hultquist admits to the band toying with a few ideas for a new album, he says “nothing’s been written at this point or set in stone” – and, in the meantime, they have a year of touring ahead of them.

On Thursday, February 21, their tour will stop in Plymouth, Michigan where they will perform at Compuware Arena, supported by Matt and Kim. Those attending the show can expect an engaging and exciting live performance that is a far cry from the days of Angelakos performing alone aided only by his computer.

“I’m really proud of us as a live band and that we really perform the songs as much as possible, where I know a lot of electronic acts these days don’t really do as much groundwork and it’s kind of just press play and dance around. I am really proud of the fact that we strive to be better musicians by fully playing these songs,” says Hultquist. “We always love coming through the area, and we look forward to coming back out.”



About the Author

Amanda Slater
Amanda Slater
Amanda is the Editor in Chief of iSPY Magazine.



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