Some might hear an Arcade Fire song-- all that sweeping sincerity and gusto!-- and guess that the band is a little pompous in real life. They're rock'n'roll saviors, dammit! Well, according to Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne, Arcade Fire are actually a lot pompous in real life. At least that's what he told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. (Via Stereogum.)

Here's the humorously antagonistic quote:

I'm a fan of them on one level, but on another level I get really tired of their pompousness. We've played some shows with them and they really treat people like shit. Whenever I've been around them, I've found that they not only treated their crew like shit, they treated the audience like shit. They treated everybody in their vicinity like shit. I thought, "Who do they think they are?" I don't know why people put up with it. I wouldn't put up with it. I don't care if it's Arcade Fire or Brian Eno. If either of them walked into a room and treated people like shit I'd be like, "Fuck you, get outta here."

People treat Arcade Fire like they're the greatest thing ever and they get away with it. Those sort of opinions change my view of their music. They have good tunes, but they're pricks, so fuck 'em. Who does Arcade Fire think they are? I've been around groups. I've been around the Edge from U2 and he's the fucking sweetest guy ever. I was around Justin Timberlake when he was young and he was just a normal, nice, kind person. Anyone can be polite and kind and people who have the privilege and money and attention should understand that. If they don't, then fuck 'em.

This isn't the first time Coyne has called out some of his fellow musicians, of course. Talking to The Guardian about one-time tour mate Beck in 2003, he said, "When you hear his songs, you think he must really have some tender feelings, but then you find out it's a made-up thing." And in an interview with The Daily Star last year he managed to slag Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Razorlight, and Duffy without taking a breath. Either he's trying to apply for NME's editor-in-chief position or dude simply does not give a shit. It's incredible.

UPDATE: Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett has entered the fray! He Tweeted (is that a word?): "Win might not be all hugs and rainbows and kittens, but neither is he drug culture, confetti, pot paraphernalia and bullshit." Ooohhhh

and my response:

http://stereogum.com/archives/wheres-th ... nt-3035571

Flaming Lips > Arcade fire

who gives a fuck anyay?

In a battle between Okies and Canadians, no one wins.

what exactly do you do, solace?

he's a groupie

Can I be your groupie?

*reacts to this comment*

depends of your quality

i own/run arcadefire.net and maintain some of arcadefire.com

I've met Arcade Fire twice and they were really nice both times. Sounds like he wants some media glare via oldstyle calling another band out. Boring. Don't like his band though so I dunno.

Is anyone else bored to tears with Wayne Coyne constantly shooting his mouth off in the press, badmouthing other artists? He might make some interesting music, but he's a complete hypocrite. "Oh, they're assholes." Well so is someone who makes a habit of getting his name in the papers by slagging off fellow musicians.

I don't care. I like both bands.

Win's response on arcadefire.com is pretty classy imo

Yea, sometimes I wonder what was so bad about Beck. Seems like a nice, funny guy. And Beck has been doing the really serious thing since 2002. Sea Change onward has really seemed like the "fun" Beck is far and few between. I figure it carries over with his real life too.

why is it even brought up in interviews? interviewers know what questions to ask to get juicy responses and its more or less baiting people into saying shit about other people that have nothing to do with the interview

I hate to judge a guy on his appearance but that wayne looks like a real tool.

I've met arcade fire once, and they were all really nice.