Portugal. the Man Recover Stolen Van, Talk Tumultuous Recording Sessions
Just after Lollapalooza, Portugal. the Man had their gear and van stolen in Chicago, and thankfully the vehicle was found with some of their stuff still in it. Singer and guitarist John Gourley recently took to the band's website to thank fans, fellow musicians and the Chicago PD, which will be getting doughnuts courtesy of PTM. The case is still under investigation.
Prior to that, Gourley spoke with Spinner about the making of their sixth studio LP, 'In the Mountain In the Cloud,' for Atlantic Records. As he revealed, the project nearly fell apart within the first month.
"We had all the songs and were doing pre-production, and it had been coming along really great," Gourley said. "Then we went to the studio, and we just felt pressure -- undue stress and undue pressure -- by this position we were put in. We're on Atlantic Records. We wanted to deliver our best work. We just went in a little too confident, which is good, because it fell apart."
"Looking back on it, it's really, really bizarre how close it was to one of those VH1 artists' specials," Gourley added. "It felt like that. We had so many fights, but it made us realize why we played music."
Portugal. the Man regrouped and thought hard about what they wanted to write about. Unlike other musicians who draw on experiences from the road, Gourley chooses to focus on growing up in Alaska.
"I still write about Alaska," the Wasilla native said. "That's all I write about because it's what I really know. Seeing other people interact and seeing other cultures, it definitely gives me new perspective on it. But it's more about the perspective I've had growing up. More than anything, I relate everything [I write] to
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