Angels & Airwaves’ Ilan Rubin talks about their new album ‘LIFEFORMS’

Angels and waves. Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

Ilan Rubin of Angels & Airwaves chatted with Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal about their new album “LIFEFORMS” and about being an artist in the digital age.

Regarding the song selection approach for the new album, he said: “There were only a few songs that were not selected for ‘LIFEFORMS’. I’m sure they will see the light of day, but when it comes to sequencing an album it’s usually pretty easy to hear the weird man who doesn’t quite work with the rest of the material.

Rubin listed “Euphoria” as his favorite song on the album. “I think ‘Euphoria’ has slipped into my favorites list since we started playing it live. I think it’s a unique blend of different influences. Plus, the harmonies are a really nice touch on that one, ”he said.

Regarding his musical and songwriting inspirations, he said, “I am inspired by the sound or whatever mood I find myself in when playing an instrument. I then focus on the lyrics / mood and the topic of the song.

For young aspiring artists, he encouraged them to “become good at their craft”. “It’s an art form that is dying at an astounding rate and it’s unfortunate,” he said.

As an artist in the digital age he said, “I’m not the biggest fan of it, to be honest with you. But I think the worst part of the digital age isn’t necessarily the prevalence of streaming, although it has seriously devalued music, but the fact that everything has become entirely data driven. Data and quality are two things that rarely go hand in hand.

Rubin holds the record for being the youngest ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he was inducted as a member of Nine Inch Nails at the age of 32). “It was awesome. A nice little dream that I thought was good to achieve but I had no idea I would do it at 32, ”he exclaimed.

Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “I think it’s a combination of respect, continuous improvement and financial freedom. By financial freedom I mean being able to afford to devote time and money to your art and produce the best thing possible. Of course, money is not essential for this, but it can certainly help.

To his fans and supporters, he said: “I would like to say thank you to all the fans and supporters. It means a lot and feels especially important when we release new tracks and can finally play live. ”

“LIFEFORMS” received favorable reviews from Digital Journal. The album is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

For more information on Angels & Airwaves, check out their official website and Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.