James Murphy almost produced Arcade Fire's Neon Bible, he has revealed. The LCD Soundsystem leader said he "missed two opportunities" to work with the Montreal band, and now that his own group are winding down, collaborating with the art-rockers is one of his top priorities.
"I've been writing lists of things I need to do that I've not been able to do because I've been on tour or making a record for the last eight years," Murphy told BBC 6 Music. "LCD's not going to die ... We're going to go back to it being a part of our lives as opposed to our whole lives." Murphy's plans include label "things", remixing, "other art projects", but also producing. Besides working with Soulwax, Murphy said he relishes the chance to be a free agent, taking on a variety of projects. "Success at a certain point precludes you from being able to do things," he said.
Collaborating with Arcade Fire was apparently one of these things. "I've missed two opportunities to have worked with [them]," he said. The Canadian art-rockers met Murphy while on tour. "Before Neon Bible [was recorded] I went to Montreal and hung out with them. We talked about doing the record but it just didn't work out." Even then, Murphy still hoped to produce the next album. "I took an extra year off but so did they, so when it was time to make [the new LCD Soundsystem] record, they were making theirs." That album, The Suburbs, is due on 3 August.
But perhaps there's still time. "They're way younger than me and they've got five more records in them, I'm sure," Murphy said.
