With a new Arcade Fire album on the horizon, Win Butler has a busy schedule ahead, but the vocalist recently carved out some time to visit Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to chat all things WE. Ahead of the airing of the full interview, Consequence is exclusively premiering a clip in which the lead singer discusses the future of Arcade Fire following his brother and longtime bandmate Will Butler leaving the group.
“I love Will,” Butler told Lowe. “He’s my only brother and he’s always had interests that transcend music. I think that he sort of followed his big brother into this band. It was his first job. He’s got three young children, and [my wife] Regine and I are able to bring our child on the road. But I think that if I wasn’t, there’s things way more important than music.”
The musician continued, “My brother has his own path… I think that there’s things other than music that he has interest in. But I think fundamentally you only have one chance to raise your family and to kind of have a life with your family. I think it’s very, extremely understandable. I’m proud of him for doing his own thing.”
Unlike Will, however, Win could never see himself leaving Arcade Fire. “The whole band is my family and there’s family you’re born with, and family that you choose,” he explained. “I think sometimes the family you choose can be just as big a thing, because it’s love and life, all that shit, it’s not a straight line. I’m not really scared of any of it. I feel really grateful to be able to play still and to be able to do shows. It was really dark not having access to that for me. This band is my life so there’s no out for me, fortunately.”
Back in March, Will announced his departure from Arcade Fire on Twitter. “I left at the end of last year, after the new record was complete,” Will wrote. “There was no acute reason beyond that I’ve changed — and the band has changed — over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things.”
Butler’s full interview with Lowe airs later today at 1:00 p.m. ET on Apple Music.
WE is out this Friday, May 6th. In anticipation of the release, Arcade Fire have shared a pair of singles: “The Lightning I, II,” which we named Song of the Week, and “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” This weekend, they will join the Saturday Night Live Five-Timers Club while serving as the musical guest in an episode hosted by Benedict Cumberbatch.
