Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to navigation
Kurt Vile.
‘I wish I could have breakfast food all the time’: Kurt Vile. Photograph: Matador Records
‘I wish I could have breakfast food all the time’: Kurt Vile. Photograph: Matador Records

On my radar: Kurt Vile’s cultural highlights

This article is more than 5 years old

The singer-songwriter on the joys of John Prine, the black comedy of TV’s Vice Principals and psychedelic pulp fiction

Born in Pennsylvania in 1980, Kurt Vile co-founded the War on Drugs with Adam Granduciel in 2005. He played guitar with them until 2008, when he released his debut solo album Constant Hitmaker. He has since released a further six, including 2011’s acclaimed Smoke Ring for My Halo and, last year, Lotta Sea Lice, a collaboration with Courtney Barnett. Vile’s new album, Bottle It In, is released on Matador on Friday; he tours the UK with his backing band, The Violators, from 5-15 November.

1. Music
John Prine

John Prine performs in Nashville, Tennessee. Photograph: Mark Zaleski/AP

Two years ago, John Prine turned 70 and had two nights at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. I travelled over there with the family and weaselled my way into both shows, even backstage, and sort of hung outside his door like a stalker. He’s one of the greatest living American songwriters: he’s a killer performer and storyteller, with all these lamenting finger-pickers that pull right on your heart. The song Summer’s End on his new album is as much of a heartbreaker as Sam Stone, a classic from his first record. He’s a real hero.

2. Film
Lady Bird

Saoirse Ronan in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. Photograph: Allstar/A24

I saw this with my wife and it’s a classic. Greta Gerwig’s acting is amazing and cutting edge, so it’s great to see her move into directing. I think it’s a really important movie and the young actors in it are spot on. Even little things, like the kid who plays her first boyfriend [Lucas Hedges] who ends up being gay – she finds him kissing [a boy] and he cries: “Just don’t tell my parents.” The way he cries is so effective. I haven’t seen something quite so moving or convincing on that subject. And Saoirse Ronan is an incredible actress.

3. TV
Vice Principals

Danny McBride in Vice Principals. Photograph: HBO/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

The actor Danny McBride is an effortless comedic genius. He has this sort of American stoner humour – a little black, a little stupid – that I’m into right now. His latest thing is Vice Principals, and it’s my favourite. In his previous show Eastbound & Down he plays a really loud, redneck, beer-guzzling, ex-professional sports guy. Here he plays a vice-principal, and it’s a more understated role: he’s a dorky type of character who will say things he thinks are cool but are not, like: “Why don’t you take a picture, it’ll last longer.” I watch it every night.

4. Podcast
Gear Club

John Agnello records an episode of Gear Club. Photograph: www.gear-club.netlub.net/www.gear-club.net

This is a hilarious podcast presented by John Agnello and Stewart Lerman. They talk about making all kinds of records. It’s definitely nerdy, but I like to hear them ramble about gear – when you make records it’s fun to hear stories about how it’s done. One time they had Chris Shaw on, who worked on Bob Dylan records. There was a rumour they had to take some of it out because he was afraid of Bob Dylan… It was tough to pick just one podcast because I also love Marc Maron, and the country music one, Cocaine & Rhinestones.

Photograph: Flamingo

5. Book
Venus Drive by Sam Lipsyte

Speaking of podcasts, Marc Maron turned me on to this writer, who used to be in a band called Dungbeetle. He writes really smart, dark fiction generally based on his life: it’s a little gritty, there’s definitely some drugs involved at times. This is a collection of short stories, in the vein of things I used to read from the “brat pack” – I remember reading a lot of Bret Easton Ellis and Tama Janowitz – which are almost like pulp fiction but a little more psychedelic. I just wasn’t able to put it down.

6. Food
Honey’s, Philadelphia

‘Very casual’: Honey’s in Philadelphia. Photograph: Honey's/Instagram

I go to this place almost every week. They do laid-back, Philly-style brunch, very casual. I wish I could have breakfast food all the time. I get enfrijoladas, which is a Mexican thing with veggie sausage, and potato latkes – a Jewish kind of deep fried potatoes – every time, and coffee, and eggs that run all over everything. I got the family so we just kinda own the place: they know to give us our corner booth and [the kids] can colour all over the tablecloths. I just stay there as long as I can and forget about whatever’s going on in the world.

Comments (…)

Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion

Most viewed

Most viewed