Phoenix Want to Learn Julian Casablancas' Secrets

Phoenix came to Coachella and conquered musically, delivering a stirring set for thousands. But we're not sure if the French band completed their whole Coachella agenda, because they did have a very specific and unusual goal they wanted to accomplish.

"I hope we are gonna see Julian Casablancas onstage and then exchange a few words," Phoenix's Laurent Brancowitz told Spinner in the group's trailer. "He knows some secret chords [and] some secret I want to learn. I want him to reveal them to me."

For Phoenix, it's part of their own secret of drawing inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. For instance, how many bands can be influenced by both 'Saturday Night Live' and the award-winning art-house documentary 'Koyaanisqatsi'? "When we came in New York we did an MTV 'Unplugged' and we watched 'Koyaanisqatsi' on the big screen for the first time. We know it's going to influence our next album," Brancowitz said of their numerous experiences in the last year. "But I also think we are also learning to deal with pressure, when we did 'Saturday Night Live' there was a lot of pressure and we really enjoyed it."

While some bands wilt under pressure, for Phoenix, having been placed in pressure situations again and again thanks to their success, they're learning to use it to their advantage. "It was fun. It was very tense," Brancowitz said of doing the show. "We know now that pressure is a very creative tool if you use it wisely, so I'm sure it's going to influence the way we think about the album next time."

Yes, Phoenix is thinking ahead to the follow-up to their breakthrough, 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,' but fans may still have to wait a while, at least until the band has had their fill of touring. "When we aren't improving our live show, we're going to make a new album," Brancowitz said. "That's what's great about Phoenix -- we have these completely different states of mind. It's perfect."