The story of O

There are many things I’ve dreamt of saying to Karen O, but, “Sorry for making you cry,” isn’t one of them.

Before the military wing of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fan Club start issuing death threats, I ought to point out that the tears are of the joyous being-the-recipient-of-wonderful-news variety.
“You read an interview with Mick Rock in which he said I’m one of the most inspirational people he’s photographed?” Ms Orzolek inquires of the legendary snapper whose portfolio includes, well, everybody.
“(Bottom lip beginning to quiver) You’re sure?”
110%
“(Mascara in serious danger of running) Oh…my…God! It works both ways in that he’s the only photographer who’s made us feel like we’re being offered the chance of immortality. Mick’s from that pre-video age where the photo on the back of your record was almost as big an artistic statement as the music. You don’t see many images these days that define the people they’re of. I call him ‘The Boatman’. He’s the guy who takes you from the regular world to the Land of Musical Gods. I got choked up then and I’m choked up now hearing what he said…wow!”
Ms. O’s gob was also well and truly smacked in July when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs blew Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol, Black Eyed Peas et al off stage at the Pentaport Festival in Korea.
“I could lie and say, ‘We were the best band there’, but the cheers were kind of allied to me reminding the crowd four or five times that my mom’s Korean,” she laughs. “The other half of me’s Polish, so that got milked last week too in Warsaw! No, Pentaport was really special ‘cause I was able to dedicate ‘Maps’, which is a song about love, to my imo (aunt), halmoni (grandma) and haraboji (grandpa) and feel a real connection. South Korea’s official name is Taehanminguk, so that got practiced before we went on as well.
“In Poland, the mentality is, ‘Tomorrow’s going to be difficult, tomorrow we might die, so tonight we party!’ And, boy did they. We’ve had other great gigs this year, but those two really stand out.”
Given her deranged ballet dancer persona onstage, it’s a bit of a shock to find that off it Karen O is quiet, considered and prone to bouts of nervous giggling and hair fixing. Although not in the mood today for photos – “The ‘I haven’t slept for 48 hours look’ isn’t a good one!” – she doesn’t strike you as a woman who cares about the odd zit or fleck of grey in that now trademark bob of hers.
“They’ve let me take my straitjacket and Hannibal Lecter mask off today,” the 27-year-old deadpans. “The moment I step on stage it’s like, bam, completely different Karen. I love the sense of liberation, but not the being rushed to hospital, which sometimes goes with it.”
The ‘being rushed to hospital’ O’s referring to happened last year in Sydney when she nearly broke her back tumbling off stage into the orchestra pit. Then there was the chipped tooth and sprained arm she suffered in Japan tripping over a stage monitor.
“I’ve always loved physical performers,” Karen pleads by way of mitigation. “One of my all-time heroes is the lead singer of The Germs, Darby Crash, who could have had an alternate career as a stuntman if he’d wanted. Even before I went to high school and the floodgates opened for me musically, I was into Michael Jackson, who had the dancing thing going on. I had to give myself a bit of a talking to after what happened in Sydney, though.”
What did Karen say to herself?
“‘Calm it down lady or you’re going to end up in a wheelchair!’ Doing these festivals has been great ‘cause the big screens allow you to be a bit subtler with your movements. It’s relative, though.”
Meaning that she’s still the scourge of Health & Safety Officers the world over. Given that Darby Crash died from a heroin overdose when she was one, which of Karen’s heroes has she actually met?
“Sonic Youth,” comes the lightening response. “I tried so hard to be cool the first time we were introduced but no, I dorked out completely! How can you not when they’re the godfathers and godmother of experimental music? We did a couple of magical shows with them in Brooklyn where all their kids were running around.”
Inspired by their family days out with Kim ‘n’ Thurston, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs recorded a cover of ‘Diamond Seas’ for an acoustic EP that can be found on iTunes.
“To my delight – and relief! – we got word back saying they really like it,” Karen beams. “Another amazing person we’ve gotten to know recently, and who did a remix of ‘Cheated Hearts’ for us, is Peaches. She’s smart, funny, personable, charismatic…and tiny! I always thought she was 10ft tall but no, I tower over her. In my book, Peaches is up there with Freddie Mercury, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith and dear old Darby in terms of showmanship.”
European festival season completed, what’s in store for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs?
“Three weeks of sleeping in my own bed for a change, followed by shows in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina which we’re really looking forward to ‘cause the audiences there are supposed to be mental,” Karen enthuses. “But in a good way! Then I guess we’ll start thinking about where we’re gonna go with album number three. It’s hectic but all good!”