“My Life Is A Movie”. “Goosebumps”. “Levitate”. “Make Out Jams”. These are but a few of the myriad mood-based Spotify playlists that American indie legends Cigarettes After Sex find their music a fitting part of.
Greg Gonzalez, the band’s frontman and sultry voice, has long been a conjurer of their melancholic reveries, with every track oozing with their signature seductive pull that has spoken to the heart’s deepest recesses for many. His voice has often been described as androgynous, with a haunting smoothness to it, and remains the band’s defining identity.
Determined to be part of something bigger than himself, Greg founded Cigarettes After Sex in his hometown in 2008, along with his bandmates, bassist Randall Miller and drummer Jacob Tomsky. Fast-forward four years, and their debut EP, I., emerged from the unlikeliest of studios — a four-floor stairwell at the University of Texas at El Paso. Cigarettes After Sex has since carved out a groundbreaking niche within the indie music landscape.
Their latest opus, X’s, released last month, offers a fresh palette to their unmistakably dreamy sound — a lustrous blend of ambient pop, shoegaze, and the kind of languorous rock that feels like a smoky after-hours rendezvous. This third studio effort continues their exploration of vulnerability but with a new texture that marries the sounds of alternating decades: ‘70s dance pop and ‘90s nostalgia.
India has long been a receptive audience to the band’s moody serenades. From their debut at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Pune to their most recent set at Lollapalooza India in Mumbai, the connection has been electric. Now, BookMyShow is orchestrating the band’s next Indian escapade, as their much-anticipated X’s tour gears up for performances in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru in January next year.
With the tour on the horizon, we sit down in conversation with Greg to unravel the thought behind producing X’s and explore the magnetic appeal of their music that seems to wrap even the most ordinary moments in velvet.
Excerpts:
From what I’ve heard so far, X’s seems very bittersweet, and you’ve previously mentioned how it explores the highs and lows of a relationship. Was there a particular moment or memory you found most challenging to relive while encapsulating it in song?
Greg: It is always difficult for me to confront a memory, even if it’s a sweet one, because a happy memory can feel sad later. You felt a certain way at a certain time, and then later on, things might have changed. So, that memory feels sad because all the dreams you had didn’t come true.
There’s a song called ‘Dreams from Bunker Hill’ that was hard to write. I finished it much later, after the romance had ended. It felt really sad to talk about moving in together with this person and stuff like that for the first time. Everything was so happy when we first moved in. That song used to make me cry a lot when we finished it; it still does when I play it, which makes me incredibly sad. But, you know, that’s what it’s supposed to do.
We’ve come a long way since your debut album, and Cigarettes After Sex has been evergreen. What elements do you believe are essential to achieving this timelessness that’s so quintessential to your music? And how do you ensure each new album maintains that aesthetic while also exploring new territories?
Greg: It is strange that the band has stayed successful, but it’s what I always envisioned. I studied music and thought, why is Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ still so powerful? There’s a certain feeling to it that never gets old. It’s so perfectly done, so simple, so melancholic, and emotional.
I wanted our music to be like that — simple, incredibly emotional, and melancholic, dealing with romance honestly. But it should still be pop music, with verses and choruses that people want to sing along to. It shouldn’t be obscure. The songs are written to be classic, imitating those classic songs. The honesty about relationships and romance helps people feel something special, whether it helps them sleep, dance, sing, miss somebody, or share it with others. It’s meant to serve love and be romantic to the core.
Greg Gonzalez performs live | Photo Credit: Krists Luhaers
The band’s name has always evoked a specific vibe and image. From spearheading the mood-based playlist movement on Spotify to producing a distinct brand of musical erotica, do you feel these perceptions of Cigarettes After Sex ever restrict the diversity of your music?
Greg: It doesn’t seem like it has. Early on, record labels told us that if we changed our name, they would sign us. They said the name would create roadblocks. And maybe it did, but it felt more honest to keep it. The name felt like lightning striking, like a path had been revealed. And If I hadn’t taken that path, it would have been disastrous, so I had to trust my instinct and say, “This seems interesting; it’s a beautiful feeling and a beautiful statement.”
I know it’s a little jagged but in essence, it [Cigarettes After Sex] is actually a very sweet thing, about sharing something intimate. It could have been like Sex Pistols, which is a more vulgar name, but it didn’t limit them. They were influential and important. So, I figured our name wouldn’t limit us either.
You’re also a huge film buff; how did your early exposure to cinema influence your approach to songwriting, particularly in creating music with such a dreamy and evocative quality?
Greg: I grew up with a big closet of VHS tapes because my dad worked in video distribution. We had a million movies, and I played music inspired by them. I wanted to make songs that sounded like those movies. I wanted listeners to hear a song and picture a movie in their heads. When a song creates a scene in your mind, it’s one of my favourite things. I wanted Cigarettes After Sex to have that power.
All these pictures in your mind are what film creates. Film inspired me to make music that feels like a movie. Over the years, I would watch films and think, “This movie evokes a feeling I want to capture in song.” This happens repeatedly with the movies I watch; I think, “This film feels incredible — maybe I can write a song that captures this feeling.” That’s how film and music work together for me.
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Have you ever considered dabbling in scoring or composing for movies?
Greg: I’ve thought about that. There are many great composers who were in rock bands first, like Danny Elfman, Johnny Greenwood, and Mark Mothersbaugh. But I thought I should do one better. I want to direct movies. So, if Cigarettes After Sex ends, I want to start directing movies and maybe do my own scores, along the lines of John Carpenter, perhaps.
India isn’t new to you since you’ve performed here a few times already. What are you most looking forward to on your upcoming tours? Has the Indian audience particularly influenced your music or performances over the years?
Greg: India has long been a fan base with some of our most passionate fans. The level of passion for music in India is incredible. It’s amazing to see the audience’s electricity when they hear music in the right setting.
We’ve been trying to go to more cities for a long time. We’ve been to Pune, spent three nights in Mumbai, and played at Lollapalooza Mumbai. This is our fourth time, and now we can finally go to New Delhi and Bangalore. It’s exciting to finally play in these places. I’m looking forward to seeing new cities in India, experiencing their vibe, and feeling the fans’ excitement. The level of excitement online has been incredible, so I’m really excited for it.
Cigarettes After Sex will be performing in Delhi-NCR on January 24, 2025, followed by Mumbai on January 25, 2025, and Bengaluru on January 28, 2025. Tickets are now sold out on BookMyShow.
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