Coachella by the Bay: CSS at Mezzanine
After more than a year in Brazil recording new music and decompressing from an exhausting tour schedule, CSS is back in United States for a tour that kicks off in San Francisco this Friday before the band heads to Coachella. We spoke with lead vocalist Lovefoxxx during a phone interview from Brazil.
Look out for new songs from CSS at Mezzanine as the band prepares to release its third full-length album this summer. 
How are things in Brazil?
I’m in Sao Paulo. We’re going to play our first club show here since 2006. We want to do a really long show because it’s been forever since we’ve played here, so hopefully I’ll be alive after and I’ll be able to play San Francisco.
Have you performed much at all lately?
Last year, we had a long time off because we were writing the new album, but we have been playing more often lately. It hasn’t been crazy busy, but it starts when we get to America. Last year, we played two shows.
What did you do with the rest of your time?
We recorded 24 songs, and there were even more songs than that. We would go to the studio every day and write, and I would go to the gym, dancing classes, and drawing. It was pretty laid back.
Donkey is a great workout album. What do you listen to when you’re at the gym?
I like listening to rap when I’m doing weight training because it makes you feel really bad ass. I really like the Ratatat remixes, and Turbonegro is good, too.
What can we expect with the new songs?
We weren’t thinking about how we would play these songs live, so some of them are really different. Some have layers of voices or crazy instruments — Spanish guitar, trumpets, and saxophone. It’s really crazy and fun. There are a lot different styles with the songs that we decided to put on this record. There’s a punk rock song, some Latin rhythms, one is very, very pop. There are lots of curtains.
That’s a change from the last album, where you went in the studio focused on playing the songs live, right?
Yes. When we did Donkey, we were so stuck on the road, so it was natural to record that way. With the new songs, we were here relaxing for a year and a half being very laid back. It made sense to use all of the different instruments on the tracks.
Now you are gearing up for a lot more touring. At the end of the last run in ’99 you said, “Touring sucks your soul.” Are you ready to jump back into that?
Yes, I’m ready to get my soul sucked again. I can’t wait to get my soul sucked (laughs). I’m really excited to get back on the road. Our spirits are really high, and we’re eager to be on the tour bus.
You usually get pretty creative with your stage outfits. What’s in store for this tour?
I have a new look, you could say. I’m tired of the leotard, to be honest, so I’m not going to where it anymore. I just framed my rainbow leotard because I never want to use it again; but I love it, so it’s framed. Now, I’m kind of wearing more regular clothes and I’m curling my hair. I think the whole thing now is going be just more energy than ever — even more than the first tours. I’ve been working out, listening to rap. You’ll see.
CSS performs April 15th at Mezzanine. Tickets are $18 in advance and the show starts at 9pm with Hot Tub opening.
