IDLES’ Joe Talbot Calls Need for Award Validation ‘Toxic’

IDLES Frontman Discusses Grammy Nominations

IDLES frontman Joe Talbot expressed that while the band is “grateful” for their award nominations, he considers the desire for such recognition to be “toxic”.

About Their Grammy Nominations

The group has received nominations for three Grammy Awards for their recent album “Tangk”: Best Rock Album for the record itself, Best Rock Performance, and Best Rock Song for the single “Gift Horse.” IDLES was also nominated two years ago for their 2021 album “Crawler” and the single “Crawl!”

In an interview with the magazine, Talbot shared his thoughts on the recognition from the Recording Academy. Diversity and discussed why he prefers not to seek praise from award nominations.

“You shouldn’t ask for validation from others, you should just believe in yourself,” Talbot stated. “But we entered the conversation about approval by creating something and putting it out into the world—that’s the Grammy conversation. It’s not something you root for or ask for – you work for it. So I recognize how fortunate I am and I’m very thankful to be part of this conversation. But needing validation from the award itself would be toxic.”

The Inspiration Behind Their Upcoming Album

He also spoke about the inspiration behind IDLES’ sixth album, which they plan to record in January. They will collaborate once more with Kenny Beats and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, who produced “Tangk”.

“It’s always love,” Talbot said. “The reason I started the band is to feel like I’m part of something much larger than myself. Seeking something better for everyone around, not just for yourself – that’s what love is; that’s what empathy is. It’s not my role to complain about our government and how dystopian the world is; I don’t say, ‘Get up, man, everything will be fine.’ I say, ‘You are not alone.’ And when people feel they are not alone, they are less fearful and less likely to turn to quick fixes in right-wing politics, and more inclined to consider others’ opinions.”

Regarding their musical growth, he remarked, “My mother always said, ‘Boring gets boring, but interesting things remain interesting.’ I believe that if you’re interested, you must look beyond your village perspective. If you stay within your confines, you’ll end up creatively inbred. I’ve been influenced by various things, and I want to celebrate that. We’re not interested in remaining in the village – there’s a vast world out there.”

“Tangk” was featured in NME‘s countdown of the 50 best albums of 2024. NME noted: “IDLES may have filled their sprawling fifth album TANGK with love songs and the odd low-key ode, but sonically and vocally, the Bristolians still sounded as visceral as ever. With a little help from LCD Soundsystem, they also looked great on the dance floor. Just look at them, wow!”