Interpol’s Paul Banks readies album with new Berlin band formed with Liars’ Aaron Hemphill

Interpol frontman Paul Banks has confirmed he is working on an album with a band he formed with Aaron Hemphill of Liars. He made the comments in an interview with The Berliner, as reported by NME.

Banks, who has moved to Berlin in recent years, said he has spent three years on the record in the city. He said the band would be called “Berlin Project”, if that were possible, and hopes the album will come out next year. The group has no label yet. Also in the band is Raife Burchell of London, whom Banks met through boxing. He has known Hemphill since Liars toured with Interpol in 2004, and described him as a wonderful person who helped him settle in Berlin, including with health insurance.

According to NME, the project follows Muzz, the New York supergroup Banks formed with producer Josh Kaufman and The Walkmen’s Matt Barrick, whose debut album came out in 2020. Banks has also released two solo albums: one as Julian Plenti in 2009 and “Banks” in 2012.

Speaking to NME about Interpol’s latest album, “This Mirror Weighs A Ton”, Banks said much of it was written in New York, with the lyrics refined in Berlin. NME gave the record four stars. NME also notes that Interpol’s December concerts with Bloc Party at Olympia London will not go ahead because of “unforeseen planning issues”.

Paul Banks was born in 1978 in Clacton-on-Sea, has ties to the United States and the United Kingdom, and is best known as the singer of Interpol.