Back in March, Arcade Fire's Will Butler — longtime member and brother of frontman Win Butler, should you be confused — announced that he was leaving the band after nearly 20 years.
Butler shared the news a few days after Arcade Fire announced their forthcoming sixth album WE (which Butler contributed to) writing at the time that "there was no acute reason beyond that I've changed — and the band has changed — over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things."
And now, Win Butler has commented on the departure in a new interview with Zane Lowe. In an exclusive clip shared with Consequence, Win discussed his brother's leaving, citing his interests outside of music and the difficulty of raising a family while being on the road:
I love Will. He's my only brother and he's always had interests that transcend music. I think that he sort of followed his big brother into this band. It was his first job. He's got three young children, and [my wife] Regine and I are able to bring our child on the road. But I think that if I wasn't, there's things way more important than music.
My brother has his own path… I think that there's things other than music that he has interest in. But I think fundamentally you only have one chance to raise your family and to kind of have a life with your family. I think it's very, extremely understandable. I'm proud of him for doing his own thing.
Win goes on to state that he has no plans to leave Arcade Fire anytime soon — or ever — saying that the band "is [his] family." He continued: "There's family you're born with, and family that you choose. I think sometimes the family you choose can be just as big a thing, because it's love and life, all that shit, it's not a straight line. I'm not really scared of any of it. I feel really grateful to be able to play still and to be able to do shows. It was really dark not having access to that for me. This band is my life so there's no out for me, fortunately."
Win Butler's full interview with Lowe airs today at 1 p.m. ET on Apple Music.
The seven-track concept album WE — which includes singles "The Lightning I, II" and "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" — is arriving this Friday, May 6. It was produced with Radiohead's Nigel Godrich.
To see the exclusive interview clip, head over to Consequence.
Butler shared the news a few days after Arcade Fire announced their forthcoming sixth album WE (which Butler contributed to) writing at the time that "there was no acute reason beyond that I've changed — and the band has changed — over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things."
And now, Win Butler has commented on the departure in a new interview with Zane Lowe. In an exclusive clip shared with Consequence, Win discussed his brother's leaving, citing his interests outside of music and the difficulty of raising a family while being on the road:
I love Will. He's my only brother and he's always had interests that transcend music. I think that he sort of followed his big brother into this band. It was his first job. He's got three young children, and [my wife] Regine and I are able to bring our child on the road. But I think that if I wasn't, there's things way more important than music.
My brother has his own path… I think that there's things other than music that he has interest in. But I think fundamentally you only have one chance to raise your family and to kind of have a life with your family. I think it's very, extremely understandable. I'm proud of him for doing his own thing.
Win goes on to state that he has no plans to leave Arcade Fire anytime soon — or ever — saying that the band "is [his] family." He continued: "There's family you're born with, and family that you choose. I think sometimes the family you choose can be just as big a thing, because it's love and life, all that shit, it's not a straight line. I'm not really scared of any of it. I feel really grateful to be able to play still and to be able to do shows. It was really dark not having access to that for me. This band is my life so there's no out for me, fortunately."
Win Butler's full interview with Lowe airs today at 1 p.m. ET on Apple Music.
The seven-track concept album WE — which includes singles "The Lightning I, II" and "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" — is arriving this Friday, May 6. It was produced with Radiohead's Nigel Godrich.
To see the exclusive interview clip, head over to Consequence.
