2Cellos are in the middle of the tour of their freshest album Celloverse to Australia. These guys are absolute beasts on their instruments and have been transforming rock and pop classics into hair-raising, viral-viewing Cello delights since their Smooth Criminal and Thunderstruck covers exploded all over tha webz. LWA managed to sneak a few questions past Stjepan Hauser (one half of the Croatian duo) to ask what happens when two friends clash pop culture with their classical roots.
LWA: You guys have covered genres spanning classic rock all the way to grunge and house, what genre of music have you found the most demanding in terms of adaption to a classical instrument?
2Cellos: We don’t really care about genres, we don’t like to look at music as genres and divide it into categories. We just take the music as a whole and all that matters to us is the message that comes across in every song that we play. As long as its suitable for the Cello we’ll play it.
So does that hint that there may be a chance to integrate Cello with a bit of Hip Hop?
Maybe, you never know! Anything could be possible… we really are open to anything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-fmBwAECbE&list=PLrRtwIUSeaCG-aP68lvx82D8YBH16AA6T
Elton John had a really remarkable things to say about you guys and then asked you to tour with him! What was it like to be involved, and tour, with the pop cultural icon?
Amazing man, he is a living legend. We toured the world with him for three years, playing everywhere. We opened for him, played with him in these big arenas. It’s where we learned how to become performers and will be an experience I remember for my whole life. It was a dream come true ya’ know.
The ridiculously entertaining videos complimenting your songs have also played a big part in the huge success you’ve had online… How much direction and control did you and Luka have over the filming process?
Yeah we have entire control. We decide everything, the story of the video and even a lot of its actual production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V7EugoweM4&index=8&list=PLrRtwIUSeaCEOxW7Ydgq2eDbFA84BdL5F
That’s awesome, at least you know if you ever put down the Cello you could always pick up a camera instead!
A lot of young kids will be wanting to pick up the Cello after seeing your stuff! What would you say to a young kid wanting to learn the Cello to play pop or rock on it? Do they need to have the classical training first?
All the basics and fundamentals are in the classical music because with the Cello all the essential repertoires are in classical. So I would definitely recommend learning the classical pieces first and then moving towards pop stuff.
2Cellos formed together four years ago, but was there much competition between the two of you before that?
There was in the beginning before we joined forces – people even considered us rivals. But it was great, because we pushed each other be better and inspired each other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpjPQdH44IM&list=PLrRtwIUSeaCEzrYn0w4mV3yA12Qk2mbVo
What’s the general reaction of an artist when they hear of you covering one of their tunes for the first time?
They love it, every time! Avicii just shared our latest video. Also other bands, they all share it – Guns N Roses shared our ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ video, Nirvana shared our ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ video, Greenday shared our video on their website. It’s amazing, it’s the best compliment you can get.
What can modern mainstream popular music learn from classical music?
Well there are some details in classical music that pop music doesn’t have. The range of colours, dynamics all these little intimate details a lot of the time pop doesn’t have. In pop, it’s always loud, you go to a rock concert and its only loud all the time. Whereas you go to our concert and it starts soft and intimate and develops gradually over time so it’s more diverse – popular music could take something from that.
Celloverse, your third studio album, what can listeners expect from this album?
Well I think it’s our best album so far – we have improved a lot since the first album. This time round I think we chose the best songs to cover, the most effective ones. I think it’s a really successful album.
Are you pumped to tour it in Aus? What sort of live experience can you promise to Aussie fans?
Yeah we love Australia! We’ve been here many times with Elton John and our own solo tours and we alway love it. As for what the fans can expect for the tour… Expect the unexpected!
