Tell me about the acoustic version of the song ''Pardon Me'' [from 1999's ''Make Yourself'']. That was the first time I remember really hearing you guys on the radio?
We released [the rock version of] ''Pardon Me'' as our first commercial single and it didn't do very well. [Guitarist Mike Einziger] and I had been entertaining each other with acoustic versions of our songs, almost as a joke. Then we had a few hours off and we went into the studio in Chicago and just recorded that version of the song with a bunch of other ones from the same record. We just did it live; there's lots of mistakes and it's very raw. Then our label released it, and it made the rock version make more sense to people.
Did it teach you something to see the stripped-down version of your song succeed?
It was flattering that when people could actually hear the song -- hear the lyric, hear the melody -- they liked it better. We saw that people reacted more positively towards us when we simplified, when we were doing less. And that's kind where we always wanted to go anyway.
You guys are a rock band who have been able to connect with the ''TRL'' audience. Now teen pop is fading, some garage-type stuff is coming up -- what do you make of the current state of rock and pop?
Exactly what you just said. The whole teen pop thing was as much a favor as it was a curse. I think the reasons it was a curse were self-evident. But the reason those teen artists did everyone else a favor was because they acted as a contrast to the real music that was going on. It was so perfectly clear what was the opposite of what they were doing, hence the rise of garage-type acts or even stuff that's more in the middle, where we fall.
And how will the new climate affect you?
We have yet to create our best record. I love the records we've created, but I know that our defining work, our ''Joshua Tree,'' has yet to be seen. So it's very exciting. I'm also really excited about bands like the White Stripes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and the Hives. Those are bands that are that really f---ing cool; they're very retro. They're doing stuff that's been done before, but for some reason I'm really, really happy that bands like that are being recognized right now.
Where are you with a follow-up to ''Morning View''?
We've all been writing our little parts, like we always do. I'm always writing lyrics. Probably the most thought that's gone into it is wondering where we're going to do it this time. We did the last one in a beautiful 12,000 square-foot mansion in Malibu. How can we outdo that? Maybe we can find a castle in Spain to do our record in. I want to record the vocals wireless on a beach, frolicking in the waves. And hopefully not get electrocuted.
