The Shins

In this exclusive interview, James Mercer tells us how "New Slang" changed his life, from putting added pressure on his band, to causing the insomnia that informs the title of the Shins' 2007 album, Wincing the Night Away. Mercer shares the pre-show rituals that he borrowed from Neil Young, and his bewilderment at how Alice Cooper came to review one of their shows. He also talks about meeting Johnny Marr and about when his aunt committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.