In a SPIN interview back in April, you mentioned, "The idea is to fight against what people expect exactly, to make a new coffee shop for them to come to…” How’s that ideology coming along?
It's true that it's exciting for us to go against something, to resist, but it's never a starting point to anything creative. It's pretty much us only that we try to impress and then if we create something beautiful that we like, somebody else will appreciate it in a different way.

Do you guys ever get into arguments?
No. We spent a whole year shouting at each other when we were 14. I think we got it out of our systems then.

Most provocative gift you've received on stage?
I can't think of anything provocative. Sometimes during a live show people are less inhibited and tend to show affection in strange ways but it's never provocative.

Phoenix only became popular sometime after the fourth album was released. Did that sudden surge in popularity catch the group by surprise?
It did catch us by surprise. We are pretty naive when it comes to success.

Worst crowd-surfing experience?
We've had a stage collapsed once in France and that was scary. One guy broke his leg and that was it. 

What are some of the benefits of being in a band?
Getting to perform in some incredible places and meeting people you wouldn't meet if you were visiting as a tourist. You get a real experience of what the world is. It's very overwhelming and comforting at the same time.

We know the band grew up generally hating to jam. So how were your songs created?
We created music in a non-traditional jam sort of way. We are surrounded by electronic instruments more than conventional jam instruments.

If you guys had super powers, what would it be?
It's really hard to answer this question without sounding corny like a boy-band... time travelling would be a good one, if considered a super power.

Life is…?
That's a big question. I don't have big answers.

Phoenix performs at The Star Performing Arts Centre on Jan 15, 8pm. Tickets from Sistic $68-$148