Steal Our Look / Buy Our Munch

The third Interpol Space opened in London yesterday, joining gallery-esque marketing hubs in New York and Los Angeles. If you haven't heard about this, read the official statement:

The space will not be a museum to the band but rather an interactive experience. The interior and exterior will be completely inspired by Interpol, with the bands' artistic friends and acquaintances running the Interpol aesthetic through their own unique filters: from limited edition poster set and space design/art prints by Shepard Fairy (Obey/Giant), to a custom neon sign designed by Lite Brite Neon (Brooklyn, NY), to ten band commissioned short films to a host of other things.

I'm still trying to figure out just how facetious or serious the mega-branding of Interpol is. It's not very "indie", but my guess is that's the point. Opening a gallery space to sell your personal aesthetic is freaking brilliant. Actually, that's been Jon Ozias' premise behind UNTITLED all along: "we will tell you what to wear, what to listen to, what to drink, how to act, what to buy, and you will thank us for our insight." I know it sounds disgusting (because it kind of is) but it's what every magazine, DJ, indie boutique and multinational corporation does anyway. Really, that's what this very website is all about: for some reason people read Burnlab because they trust our aesthetics, and we're arrogant enough to believe we have something to say. :) UNTITLED is just blatant about it, and there is definitely some humor in the honesty. We sure are jealous Interpol beat us to the gallery concept. Just you wait for the UNTITLED magazine... that and the 100,000 sq. ft. Burnlab concept store in a Wes Jones designed apparatus opening above the former Halcyon space in Brooklyn. Blade Runner will be playing 24 hours a day on a giant outdoor screen to a loop of the bass line from Bella Lugosi's Dead. A second location will ocupy the top four floors of the Broderick Tower in Detroit, where Run.Stop.Restore will be playing records continioulsy.

In case you were wondering, the other Interpol is still looking for The Scream. Seriously, what do you do with a painting valued at well over $50 million? eBay?