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Vampire Weekend reveal new album 'Contra' title inspiration Vampire Weekend Tickets

'It's about retro gaming and Nicaraguan politics', says Ezra Koenig

Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig has said that the title of band's new album 'Contra' has a duel meaning.

Koenig admitted that he is fascinated by the ambiguous meaning of the title, noting that younger generations associate it with the computer game of the same name, while others think of the Nicaraguan rebel groups of the 1980s.

"I did have a moment where I stopped and thought 'Wow, everybody my age, when you say "Contra", thinks of the video game, and everybody my parents' age thinks of the counter-revolutionaries in Nicaragua"," he told MTV News.

He added that, being a child of the '80s, he couldn't help but be influenced by the 1987 Konami game. "Look, I was born in 1984, so I'm not going to name an album 'Contra' and not think about that video game!" he said.

Koenig also said that one of the album's central themes alluded to the band's rise to fame, and people's perceptions of them.

"When you're in a situation where you all of a sudden get people writing about you and saying things about you, of course you're going to have a lot of people who try to identify you by a series of bullshit signifiers," he stated.

He added: "They'll try to say because you wear this kind of shirt you come from this kind of family, or because you have a song with this word in it you must be of this political persuasion."

The New Yorkers are set to release 'Contra' on January 11.

Vampire Weekend tickets:

Date / Time Artist Venue Town/City Buy
Feb 07, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Corn Exchange Cambridge

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Feb 07, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Corn Exchange Cambridge

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Feb 08, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Apollo Manchester

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Feb 08, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Apollo Manchester

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Feb 09, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Leeds

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Feb 09, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Leeds Leeds

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Feb 10, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Birmingham

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Feb 10, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham

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Feb 12, 2010 18:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle

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Feb 12, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Newcastle

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Feb 13, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Barrowland Glasgow

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Feb 13, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Barrowland Glasgow

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Feb 14, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Hmv Picture House Edinburgh

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Feb 14, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend Hmv Picture House Edinburgh

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Feb 16, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend 02 Academy Brixton London

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Feb 16, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Brixton London

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Feb 17, 2010 19:30 Vampire Weekend O2 Academy Brixton London

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Comments (2)

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jorges 

Nov 11, 2009

"I did have a moment where I stopped and thought 'Wow, everybody my age, when you say "Contra", thinks of the video game, and everybody my parents' age thinks of the counter-revolutionaries in Nicaragua" Really? Could that possibly be the dumbest thing I've heard all year? I just want to go on record here folks; VW is the biggest piece of shit band that's come our way in the last two years. Carry on...

barryjamesmccarthy 

Nov 11, 2009

What a fucking moron. Can't this monumentally stupid ignoramus perhaps read a book? The Contras were not just "counter-revolutionaries" they were a far-right "rebel" group responsible for rape, torture, slaughter of civilians, murder, drug trafficking and were illegally armed by the U.S Government, the death toll and suffering from their actions was horrific. What an ignorant prick. People my Grandparents age knew about the Fascist Oswald Mosley, to find out about that I just read about that dark period in English history all too familiar now with the BNP. Just in case you wanted to use that name for teh next album. Stupid fuck.

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Pic: Pieter M Van Hattem

Pic: Pieter M Van Hattem

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