GHOST's TOBIAS FORGE Says 'There's A Common Misconception' That 'Indie Artists Are Always So Authentic'

In a recent interview with Australia's Tone Deaf, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge was asked if separating the art from the artist is a thing that music fans should embrace more or should discuss more. He responded (see video below): "What we have done, or we try to do with GHOST is not very different from what every other artist in modern rock and roll vaudeville has done forever. But I think that there's a common misconception within indie rock, for example, that, 'Oh, indie artists are always so authentic.' Oh, they woke up with that haircut. They just accidentally put that shit on… All those bands also have an image. As soon as you stand on a stage, as soon as you're doing that, you are committing to some form of transaction where there's supposed to be some sort of understanding between you and the crowd that I'm here to entertain you. You're supposed to feel something. Even though we've been much speculated about, just because of our extreme makeover and amorphic nature, but I don't think it's very different from THE STROKES. They didn't wake up looking like that. It actually takes hairspray and shit to look like that."

He continued: "I don't believe that rock bands are not rock bands unless they have pyro or unless they use makeup. There's not a given prerequisite of this is what you need in order to be an exciting band. But I definitely that whatever schtick, and whatever niche, whatever thing you're doing, you need to embrace that you need to do something that will set you apart from at least the form in which you're operating."

Earlier this month, Forge confirmed to Revolver that he will return to the studio in January 2020 to begin work on GHOST's follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" album.

"Prequelle" debuted last June at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It has yielded the chart-topping "Rats" and "Dance Macabre", a well as the new single "Faith".

The band will embark on a North American tour this fall in support of the disc, starting on September 13 in Bakersfield, California and wrapping on October 26 in Glens Falls, New York.