Watch Portugal. The Man Discuss Woodstock and Hit Song “Feel It Still”

December 19, 2017 11:09 am

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Portland band Portgual. The Man had an incredible 2017, largely due to the runaway success of their single “Feel It Still.” Off the band’s eighth album Woodstock, the funky, retro-leaning track has hit number one on several Billboard charts — including a record breaking 20-week stint atop the Alternative Songs chart. The tune also earned them their first Grammy nod, for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

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Earlier this year, the band sat down with Atlantic Records President of A&R Pete Ganbarg and Woodstock co-creator Michael Lang to discuss their album Woodstock, which takes its name from the venerable music festival. They share anecdotes about the longstanding influence of the festival on both their own album and on today’s musical culture, as well as a little background into how album tracks like “Feel It Still” came to be.

“Writing really great songs with a message is what’s so amazing,” the band’s John Gourley says. “That just kills me. That should still be happening today. There should be more of that. And I’m excited to see what happens now. I feel like artists need to step up and speak out.”

Watch the full clip below.