Marcus Mumford on Backing Dylan, Naked Songwriting and Why Arcade Fire Rule His World
A week before the Grammys, Mumford & Sons had no idea they'd be sharing a stage with Bob Dylan. "It was surreal," says the folk-rock quartet's singer, Marcus Mumford, 24. "I was staying with my friend in California, and every night, we'd stay up until three listening to Dylan. Then I get a call: 'You're playing the Grammys with Bob Dylan.'" The British crew — whose breakout debut disc, Sigh No More, just went platinum — ended up stealing the show with a passionate rendition of their tune "The Cave," driving their album back up to Number Two. Mumford, taking a cigarette break from a writing session for the band's second album, checks in from London.
Were you excited to back Dylan on "Maggie's Farm"?
The initial idea was that we'd play the Grammys with the Avett Brothers — one of our favorite bands in the world — and "a legend of music." When our manager said, "It's Bob Dylan," I got out of bed and ran outside and jumped around like a madman! You can imagine the reaction of someone who probably wouldn't be playing music at all if it wasn't for Dylan....
