Vampire Weekend

Q: Who influenced Vampire Weekend?

Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, The Clash, Talking Heads. Each connection on MusicRoots cites a published source.

USA, 2006–now

New York band formed at Columbia in 2006, led by Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij. Their preppy, literate debut fused indie rock with African guitar and rhythm — 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', 'A-Punk' — echoing the world-pop of Paul Simon's Graceland.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Vampire Weekend and 0 artists Vampire Weekend influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Vampire Weekend?

Paul Simon — Vampire Weekend's African-inflected guitar pop drew immediate comparison to Paul Simon's Graceland — Ezra Koenig first heard that guitar and rhythmic language through Simon's world-beat records.
Peter Gabriel — Peter Gabriel's 1980s world-beat is woven into Vampire Weekend's sound — 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' name-drops him ('Peter Gabriel, too').
The Clash — Punk economy and the genre-blending of the Clash sit alongside the afropop in Vampire Weekend's brisk, sharp songwriting.
Talking Heads — One of the three sources Koenig first heard Vampire Weekend's guitar and rhythm styles through.