Interview: Mark Foster on How “Pumped Up Kicks” Sparked Controversy and Became a Modern Classic

Professor of Rock · Nov 23, 2022 · 24m

For once on our show…A song that came from no real inspiration at all.. Just a Jingle writer forcing himself to write a song on a lazy day where he was about to sneak off to the beach or go home. Mark Foster of Foster the People wrote Pumped Up Kicks in an afternoon just messing around. He pretty much just pushed himself to write a song that would become a masterpiece. He recorded a rough demo playing every instrument . He played that rough recording for people and in the end he actually released the demo. It would become the #1 song of the year. It actually went to #1 on alternative, dance…