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"Devendra Banhart has been tormented by over-privileged teens in Malibu, homeless in Paris and homeless in New York &amp;#x2014; but he&amp;apos;s hopeful everywhere he goes. The rail-thin high priest of the new Los Angeles scene opens up to Rolling Stone&amp;apos;s  Vanessa Grigoriadis in our new issue, describing the circumstances of his globetrotting youth, key moments of musical discovery (like when he listened to Vashti Bunyan&amp;apos;s Just Another Diamond Day on repeat for a month) and the creation of What Will We Be, the most straightforward rock album of his young yet prolific career.\n\nWhen our cameras ventured to Banhart&amp;apos;s East Los Angeles home, the songwriter recounted how he came upon his new album&amp;apos;s title, revealing, &amp;quot;I find myself meditating on Kleenex and thinking about how it used to be a tree and what will I be, and sometimes I feel like my soul is blowing its nose on my body, so somehow a title came out about that.&amp;quot; Banhart also shares some stories about the album&amp;apos;s single &amp;quot;16th &amp;amp; Valencia, Roxy Music,&amp;quot; inspired by &amp;#x2014; surprise &amp;#x2014; Bryan Ferry&amp;apos;s art rock band and a magical intersection.\n\nWe asked Banhart for his favorite moment of the decade and got a resolute answer: &amp;quot;Now. ... The future has not happened and the past already has, so just enjoy this.&amp;quot; Grab the new issue to read about how the potent psychedelic ayahuasca solved a serious medical problem (and inspired the wriggling serpent tattoos on his feet), how he risked his life wearing a dress to high school and how he showed up in New York City with $600 in his pocket and landed a record deal.\n\nRelated Stories:\n\n&amp;#x2022; Devendra Banhart&amp;apos;s Megapuss Joins Fab Moretti&amp;apos;s Little Joy for New Video\n&amp;#x2022; Devendra Banhart&amp;apos;s New Album Gives Him &amp;quot;Panic Attacks&amp;quot;\n&amp;#x2022; Beck Duets With Devendra Banhart on Dylan Tune at Tour Opener"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/at-home-with-devendra-banhart-the-high-priest-of-the-l-a-scene-20100106>