The song “Lights” was one of the leading, well, lights on New York modern rocker troupe Interpol’s self-titled album last year. Now it has a new life thanks to director David Lynch.



Lynch has employed “Lights” as the aural linchpin for his new short film, “I Touch a Red Button Man,” which the groove allowed him to use in exchange for creating some creepy visuals for its Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival appearance in April. And as far as drummer Sam Fogarino is concerned, the Lynch project has given the song some new life.



“I think we started working on that one early on in the writing process,” Fogarino recalls. “The opening guitar line ... I view as pretty much quintessential Interpol. So you have that kind of solid touchstone, but then what could happen on top of that?



“I think that was the first challenge — OK, we have this very basic kind of progression, and what can we do with it? We just took it from there.”



And Fogarino says it was one he embraced personally.



“I made a conscious decision not to do the go-to, solid, rock ’n’ roll drum beat and instead just kind of bang into a 16th-note groove,” he explains. “There’s no snare drum. I tried to stay away from anything that would be typical, or expected.



“And then I think everybody followed suit with their particular instruments, and when Paul (Banks) laid down the vocal, it really kind of hit home. We knew we had something a little different for us.”



Besides the Lynch use of “Lights,” Interpol filmed its own video for the song that was directed by Charlie White and actress Kandice Melonakos. It’s still available on the group’s web site.



Interpol performs Monday, July 25, at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 and $25. Call 313-961-5450 or visit www.livenation.com.