21 August 2011
19 August 2011
Rocksucker interview (2011)
"The best of British pop music" – that's how Brian Eno, no less, once described Merseyside electropop institution Ladytron. That's no small praise, especially considering that the band took their name from a song off Roxy Music's classic debut album. Premature though it may be to describe Ladytron as legends, the release earlier this year of career retrospective Best of 00-10 served to confirm just what a glorious niche they've carved out for themselves since they were so idly lumped in with the electroclash movement of the early noughties.
If that compilation can be seen as closing a chapter in their history then, goodness, they haven't half been quick to open up another – in fact, though it does not see the light of day until September 12th, Ladytron's fifth studio album Gravity the Seducer was also completed earlier this year. As is the way with these things nowadays, they've been forced to sit on it for a while at the behest of various market forces but a steady drip-feed of tantalising singles has cranked up the anticipation to almost unbearable levels amongst the group's dedicated and by-now-considerable fan base.
Rest assured, though, that the time is nigh for Ladytron to once again cement their place at the very forefront of dreamy, electronic pop music on these shores, or indeed any other you'd care to mention. As such, Rocksucker caught up with lead singer Helen Marnie to discuss Gravity the Seducer, the media's attempts to categorise the band's sound and why she'd think twice about sharing a stage with confirmed Ladytron enthusiast Christina Aguilera...
You've just come back from what looks like it must have been quite an exhausting tour. How was it for you? Where had the best crowd? How do you get the energy levels back up for your American tour?
Yeah, our touring this year started at the end of April with a one-night trip to Beijing to play a festival there. Since then we've done lots of European dates, festivals, and managed to squeeze in a short UK tour as well. I think the best crowds of the summer have been in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Selector Festival in Poland. They were both fun gigs. As for North America, we get a great reception over there so we're all really looking forward to going on the road for four weeks. It's like being in a little gang for a while, and you kind of feed off one another.
What was the thinking behind releasing a Best Of just a few months before a new studio album?
We'd had a bit of a break from touring Velocifero so it seemed like a good time to release a Best Of package to keep fans interested and to also set up the new album. We also couldn't pass on releasing an album which celebrated us over the last ten years. How many bands are lucky enough to get to do that? Releasing the deluxe version with the photo booklet actually made me quite nostalgic. When we were collating the photos, it was like the story of Ladytron through the years.
What can we expect from Gravity the Seducer? Would you say that "Ace of Hz", "Ambulances" and "White Elephant" are good indicators? Is it true that there will be a different version of "Ace of Hz" on the album?
Gravity the Seducer is a journey from beginning to end. Songs flow into one another as if they belong. The songs released so far are an insight into the album and instrumentally there are recurring sounds, along with themes. There is an alternative "Ace of Hz" which features on the album.
What can you tell us about the "dramatic arc" that holds the album together?
Reoccurring themes weave throughout, with the sounds of organs, bells, and strings. These ideas and sounds, along with lush, full vocals, make the album complete.
How frustrating and/or nerve-wracking is it to complete an album and then have to wait until several months until its release?
It's always frustrating when there is a long delay between studio completion and release date. The release of the Best Of made the wait a little longer, but hopefully people will appreciate the album when it's released in September and will think it's been worth the wait. There really is not a lot that can be done about it. Everything needs to be done properly and set up in order to make the greatest impact. For us, we're just excited that it will finally be released and we're moving forward concentrating on the new.
Looking back, which of your previous albums are you most proud of? And why? Which one involved the biggest workload?
It's hard to choose, but I think Witching Hour was a turning point for us all. It kind of took Ladytron in a new, exciting direction. Personally, I feel that vocally it was a more demanding record and it pushed me more than previous studio albums, which was good as it made me a more confident singer. All in all I think it was more representative of Ladytron as four individuals.
Were you uncomfortable with the media lumping you in with the electroclash movement during your early days? In a way, did this kind of stereotyping inform the subsequent progression of the band's sound?
We were always lumped in with bands we sounded nothing like and often didn't have much in common with. That was what made us uncomfortable. For that reason, we just tried to avoid any connection with the term. Our sound is never reactionary to outside elements, it's always natural and down to experiences. Velocifero had a harder, more live sound due to the immense amount of touring we did before going in to record that album.
How does it feel to have Brian Eno describe you as "the best of British pop music"? Might you ever collaborate with him?
Wow, it's amazing for anyone to say that about us but coming from Brian Eno it's rather special. I'm sure Brian Eno is far too busy to find time to write with us, though it would be great.
Apparently Christina Aguilera has said that she intends to attend your LA show in September. Might you get her up onstage and do [the Ladytron-produced] "Birds of Prey"?
Haha. There's no way I would be able to sing after Christina Aguilera. She'd blow me off the stage. She came to our last LA gig though, so it would be nice to have her there again.
Are there any up-and-coming artists you'd like to give a shout out to?
No. Apart from my friend Land of Bingo.
Finally, could you name – as of this very moment – your top three albums of all time?
Hmmmm. Joni Mitchell - Song to a Seagull. Heart - Dreamboat Annie. Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim.
Helen, thank you.
Source
Rest assured, though, that the time is nigh for Ladytron to once again cement their place at the very forefront of dreamy, electronic pop music on these shores, or indeed any other you'd care to mention. As such, Rocksucker caught up with lead singer Helen Marnie to discuss Gravity the Seducer, the media's attempts to categorise the band's sound and why she'd think twice about sharing a stage with confirmed Ladytron enthusiast Christina Aguilera...
You've just come back from what looks like it must have been quite an exhausting tour. How was it for you? Where had the best crowd? How do you get the energy levels back up for your American tour?
Yeah, our touring this year started at the end of April with a one-night trip to Beijing to play a festival there. Since then we've done lots of European dates, festivals, and managed to squeeze in a short UK tour as well. I think the best crowds of the summer have been in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Selector Festival in Poland. They were both fun gigs. As for North America, we get a great reception over there so we're all really looking forward to going on the road for four weeks. It's like being in a little gang for a while, and you kind of feed off one another.
What was the thinking behind releasing a Best Of just a few months before a new studio album?
We'd had a bit of a break from touring Velocifero so it seemed like a good time to release a Best Of package to keep fans interested and to also set up the new album. We also couldn't pass on releasing an album which celebrated us over the last ten years. How many bands are lucky enough to get to do that? Releasing the deluxe version with the photo booklet actually made me quite nostalgic. When we were collating the photos, it was like the story of Ladytron through the years.
What can we expect from Gravity the Seducer? Would you say that "Ace of Hz", "Ambulances" and "White Elephant" are good indicators? Is it true that there will be a different version of "Ace of Hz" on the album?
Gravity the Seducer is a journey from beginning to end. Songs flow into one another as if they belong. The songs released so far are an insight into the album and instrumentally there are recurring sounds, along with themes. There is an alternative "Ace of Hz" which features on the album.
What can you tell us about the "dramatic arc" that holds the album together?
Reoccurring themes weave throughout, with the sounds of organs, bells, and strings. These ideas and sounds, along with lush, full vocals, make the album complete.
How frustrating and/or nerve-wracking is it to complete an album and then have to wait until several months until its release?
It's always frustrating when there is a long delay between studio completion and release date. The release of the Best Of made the wait a little longer, but hopefully people will appreciate the album when it's released in September and will think it's been worth the wait. There really is not a lot that can be done about it. Everything needs to be done properly and set up in order to make the greatest impact. For us, we're just excited that it will finally be released and we're moving forward concentrating on the new.
It's hard to choose, but I think Witching Hour was a turning point for us all. It kind of took Ladytron in a new, exciting direction. Personally, I feel that vocally it was a more demanding record and it pushed me more than previous studio albums, which was good as it made me a more confident singer. All in all I think it was more representative of Ladytron as four individuals.
Were you uncomfortable with the media lumping you in with the electroclash movement during your early days? In a way, did this kind of stereotyping inform the subsequent progression of the band's sound?
We were always lumped in with bands we sounded nothing like and often didn't have much in common with. That was what made us uncomfortable. For that reason, we just tried to avoid any connection with the term. Our sound is never reactionary to outside elements, it's always natural and down to experiences. Velocifero had a harder, more live sound due to the immense amount of touring we did before going in to record that album.
How does it feel to have Brian Eno describe you as "the best of British pop music"? Might you ever collaborate with him?
Wow, it's amazing for anyone to say that about us but coming from Brian Eno it's rather special. I'm sure Brian Eno is far too busy to find time to write with us, though it would be great.
Apparently Christina Aguilera has said that she intends to attend your LA show in September. Might you get her up onstage and do [the Ladytron-produced] "Birds of Prey"?
Haha. There's no way I would be able to sing after Christina Aguilera. She'd blow me off the stage. She came to our last LA gig though, so it would be nice to have her there again.
Are there any up-and-coming artists you'd like to give a shout out to?
No. Apart from my friend Land of Bingo.
Finally, could you name – as of this very moment – your top three albums of all time?
Hmmmm. Joni Mitchell - Song to a Seagull. Heart - Dreamboat Annie. Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim.
Helen, thank you.
Source
07 August 2011
Scene Magazine interview (2009)
"We still get the same crap hotel rooms and the same crap riders", laughs Wu. "They never get better and they never get worse. One thing we did find when we toured last year was that advance ticket sales were lower than usual, but on the days of the gigs, a whole lot of kids decided to come and see the band. We ended up selling out most of the dates on the tour. Everyone needs rock music, and it's survival of the fittest".
Wu is happy to claim his band's place atop the Darwinian food chain, but doesn't necessarily agree that they can take all the credit (blame?) for today's electro-saturated musical landscape. "Yeah, there are a lot of bands out there who probably wouldn't sound the way they do if we didn't happen", he concedes. "But I think at the same time, a lot of those bands wouldn't sound like that if things hadn't happened between 1979 and 1984. We're by no means the genesis of electropop, we just managed to repopularise it.
"But the other thing that's happened in the wake of electroclash is that it's made electronic instruments acceptable in mainstream music. Remember when Madonna released that electro track? So many bands have synthesizers and keyboards now, but they don't really see it as electropop anymore. They just see it as pop".
Similarly, Ladytron haven't seen themselves as an electropop band for quite some time now. Most critics pin that evolution to last year's 'Velocifero' (their fourth LP, which literally translates to 'bringer of speed') and its ubiquitous single, 'Ghosts'. They're wrong.
"That didn't happen during this album. That happened during the second album (2002's 'Light & Magic'). Our record had been out for awhile, and we were getting all this press saying we were the pioneers of this thing that was happening in New York. Our attitude was, 'ok, we're doing our own thing, and we're not part of any scene'... I think 'Light & Magic' bookended that whole period for us. It was like, 'that's out of the way, let's not think about that anymore'. We've really developed and evolved our sound on an album-by-album basis since then".
That evolution has brought them to Brian Eno's notice. Eno, the avant-garde pioneer who played on the Roxy Music track Ladytron takes its name from, has handpicked the band to take part in his 'Luminous' festival. "It's quite an interesting story, actually", Wu says. Normally such a statement precedes an incredibly dull story, but he isn't lying.
"Helen and Mira were loading stuff into their car after a show in Oxford when a girl came up to them and introduced herself as Brian Eno's daughter. She said she was a fan of the band and that she'd gotten her dad into us, which was pretty exciting. A couple of days later, we got a call from Eno's people asking if we wanted to play the Sydney Opera House. And it's entirely down to the kids keeping dad cool!" Naturally, after nearly a decade of world tours, this isn't Wu's first trip Down Under.
"This'll be my fifth time in Australia. Eventually I want to drive across the outback, but you never know what's going to happen. I'm worried I'll be murdered". It's 2012. Wu survives an ordeal in the Australian outback and lives to write an album about it. It's a success, inspiring hundreds of imitators. Nobody is surprised.
Source
05 August 2011
The Guardian interview (2002)
Ladytron's image of frosty European hauteur and black-clad cool is crumpled somewhat by the fact that they are the clumsiest band in Britain. "One time we came on stage to 'Paranoid' by Black Sabbath", recalls Mira Aroyo, a Bulgarian geneticist who recently completed her PhD at Oxford University. "It was going to be our great moment, but I tripped over the monitors. Then Danny came out and landed on top of me. Our tour manager had to pick us up and place us in front of our synthesizers".
"It's a common problem", Helen Marnie accepts. She recalls the time when Mira tried to solve a problem with her synthesiser on stage with a screwdriver, and yanked it so hard that it flew backwards and hit band member Danny Hunt in the face". There was blood everywhere, and that screwdriver could have gone in his eye. Imagine if we had actually killed him on stage! That would have been awful".
It's a Monday afternoon, and the neatly turned-out female members of Ladytron are drinking Bailey's from champagne glasses in Mira's Shoreditch flat. Piles of records are stacked up against the minibar, and Helen has brought along a few of her favourites to play over the course of the afternoon. Amongst them are Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and Belinda Carlisle's 'Heaven Is a Place on Earth'. "That's me when I was younger", says Helen, who is a classically trained pianist. "Michael Jackson - why not? I would wake up, get ready for school, and listen to The Bangles, Carly Simon and ABBA. Then when I got older and more sophisticated, it was Madonna and Michael Jackson".
"I grew up with Woody Guthrie and Neil Young because that was what my parents liked, but I used to listen to the Birthday Party before school, mainly to annoy them", says Mira, whose musical tastes are a little darker than those of her fellow band member". I listened to Sonic Youth a lot too, and 'Surrender' by Cheap Trick. It's real high-school rock, and it was the thing that all the cool boys liked, along with Black Sabbath". Helen and Mira share a fondness for Jeff Wayne's epic concept album, The War of the Worlds. "Danny and I slept in Jeff Wayne's studio one night for some reason", says Mira. "We were looking at this album cover before we went to bed and we both had nightmares. But it's the campest combination ever: Victorian gentlemen and Martians".
"I like Watership Down as well", offers Helen, innocently. All four members of Ladytron like pure pop with a dark edge. The evidence for this is on Light & Magic, the album they recently completed in Los Angeles, recording in a cockroach-infested, granite-walled studio with a pool outside. "LA is very much like a David Lynch movie", says Mira. "It's a strange place, because you can't go for a walk there - as soon as you stop by the traffic lights, some freak starts hassling you".
The LA trip made the band, who had previously been steeped in European culture, realise that much of their shared influences have come from the States. "'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes is probably the song that really does it for us, because it is so simple while working perfectly", says Helen. "We all like Phil Spector, and what brought us together in the first place was the idea of combining synthesizers with traditional pop structures, hooks and melodies. Our American producer showed us that Shannon made electronic music that was just as good as Kraftwerk or The Normal".
Mira and Helen have records by a host of female singers, among them Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Nancy Sinatra and Kate Bush. "Kate Bush is amazing, there's no one like her", says Helen. "As for Joni Mitchell, she's one for the girls. Boys just can't understand her".
Mira pulls out a decrepit copy of Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs, its corrugated cover a result of being left out in the rain when she was at university. "My favourite ever record", she says. "There's something very English about it. Barrett did a song called 'Have You Got It Yet?' with Pink Floyd, in which he kept changing the time signatures over the course of a few days, and all he said as they practised was, 'Have you got it yet?' He's meant to be mad, but moments like that make it clear he had some sort of genius".
Serge Gainsbourg is another favourite. Mira and Helen recount the tale of Gainsbourg appearing on television, drunk and dishevelled, with a prim Whitney Houston, who was less than impressed with his unsubtle seduction technique. Mira went to see Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg's former lover and co-singer on 'Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus', a couple of years ago at a London concert. "I really, really love Jane Birkin, and it was a bit disappointing really because she only did one song".
Source
"It's a common problem", Helen Marnie accepts. She recalls the time when Mira tried to solve a problem with her synthesiser on stage with a screwdriver, and yanked it so hard that it flew backwards and hit band member Danny Hunt in the face". There was blood everywhere, and that screwdriver could have gone in his eye. Imagine if we had actually killed him on stage! That would have been awful".It's a Monday afternoon, and the neatly turned-out female members of Ladytron are drinking Bailey's from champagne glasses in Mira's Shoreditch flat. Piles of records are stacked up against the minibar, and Helen has brought along a few of her favourites to play over the course of the afternoon. Amongst them are Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and Belinda Carlisle's 'Heaven Is a Place on Earth'. "That's me when I was younger", says Helen, who is a classically trained pianist. "Michael Jackson - why not? I would wake up, get ready for school, and listen to The Bangles, Carly Simon and ABBA. Then when I got older and more sophisticated, it was Madonna and Michael Jackson".
"I grew up with Woody Guthrie and Neil Young because that was what my parents liked, but I used to listen to the Birthday Party before school, mainly to annoy them", says Mira, whose musical tastes are a little darker than those of her fellow band member". I listened to Sonic Youth a lot too, and 'Surrender' by Cheap Trick. It's real high-school rock, and it was the thing that all the cool boys liked, along with Black Sabbath". Helen and Mira share a fondness for Jeff Wayne's epic concept album, The War of the Worlds. "Danny and I slept in Jeff Wayne's studio one night for some reason", says Mira. "We were looking at this album cover before we went to bed and we both had nightmares. But it's the campest combination ever: Victorian gentlemen and Martians".
"I like Watership Down as well", offers Helen, innocently. All four members of Ladytron like pure pop with a dark edge. The evidence for this is on Light & Magic, the album they recently completed in Los Angeles, recording in a cockroach-infested, granite-walled studio with a pool outside. "LA is very much like a David Lynch movie", says Mira. "It's a strange place, because you can't go for a walk there - as soon as you stop by the traffic lights, some freak starts hassling you".The LA trip made the band, who had previously been steeped in European culture, realise that much of their shared influences have come from the States. "'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes is probably the song that really does it for us, because it is so simple while working perfectly", says Helen. "We all like Phil Spector, and what brought us together in the first place was the idea of combining synthesizers with traditional pop structures, hooks and melodies. Our American producer showed us that Shannon made electronic music that was just as good as Kraftwerk or The Normal".
Mira and Helen have records by a host of female singers, among them Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Nancy Sinatra and Kate Bush. "Kate Bush is amazing, there's no one like her", says Helen. "As for Joni Mitchell, she's one for the girls. Boys just can't understand her".
Mira pulls out a decrepit copy of Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs, its corrugated cover a result of being left out in the rain when she was at university. "My favourite ever record", she says. "There's something very English about it. Barrett did a song called 'Have You Got It Yet?' with Pink Floyd, in which he kept changing the time signatures over the course of a few days, and all he said as they practised was, 'Have you got it yet?' He's meant to be mad, but moments like that make it clear he had some sort of genius".Serge Gainsbourg is another favourite. Mira and Helen recount the tale of Gainsbourg appearing on television, drunk and dishevelled, with a prim Whitney Houston, who was less than impressed with his unsubtle seduction technique. Mira went to see Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg's former lover and co-singer on 'Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus', a couple of years ago at a London concert. "I really, really love Jane Birkin, and it was a bit disappointing really because she only did one song".
Source
04 August 2011
26 June 2011
Snippets Zine interview (2008)
Ladytron are a British electro-pop band, known for their unique look and experimental style. Helen Marnie, Mira Aroyo, Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu, have four albums under their belt and hit singles including Sugar and Everything You Touch.
"When we first started out we didn't seriously see ourselves still in a band 9 years down the line. It was a fun thing for us, that we did at weekends. Doing the odd gig in Barcelona or Paris at friends clubs. However, when we released our first album, there started to be a demand for us to play and tour, and that's when we had to start taking things more seriously", explains co-singer Helen. Ladytron formed in Liverpool back in 1999, and now almost a decade on, she reflects on where they came from to where they are now. "I was studying there and bumped into Danny one night at a club night he ran. Danny and Reuben knew each other from the DJ circuit, and Mira was introduced by a mutual friend. Mira and I are based in London now, while Reuben still resides in Liverpool. Danny has lived in Milan for the past 2 years."
"I think we're more confident now about what we want. We know where we want to take a sound. We're in a position where we can self produce, with perhaps additional production from a producer or collaborator." The band are known for their unique electo-synth pop sound and their experimentation with instruments, both in recordings and during live sets. "Often you can discover a new sound just by putting a synth or a guitar through an FX pedal. It's just a case of experimenting. We have a lot of synth in our live setup, as well as in the studio, so there is plenty to mess with."Though the members met in Liverpool, Ladytron are often described as having a more European and international sound. "It could be because we're from Scotland, England and Bulgaria and that we have dual lead vocals. I'm really not sure. It's difficult to pinpoint our sound." However, when it comes to songwriting, the band prefer to wait until they get home before setting pen to paper. "We all look close to home. None of us write whilst we're on tour, it's just an impossible environment to be creative. Whenever we have time off is when we start to write. You need your own headspace to get in the right frame of mind. We're usually inspired by the things that happen around us. Images, as well as personal things."
"Witching Hour was a turning point for us. We'd toured it extensively and it was the album we'd been most happy with to date, so it was only natural for us to push things a bit more and experiment with drums and synths. The result of this being Velocifero. As a band we are far more confident these days. Confident with our sound and where we want to go." Now onto their fourth album, Velocifero was released exclusively on iTunes as a download. "It was a good opportunity for exposure of the new album. Everything is digital these days, however the physical will not die because there are diehard fans out there who like to hold the real thing, view the album cover and credits, or get the free poster that comes with it. That is something you just don't get with digital."
"We don't always agree on music, but we do have similar tastes. As there's 4 people in the band though, there are alot of bands we we're into. It ranges from classical to folk, to electro to pop. Influences include Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, MBV, and Eric Satie. These are just a few." As well as live performances with Ladytron, several of the members take to the decks at club nights as well as creating mixes for other bands, including Placebo, Nine Inch Nails and Goldfrapp. "Danny, Mira and Reuben have always Djed, and I took it up a few years ago. It can be fun playing around with someone elses song and creating what you want." Considering whether she prefers playing live to DJing, Helen states, "I'm much more confident being on stage and performing Ladytron songs. I don't think you can beat being on stage, doing your own thing to a crowd of people. DJing can be fun, but it's definitely more of a sideline. Whenever we start a new tour we always plan the songs we're going to play. We like to keep things fresh and try to pick the set that will best represent us now. Live gigs are not just about our sound, it's also about the crowds interaction. If the crowd are on fire, it's likely we will be too!"The band are revered for having a very unique look, on stage and off. "I'm currently teaching myself to sew and designing clothes. It's just a fun thing at the moment, but I hope to do something more serious in the future. Perhaps have my own line of clothing. I did a few modeling jobs before I joined the band but I don't think this has had any impact on the band whatsoever. We are all pretty individual about our style, however when it comes to stage we like to keep things simple and classic."
For the Speak Your Mind issue of Snippets, Helen considered the issues close to the bands hearts. "Mira is a Pescetarian. I don't eat red meat. I am against fur in fashion and would love to save the whales and dolphins from slaughter that is claimed to be scientific. Whales and dolphins are very clever mammals and it brings me to tears to see them tortured."
Having toured heavily Europe and the rest of the world, the band are no strangers to travelling. "I find hiding in my bunk is a good way to cope when you need time to yourself. Also, I recently bought a Brompton folding bike which I took on tour to North America and Europe. It made such a difference. It made it so much easier getting around and experiencing different sights of the places we visited. We have quite a lot lined up for the next year. Once all the summer festivals are over we jet off to Australia for our first tour there, then return to tour Europe again. That takes us up to Christmas. Then we'll be going back to North America and South America in early 2009. There is no rest for the wicked!Source
19 June 2011
Miusika interview (2008)
Ladytron are one of the most interesting bands of the modern electronic scene. The band was founded in 1999 from the melting coalition of Reuben Wu and Daniel Hunt with the vocal duo Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo. Their sound is in constant evolution, danceable and catchy without being dull or commonly mainstream. After reviewing their excellent album Velocifero we seized the opportunity for an interview. The skilled and lovely Mira answered our questions.
Your songs were featured in Picture Claire, O.C., Ugly Betty (just to cite a few). Can you tell us how did you get involve with the movie industry?
Well it seems our music fits really well on those movies, TV series and videogames. Actually we just got requested to put three songs on the new movie of Lukas Moodysson called Mammoth. The premiere will be in Berlin and we are really looking forward to see the movie because it seems great.
The opposing vocals of Helen and Mira counterbalance the songs atmosphere creating a unique sound and feeling. How the writing and music layering process works?
Ladytron's songs are created around layer to layer and the voice are the last part of the song we put together. Choosing Helen's voice or mine depends on the song and on how we feel it.
I heard you guys own some pretty vintage synths. What's the story behind it, did you inherited them or just bought them because their cool sound?
We have lots of old keyboards that's true, most of them are really old, sometimes old sinths and keyboards have a unique sound that we judge perfect for the song... basically we buy what we like as far as sound and not because it has to be a cool instrument to see.
For a couple of years you guys performed extensively without any real label support, yet grew fans all over the world with great success. I bet that was very empowering. Can you tell us how were you able to do it?
This is true... Witching Hour was not produced by a label but only by us with a long series of tour in every part of the world and our success was made because we learn the power of some Internet social network like Myspace or Facebook. It's very important to us to stay in touch with our fans all over the world. Now we have a good label but we are still very active on Myspace to stay in touch with the people who like us.
In the past few years your sound evolved in what I find the most interesting mix, yet you guys were able to retain your own personal signature and individuality. How important do you think is that?
What we do with the music is what we like; I think the secret is only to do what you really feel.
It seems you are moving toward darker sound, still danceable and pop but with a greater depth. I can hear Sister of Mercy and some danceable Killing Joke's hint, and of course some degree of resemblance with your fellows citizen Echo & the Bunnymen and Julian Cope. Do you think these were good source of inspiration or perhaps touring with NIN draw you to be more gothish?
I don't really think that touring with NIN had any influence over our material. We already had some of the album written when we were asked to tour with them. When we were offered to tour with them we had just completed a 2 years stint around the world with Witching Hour so we were all a bit tired and weary. However, it was too good an opportunity to miss so it was a unanimous 'yes'. I'm glad we did it. Not only we did get to meet some cool people and watch the NIN live show, but it also opened up our music to a much wider audience.
Another thing I have noticed is that, if compared to the previous albums, a couple of your songs have a more rock-like structure. Did you fell like changing directions a bit so to not repeat yourself or was just causality?
Ladytron's music or sound is evolving day by day, is not something we look for but just something that naturally happen.
Your sound is in continuing evolution. What have inspired your musical and lyrical choices in the past and what continue to inspire you today?
What you see outside the window or you read on the news or in a book or you see on TV... everything is an inspiration.
Where are you guys going from here: tour, project, dreams?
Now? Two of us are working in L.A. on a record for another artist, by the tie we are planning to tour again till the end of the summer, we just announced 4 shows with Depeche Mode in East Europe in May.
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Your songs were featured in Picture Claire, O.C., Ugly Betty (just to cite a few). Can you tell us how did you get involve with the movie industry?Well it seems our music fits really well on those movies, TV series and videogames. Actually we just got requested to put three songs on the new movie of Lukas Moodysson called Mammoth. The premiere will be in Berlin and we are really looking forward to see the movie because it seems great.
The opposing vocals of Helen and Mira counterbalance the songs atmosphere creating a unique sound and feeling. How the writing and music layering process works?
Ladytron's songs are created around layer to layer and the voice are the last part of the song we put together. Choosing Helen's voice or mine depends on the song and on how we feel it.
I heard you guys own some pretty vintage synths. What's the story behind it, did you inherited them or just bought them because their cool sound?
We have lots of old keyboards that's true, most of them are really old, sometimes old sinths and keyboards have a unique sound that we judge perfect for the song... basically we buy what we like as far as sound and not because it has to be a cool instrument to see.
For a couple of years you guys performed extensively without any real label support, yet grew fans all over the world with great success. I bet that was very empowering. Can you tell us how were you able to do it?
This is true... Witching Hour was not produced by a label but only by us with a long series of tour in every part of the world and our success was made because we learn the power of some Internet social network like Myspace or Facebook. It's very important to us to stay in touch with our fans all over the world. Now we have a good label but we are still very active on Myspace to stay in touch with the people who like us.
In the past few years your sound evolved in what I find the most interesting mix, yet you guys were able to retain your own personal signature and individuality. How important do you think is that?
What we do with the music is what we like; I think the secret is only to do what you really feel.
It seems you are moving toward darker sound, still danceable and pop but with a greater depth. I can hear Sister of Mercy and some danceable Killing Joke's hint, and of course some degree of resemblance with your fellows citizen Echo & the Bunnymen and Julian Cope. Do you think these were good source of inspiration or perhaps touring with NIN draw you to be more gothish?
I don't really think that touring with NIN had any influence over our material. We already had some of the album written when we were asked to tour with them. When we were offered to tour with them we had just completed a 2 years stint around the world with Witching Hour so we were all a bit tired and weary. However, it was too good an opportunity to miss so it was a unanimous 'yes'. I'm glad we did it. Not only we did get to meet some cool people and watch the NIN live show, but it also opened up our music to a much wider audience.Another thing I have noticed is that, if compared to the previous albums, a couple of your songs have a more rock-like structure. Did you fell like changing directions a bit so to not repeat yourself or was just causality?
Ladytron's music or sound is evolving day by day, is not something we look for but just something that naturally happen.
Your sound is in continuing evolution. What have inspired your musical and lyrical choices in the past and what continue to inspire you today?
What you see outside the window or you read on the news or in a book or you see on TV... everything is an inspiration.
Where are you guys going from here: tour, project, dreams?
Now? Two of us are working in L.A. on a record for another artist, by the tie we are planning to tour again till the end of the summer, we just announced 4 shows with Depeche Mode in East Europe in May.
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