07 August 2011
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.
Source
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.
Source
16 June 2011
New song, "Ambulances"
Ladytron premiered a new song titled "Ambulances", from the forthcoming album Gravity the Seducer. Listen here.
12 June 2011
Gutter Magazine interview (2011)
Celebrating 10 years as a successful dance/pop quartet, Ladytron released their 'Best Of' compilation in late March of this year, and are currently in the midst of a UK Tour to commemorate their work since forming in 1999. Their forthcoming album, Gravity the Seducer, is scheduled for release in September. Singer Helen Marnie reflects on the last decade exclusively with Gutter Magazine.
Releasing a 'Best Of' collection is quite an achievement – what is your proudest moment as a band so far?
It is quite a milestone. Really, I'm just happy we've made it this far, and have managed to carve a path for ourselves over the last 10 years. We've had highs, and lows, but we've managed to come through them as a band. It's a bonus that we still talk to each other, and continue to be friends.
Does Ladytron have more to contribute?
We definitely have more to contribute, and I hope people will want to listen. We really enjoy getting into the studio and hearing our songs develop, and on the live stage it's always great to play new material.
You've paved the way for artists including Lady Gaga and La Roux, but who inspires you?
I always find the 'inspiration' question kind of strange. I like many different artists and genres, but I don't think they inspire me when I'm sitting down and writing music. It is subliminal, I guess. At the moment, I'm enjoying what Yeasayer do – they're fun and they make me want to move my body.
Is it more difficult to achieve recognition and success when you play the music that you do?
Ladytron has never been mainstream, and I am grateful for that. We have managed to be successful in our own right without all the hassle that comes with fame. We've had plenty of recognition over the years, but Ladytron will probably never appeal to the masses. It's more of an acquired taste.
For all the Ladytron virgins, what can they expect from one of your gigs?
Well, the gig will be LOUD!!! We always crank it up as much as we can. Expect lots of synths, but please don't expect us to smile. If I see something funny, I'll laugh, however singing and smiling at the same time don't mix.
How has your music changed since you first formed?
The entire music world has evolved and changed. Labels are pretty much no more. The internet has taken over. It was pretty much indie rock when we started out. It seems that mainstream has taken a complete U-turn and the way we were doing it back in 1999 is now the norm.
What were your hopes/aims when going to record Gravity the Seducer?
Before we went into the studio, we expected Gravity to turn into an atmospheric record, more coffee table, perhaps. However, you cannot tame the beast! It is different from our previous albums, more mellow, but the pop element is still there. As an album, it just soars, and the songs seem to belong together.
What's next for Ladytron?
Apart from a few summer festivals in Europe, we undertake a small UK tour in June. We've also got a US tour lined up for autumn.
Published: 9 June 2011
Source
Releasing a 'Best Of' collection is quite an achievement – what is your proudest moment as a band so far?It is quite a milestone. Really, I'm just happy we've made it this far, and have managed to carve a path for ourselves over the last 10 years. We've had highs, and lows, but we've managed to come through them as a band. It's a bonus that we still talk to each other, and continue to be friends.
Does Ladytron have more to contribute?
We definitely have more to contribute, and I hope people will want to listen. We really enjoy getting into the studio and hearing our songs develop, and on the live stage it's always great to play new material.
You've paved the way for artists including Lady Gaga and La Roux, but who inspires you?
I always find the 'inspiration' question kind of strange. I like many different artists and genres, but I don't think they inspire me when I'm sitting down and writing music. It is subliminal, I guess. At the moment, I'm enjoying what Yeasayer do – they're fun and they make me want to move my body.
Is it more difficult to achieve recognition and success when you play the music that you do?
Ladytron has never been mainstream, and I am grateful for that. We have managed to be successful in our own right without all the hassle that comes with fame. We've had plenty of recognition over the years, but Ladytron will probably never appeal to the masses. It's more of an acquired taste.
For all the Ladytron virgins, what can they expect from one of your gigs?
Well, the gig will be LOUD!!! We always crank it up as much as we can. Expect lots of synths, but please don't expect us to smile. If I see something funny, I'll laugh, however singing and smiling at the same time don't mix.
How has your music changed since you first formed?The entire music world has evolved and changed. Labels are pretty much no more. The internet has taken over. It was pretty much indie rock when we started out. It seems that mainstream has taken a complete U-turn and the way we were doing it back in 1999 is now the norm.
What were your hopes/aims when going to record Gravity the Seducer?
Before we went into the studio, we expected Gravity to turn into an atmospheric record, more coffee table, perhaps. However, you cannot tame the beast! It is different from our previous albums, more mellow, but the pop element is still there. As an album, it just soars, and the songs seem to belong together.
What's next for Ladytron?
Apart from a few summer festivals in Europe, we undertake a small UK tour in June. We've also got a US tour lined up for autumn.
Published: 9 June 2011
Source
11 June 2011
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