If there is one band that is experiencing more insta-backlash than Vampire weekend, then it is their opening act-the Teenagers. When they were in town last time (and we all got drunk on a Tuesday even though “we were just going to be out till 10″) Libby did this classic interview with them. Think about it while the 930 club stage swallows them whole tonight and tomorrow-ed
Remember when you went abroad for a semester in college (the middle-class hajj) and hooked up with that sleazy European national??? Well he’s in town tonight.
THE TEENAGERS, a Parisian trio, based in London, are finally on their first American tour. Thank god, we’ve been waiting forever. If you haven’t yet, listen to the jams on their album, Reality Check, and the slew of remixes they’ve released. These fun nuggets are so awesome that they’ll make your ears feel like they’re dripping in chrome.
Between securing a liquor license for the relaunch party and the band’s sound check, BYT and the Teenagers were able arrange a quick interview with lead singer Quentin Delafon. Note: We didn’t go all-the-way but got to 1st base… maybe. To compensate for such a brief and superficial exchange and to prove that I’m not a tease I will supplement the interview with awesome music videos from the Teenagers, photos of Claudia Schiffer (Quentin loves her), and clips from the movie that had the most influence on me as a preteen, Wayne’s World (Wayne and Garth love Claudia too).
The Teenagers “Homecoming”
Wayne’s World
Claudia
BYT: You just played Coachella! What’d you think about that huge music festival?
Quentin: It was really really warm, we don’t have the skin for that temperature as we’re from France. We saw a lot of cool acts, like Prince, but we were drunk a lot so we don’t remember everything. Prince was really cool. Everyone said the sound was shit but they were all having a really good time
BYT: How has the rest of your state-side tour been?
Quentin: Yeah, we have just most recently been to Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, and Coachella. It’s nice, the people in America really understand our point.
BYT: So how have your American fans been like compared to your European fans?
Quentin: I always get this question. I think the Americans enjoy it more. I think the American fans are more enthusiastic. Like our song “Homecoming” it’s really a tribute to American youth, it’s not anti-American at all. (For reasons why people might accuse them of being anti-American read the lyrics of “homecoming” that poke fun at a transatlantic “romance”)
The Teenagers “Love No”
Wayne’s World
Claudia
BYT: You guys have had a lot of success with your remixes… is it possible that you’ve produced a bad one?
Quentin: Well yes, but you’re not going to hear them, people wouldn’t put them out. So you’ll never hear them. We sent one to Simian Mobile Disco and they said no. I think it was because it was too good, it was much better than the initial song. That may be me being a bit too cocky but… actually later they said, ‘we want’.
BYT: Have you had any terrible remixes of your songs?
Quentin: Oh yeah, some of them are really bad! Yeah, there is one that I really hate but will not say. But we have a really good remix of our song “Make it Happen” coming out I don’t remember who did it.
BYT: How have your digital sales of your album “Reality Check” been?
Quentin: Really well! Surprisingly America has been a really good market for us.
The Teenagers “Starlett Johansson”
Wayne’s World
Claudia
BYT: What can we expect from your live show?
Quentin: It should be cool we have played together a much longer time so it should be better. Now we have more fun and have more energy on stage. I have special moves now and depending on how I’m feeling I change the moves.
BYT: None of you are drummers. How do you deal with this in your live show?!
Quentin: We have a girl drummer and her name is Antonia. We also have a girl called Rebecca playing the second guitar and she plays some keyboards as well. So it’s like a Robert Palmer video.
Robert Palmer “Addicted to Love”
BYT: So they’re hot babes?
Quentin: Yeah, totally.
BYT: So when you guys eventually have an unlimited tour budget a la U2, how will your live show change?
Quentin: I would have like really cool stage props, maybe recreate a teenager’s bedroom. You know with like, a big bed with unicorn sheets and posters to recreate the atmosphere of a teenage bedroom. That would be cool. But no dancers cause they would steal my thunder.
BYT: Yeah, fuck the dancers. What would the posters be?
Quentin: Claudia Schiffer, you know the model from the nineties? I used to have a lot of pictures of her when I was a teenager.
DON’T MISS THE TEENAGERS TONIGHT AT BLACK CAT W/ WILL EASTMAN (WI’s favorite son)/ TEAM ROBESPIERRE
More Wayne’s World
Their act on Monday night had me rolling in laughter. They asked the security guard to pull a couple of girls onto stage to sing the girl part in “Homecoming” but the first few rows of people were all young high schoolers. So these girls get on stage, don’t know the words (which is probably a good thing) but even if they DID know the words, they wouldn’t have sung them because they were to busy jumping up and down and waving to the VW drummer who was watching the set from the balcony. The lead singer kept getting them to try to sing “I loved my english romance” but they just kept jumping up and down and waving. Then when the song was over one of the girls franticly shouts “I love your sweet dance moves” and without missing a beat the singer franticly shouted “I love your braces.” I about died. Frickin hilarious.
December 3, 2008 at 9:55 am
as a fan of american rock and roll, i think this band should be referred to as the FRENCH Teenagers.
Just so to clarify, they aren’t The Teenagers.
December 3, 2008 at 4:35 am