Stereolab are a UK-based band whose style, mixing 1950s–1960s pop and loung… Read Full Bio ↴Stereolab are a UK-based band whose style, mixing 1950s–1960s pop and lounge music with the “motorik” beat of krautrock, was one of the first to which the term “post-rock” was applied. People frequently refer to their style as being "avant-pop." They are noted for the use of vintage keyboard instruments like Moog synthesizers and Vox and Farfisa organs. Stereolab is also notable for founding their own record label, Duophonic Records, with a grant from UK charity The Prince’s Trust. The band is often referred to as “The Groop” by their fans (and in the title of their song “The Groop Play Chord X” on the album Space Age Batchelor Pad Music).

They were founded in 1990 by songwriters Tim Gane (guitar, keyboards), formerly of the band McCarthy, and Laetitia Sadier (sometimes credited as Seaya Sadier; vocals, keyboards, trombone, guitar), who is from France and sings in both English and French.

Over the years, Gane and Sadier have enlisted a large number of other musicians to accompany them on stage and on record. The initial line-up featured Martin Kean, formerly of The Chills, on bass, and Joe Dilworth (from their Too Pure label-mates Th’ Faith Healers) on drums, with Russell Yates (of Moose) and Mick Conroy (ex-Modern English) also appearing at early live shows. In 1993 they recruited Andy Ramsay (drums), who has remained in the group line-up ever since, and Mary Hansen (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion). Hansen’s distinctive backing vocals became an important aspect of the Stereolab sound, and she remained a regular feature of the line-up until her death in a cycling accident on December 9, 2002. Multi-instrumentalist Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas has also been a frequent contributor, particularly with string, brass and keyboard arrangements to the band’s studio albums. John McEntire (Tortoise) has also contributed keyboard, electronic effects and studio help over the years. Other members have come and (in some cases) gone over the years, including Duncan Brown, Dave Pajo (from Tortoise), Richard Harrison and Simon Johns (all bass); Gina Morris (vocals); and Katharine Gifford and Morgane Lhote (both on keyboards).

Early Stereolab material displayed a heavy influence of krautrock sounds, particularly Neu! and Faust, characteristically relying on droning, repetitive guitar or keyboard riffs, with or without vocals. Early heavy use of distorted Farfisa combo-organ sounds were also reminiscent of early recordings by The Modern Lovers. As the band developed, they incorporated new instrumentation, and an increasingly complex sense of rhythm and structure, frequently making use of irregular time signatures as well as unorthodox chord progressions and melodic intervals. The band has often made copious use of female backing vocal lines.

Lyrically, Stereolab’s music is quirky (song titles evoke memories of 1950s science fiction stories, and are often borrowed directly from old films and records of the period, but have nothing to do with the song’s content), but highly politically and philosophically charged, sometimes with a decidedly Surrealist or Situationist bent. (Sadier notes the libertarian Marxist theoretician Cornelius Castoriadis as a particular inspiration.) Sadier’s lyrics, in both French and English, often read like highly condensed sociological texts, standing in deliberate and distinct counterpoint to the lush hedonic pop sound of the band. A prime example would be “Ping Pong” from Mars Audiac Quintet, which is an explicit restating of Marxist theory concerning the relationship between economic cycles and war cycles.
Stereolab earned a minor place in the Britpop movement, with their sound proving influential to bands like Blur: occasional keyboard-driven b-sides and singer Damon Albarn’s love of retro keyboards showed the influence, and in recognition Laetitia Sadier was invited to provide vocals on “To The End” from Parklife.

Despite the band’s fan base and critical acclaim, Stereolab has not achieved high levels of financial or popular success. On June 7, 2004, suits at the Warner Music label (to whom the band was signed in the U.S.) announced they were dropping Stereolab in response to the poor sales (40,000 to that date) of Margerine Eclipse. This was part of an ongoing effort by Warner to cut costs; The Breeders and Third Eye Blind were also dropped from the label for this reason. Laetitia Sadier is now also a member of Monade, which is essentially expressive of her own singular musical goals.

10 Monstre Sacre
Stereolab Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hastened decrepit,
Old shrunken apple,
Ready for the pit,
I have let you go,
Without forgiving

Or understanding,
So now you are gone,

There could be nothing,
You live within me,
We communicate,

The light it creates and the tears it generates
Bring the forgiveness
Don't let me down now

Life half sapped away,
It took all that time,
Since you passed away,
To moisten the love

We have forged the sought after union brought us together and the fullness,
The completeness, the infinite simplicity the world offers forgiveness

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Stereolab's "10 Monstre Sacre" depict the aftermath of losing someone and the process of forgiveness that follows. The opening lines describe the person who has passed away, as being "hastened decrepit" and "old shrunken apple", implying that they had lived a long life and reached old age before passing away. The singer reflects on the fact that before their passing, they had not forgiven or understood them fully. Now that they are gone, there could be nothing more that can be done in terms of reconciliation. However, there is a sense of the departed still living on as they "live within me" and "we communicate". The chorus points to the mourners' desire to be reconciled with the departed, and the need for forgiveness to be extended.

The second verse reflects on the time that has passed since the person's passing, and how only recently has the mourner's heart been "moistened with love". There is an acknowledgement of the time it took to come to terms with the loss and move towards healing. The final lines are a reflection on the beauty of the love and connection that they once had, and how forgiveness brings a sense of completeness and simplicity to the mourner's world.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a process of acceptance, forgiveness, and a deep sense of connection with the departed, even after they are gone. It is a poignant reflection on love, loss, and the complexity of human relationships that linger beyond death.

Line by Line Meaning

Hastened decrepit,
Quickly deteriorating and weakened,

Old shrunken apple,
Aged and diminished,

Ready for the pit,
About to be discarded,

I have let you go,
I have released you,

Without forgiving
Without offering absolution,

Or understanding,
Without comprehending fully,

So now you are gone,
Now that you have passed,

There could be nothing,
There is no possibility,

You live within me,
You exist as a part of me,

We communicate,
We share a connection,

The light it creates and the tears it generates
The positive and negative emotions it brings,