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.
Excursions Into "Oh A-Oh"
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Instant gratification
Silky cradle of illusion
Immediate satisfaction
(pleasure...)
I want to build a castle
(pleasure...)
It's too much of a hassle.
To feel more happy.
It's a funny dictatorship
The one by which one must have pleasure
Pleasure, pleasure all of the time.
In "love" before this angry life/life
(pleasure...)
Try to make it work in disguise
(pleasure...)
Doesn't exist, I realize
His false and artificial means
(pleasure...)
Isn't my reality
(pleasure...)
Enforces a state of...
Desperate polemic
To feel more happy.
Their hole" is...
Our freedom is endless.
The lyrics of Stereolab's "Excursions Into "Oh A-Oh"" delve into the themes of instant gratification and the pursuit of pleasure in contemporary society. The opening lines "Riding after recognition, instant gratification" suggest that in this modern society, people are constantly seeking validation and immediate satisfaction, even to the point of being ensnared in "Silky cradle of illusion". The repetition of "pleasure" throughout the song highlights the hedonistic culture that surrounds us.
The lyrics go on to explore the idea of building a castle, which represents the indulging in pleasures, but the line "It's too much of a hassle" hints at the fleeting nature of these pleasures, making it difficult to sustain them. The refrain "Desperate polemic to feel more happy" reveals that the pursuit of pleasure has led to a state of desperation, with individuals attempting to force their own happiness.
The line "His false and artificial means, isn't my reality" juxtaposes the societal expectations with the individual's reality, further highlighting the artifice that contemporary society demands. The final lines, "Their hole is…Our freedom is endless" suggests that while others may be trapped in their hedonistic pursuits, there is the possibility of a different path of limitless freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Riding after recognition
Striving to be acknowledged and validated by others
Instant gratification
Seeking immediate pleasure and satisfaction
Silky cradle of illusion
Delusion and false comfort that prevents personal growth
Immediate satisfaction
The fleeting pleasure that doesn't bring true fulfillment
(pleasure...)
The superficial and addictive pursuit of self-gratification
I want to build a castle
Desire to create something grand and meaningful
(pleasure...)
The temptation to prioritize pleasure over all else
It's too much of a hassle.
Feeling discouraged by the effort and difficulty required to achieve something meaningful
Desperate polemic
The urge to argue and justify one's choices in pursuit of happiness
To feel more happy.
Desire to increase personal happiness
It's a funny dictatorship
Irony in the fact that the pursuit of personal pleasure can control and limit one's life
The one by which one must have pleasure
The societal pressure to prioritize pleasure above all else
Pleasure, pleasure all of the time.
The constant demand for self-gratification
In "love" before this angry life/life
The illusion of love as a solution to life's problems
(pleasure...)
The temptation to prioritize pleasure over the challenges of a relationship
Try to make it work in disguise
Attempting to force a relationship to work despite underlying issues
(pleasure...)
The distraction and temptation of pleasure that can hinder real relationship progress
Doesn't exist, I realize
The realization that true love cannot be built on pleasure alone
His false and artificial means
The insincere and superficial methods used to pursue pleasure
(pleasure...)
The damaging and illusory nature of prioritizing pleasure over true connection and meaning
Isn't my reality
The acknowledgement that pleasure-seeking is not a genuine or fulfilling way to live
(pleasure...)
The harmful and meaningless nature of constantly seeking self-gratification
Enforces a state of...
The negative and controlling impact of pleasure-seeking on one's life
Desperate polemic
Continued efforts to justify and pursue happiness at any cost
To feel more happy.
The ongoing desire to find personal fulfillment and meaning
Their hole" is...
The limitations and controlling nature of others' views on pleasure and personal satisfaction
Our freedom is endless.
The freedom and possibility for fulfillment and joy outside of the narrow pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification
Writer(s): laetitia sadier, tim gane
Contributed by Landon M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Noah Robert Graves
"It's a funny dictatorship
The one by which one must have pleasure
Pleasure, pleasure all of the time..."
Surrealchemist
Fart sounds