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.

Laserblast
Stereolab Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

C'est un message, c'est un message
C'est un message, c'est un message
(Cet "âme prêtera ses)
C'est un message, c'est un message
C'est un message, c'est un message
(Cet "âme prêtera ses)
C'est un message, c'est un message
C'est un message, c'est un message

(Un message d'ordre international)
C'est un message, c'est un message
C'est un message, c'est un message
Situation, situation, situation (critique)
Les désirs (désirs), tant écrasés (tant écrasés)
Me donnent (me donnent) envie de lutter (envie, lutter)

C'est dans la confiance que l'on se donne mutuellement
On se donne des ailes sentiment de liberté de confiance

Les désirs (désirs), tant écrasés (tant écrasés)
Me donnent (me donnent) envie de lutter (envie, lutter)

C'est dans la confiance que l'on se donne mutuellement
On se donne des ailes sentiment de liberté de confiance

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stereolab's song "Laserblast" touch on the theme of communication and the power of trust. The repetition of "C'est un message" emphasizes the idea that a message is being conveyed, potentially from an international source. The line "situation, situation, situation (critique)" adds a sense of urgency to the message, suggesting that there is an important problem that needs to be addressed.

The following lines about desires being crushed and the desire to fight back can be interpreted as a call to action in response to whatever critical situation the message is referring to. The repetition of the phrase "C'est dans la confiance que l'on se donne mutuellement" reinforces the importance of trust and mutual support in facing challenges and achieving freedom. The final line "On se donne des ailes sentiment de liberté de confiance" translates to "We give each other wings, feelings of liberty and trust," reiterating the idea that trust and mutual support can give individuals the strength to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Line by Line Meaning

C'est un message, c'est un message
This is a message, a message being conveyed

Cet "âme prêtera ses
This soul will lend its

C'est un message, c'est un message
This is a message, a message being conveyed

Cet "âme prêtera ses
This soul will lend its

C'est un message, c'est un message
This is a message, a message being conveyed

Un message d'ordre international
An internationally significant message

C'est un message, c'est un message
This is a message, a message being conveyed

Situation, situation, situation (critique)
Situation, situation, critical situation

Les désirs (désirs), tant écrasés (tant écrasés)
The desires, so suppressed

Me donnent (me donnent) envie de lutter (envie, lutter)
Give me the urge to fight

C'est dans la confiance que l'on se donne mutuellement
It's by trusting each other