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.
Rainbo Conversation
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To love is my sole aspiration
For thee who has love in a million
That has burnt unto consternation
All those who're pig-face and dimi
Glowing for our face and our hearts
Fusing at the sad transformation
That has sadly altered the "balance"
It had to end, became too disappointing
Another end leading a new beginning
I'll try again, the right one will come along
I need someone intoxicating and strong
The lyrics in Stereolab's song "Rainbo Conversation" express a longing for love and romantic compassion. The singer expresses their desire to find someone who can reciprocate the kind of intense love that they feel. The line "For thee who has love in a million" suggests that the person the singer is addressing has experienced love in a profound and transformative way, and the singer is hoping to find that same kind of love with them. The following line, "That has burnt unto consternation," suggests that this intense love has also caused pain and confusion for those who have experienced it.
The second verse acknowledges the sadness that comes from the transformation of love. The "balance" that was once present has been altered, leading to disappointment and the end of a relationship. Despite this, the singer looks forward to a new beginning and finding the "right one." The final line, "I need someone intoxicating and strong," suggests that the singer is looking for someone who will fully consume them with love and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
yearn for romantic compassion
I have a strong desire for love and affection
To love is my sole aspiration
My only goal is to experience love
For thee who has love in a million
I am searching for someone who has an abundance of love
That has burnt unto consternation
Their past experiences with love have caused them great distress
All those who're pig-face and dim
I am not interested in people who are unattractive or unintelligent
Glowing for our face and our hearts
I am drawn to someone's appearance and personality
Fusing at the sad transformation
We are both undergoing a difficult and emotional change
That has sadly altered the 'balance'
The natural harmony between us has been disrupted by this change
It had to end, became too disappointing
Our relationship had to come to an end due to unfulfilled expectations
Another end leading a new beginning
Although our relationship ended, it will lead to new opportunities
I'll try again, the right one will come along
I am optimistic that I will find the perfect person in the future
I need someone intoxicating and strong
I desire a partner who is exciting and confident
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: LAETITIA SADIER, TIMOTHY JOHN GANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind