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.
The Seeming and the Meaning
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That in the end there's no definition
They do not mean a thing
They do not tell a story
We communicate more and more
In more defined ways than ever before
But no one was got anything to say
Someone has got to make the difference
Between the seeming and the meaning
The seeming over runs the meaning
In Stereolab's song "The Seeming and the Meaning," the band speaks on the issues of communication in our modern age. The opening lines "Everything becomes so defined, that in the end, there's no definition" makes an interesting statement on how the accessibility of information and connectivity has affected our communication tactics. We have become more precise in our language, yet somehow paradoxically robbed ourselves of meaning. As the song continues, the band touches on the idea that despite our constant hyper-connectivity through technology, we still have nothing essential to say.
The lines "They do not mean a thing, they do not tell a story" further emphasizes the notion that while we may be eloquent, it is all essentially meaningless. The chorus breaks through the monotony and suggests that there needs to be a line between appearance and reality, between the seeming and the meaning. While the seeming may be utilized well, it is essentially about the meaning behind the words that hold weight.
In conclusion, Stereolab brings up an essential reflection on our communication methods today. Everything may be more defined, but it doesn't necessarily mean it equates to something meaningful or of value. Understanding the difference between the seeming and the meaning is crucial, and perhaps one of the ways to make our discussions more impactful.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything becomes so defined
As we progress, everything is becoming more clear and specific
That in the end there's no definition
Ironically, this clarity leads to a lack of true understanding at the end
They do not mean a thing
This communication and clarity does not bring any meaningful content
They do not tell a story
These defined expressions fail to convey any narrative or deeper layer of meaning
We communicate more and more
We increasingly find new ways to express ourselves and convey information
In more defined ways than ever before
These new ways are becoming more and more precise
But no one was got anything to say
Unfortunately, despite all this improved communication, it often lacks substance
It's all very poor it's all just a bore
The result is uninteresting and unsatisfying
Someone has got to make the difference
There needs to be someone who discerns what truly matters and gives it focus
Between the seeming and the meaning
Someone needs to differentiate between superficial appearances and deeper significance
The seeming over runs the meaning
Superficiality is taking over and eclipsing true meaning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAETITIA SADIER, TIMOTHY JOHN GANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind