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 Stars Our Destination
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Creative and destructive
Like a water "planet"
Conjunction of opposites
Active, passive principles
Freedom, fire
Fame, glory, fire, water
I will drink fire
The lyrics of Stereolab's song The Stars Our Destination can be interpreted in many different ways, but one possible interpretation is that they are describing the dynamic and often contradictory forces that drive creativity and destruction. The comparison to a "water planet" suggests an environment that is constantly changing and evolving, much like the creative process. The "conjunction of opposites" may refer to the tension between opposing forces such as active and passive principles or freedom and fame.
The repeated references to "fire" and "water" may also symbolize the duality of creation and destruction. Fire can represent the energy and passion required to create something new, while water can symbolize the forces of chaos and dissolution that can tear it down. Ultimately, the singer declares that they will "drink fire," suggesting a willingness to embrace the challenges and risks inherent in the creative process.
Line by Line Meaning
In a fluid and shifting
The situation is constantly changing and uncertain
Creative and destructive
The forces at work are capable of both making and destroying
Like a water 'planet'
The situation is like a planet made entirely of water, with waves and tides affecting everything
Conjunction of opposites
Opposite forces are coming together and interacting
Active, passive principles
Different ways of approaching a situation are being employed
Freedom, fire
The desire for freedom is driving action, like a passion or burning fire
Fame, glory, fire, water
The pursuit of recognition and admiration is intertwined with the chaotic and uncontrollable forces at play
I will drink fire
The artist is embracing the passionate and unpredictable nature of the situation
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAETITIA SADIER, TIMOTHY JOHN GANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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They did this one in Brooklyn too.
Surprised