NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A , Sainthood. I think this album and How have you evolved as artists? continue to accomplish is greater than any Sainthood work well as a call and answer TEGAN: Our first two records were just conflict we have. to each other. about the songs. We were exploring our voices and our writing. We didn’t get into Have your perspectives as openly gay How important are demos? the arrangements or sonic template much. women affected how audiences relate SARA: The demo process for us is very Our next two records were when Sara and to you and your music? comprehensive. The earliest stages had I started to record ourselves at home before TEGAN: I’m not sure. I’m much too quite a lot of programming and harmonies. we got into the studio, which led to a lot more embedded in our projects to know what It’s essential to us that any ideas we have experimentation instrumentally. With The people experience when they listen to us. are put on tape and considered in the studio, Con and Sainthood, we were getting more But I assume it’s like when I interact with even if only as a suggestion or placeholder adventurous and had certainly developed people who aren’t identical to me in terms of for something else down the road. a strong sense of self. We were striving to sexuality and gender. It’s interesting to hear TEGAN: These aren’t your basic two- or hone in on what our sound really was. With another perspective. Ultimately I don’t think four-track guitar-vocal demos. For certain Heartthrob we were specifically attempting gay love is much different from straight love. songs we probably did 50 demos. Sara to focus on creating classic, quintessential SARA: I think love and relationships and I like to experiment in the demo pop songs that reflected not only the music are universal. I’ve always struggled to process. A lot of the vibe, arrangement and we loved growing up but also what we loved understand why my sexuality would devalue melodic ideas were already in place when that’s popular now. We decided not to worry or exclude people who weren’t like me from we got to the studio. about what anyone else was looking forward enjoying the music that I write. Which isn’t to hearing, and instead create something to say that we haven’t been cognizant of What’s your writing process? that was fresh and exciting to us. the influence or impact we’ve had on those TEGAN: Over the years, we’ve tried all sorts of different forms of collaboration. For Heartthrob, I had Sara write all my bridges. I was interested in really having a different voice in my music. For Sainthood, we collaborated on two songs. It was our first

Lindsey Byrnes time actually sitting in a room and working in a session together, and I think it gave us understanding into each other’s processes that we weren’t aware of until that point. Ultimately, writing is a solitary experience. Tegantegan Quin, Sarasara Quin We prefer it that way. But now that we’ve collaborated successfully—and with other artists as well—we’re always open to it. It’s important to keep things fresh—especially twin talents enjoy the view from the bright side on their latest project after 17 years. are you ever concerned the music After 13 yeArs And A dozen stripes, who covered their breakthrough rather than guitar,” says tegan. Between distracts from the lyrics? , identical twins tegan and sara “,” to superstar shows, the sisters spoke to us about the TEGAN: We don’t typically worry much Quin are not afraid of change. “We always dJs and tiësto, who have making of their new record and the shift in Jeff Gentner/Getty Images about the emotional depth or lyrical content aim to create a slightly different record collaborated with the pair. they’ve toured their creative psyche. being missed by our fans. They definitely each time we step into the studio,” says with such diverse acts as , read a lot into the music and consistently tegan. take their latest album, Heartthrob. , , What brought on the new attitude? find meaning in the songs that reflect their Onstage at Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tenn., 2008 “sara encouraged me to write outside my and —and they’ve sold nearly teGAn: Likely our age and life experience. own lives and experiences. It’s what most usual themes, like self-loathing, loss and a million albums along the way. tegan and We’re in our 30s now. We’re successful in fans love about us. does being sisters ever create ‘Lyrics are very heartbreak. so I wrote love songs for the sara have also found success in Hollywood, our careers and our personal relationships. SARA: Lyrics are very important to us— its own set of challenges? first time—ever. And I encouraged her to write garnering song placements on Parenthood, We intentionally tried to write songs from a messaging is first and foremost. We feel TEGAN: Of course. But over the more traditionally, arrangement-wise. In the Melrose Place and Grey’s Anatomy. different perspective. important to us— strongly that the stories we’re telling should last 13 years we’ve really learned end, this record feels a lot more triumphant, now Heartthrob, their seventh studio sArA: some of it is about age, getting to be as honest and compelling as possible. to work together, and we’ve romantic and empowered than the past few.” album, finds the 32-year-old twins embracing a place in our lives where we are able messaging is first and The music on this album is more of a pop learned how not to push each Pushing the creative envelope is a lighter attitude and more dance-friendly to reflect on our relationships and past sound, but I don’t think the two have to be other’s buttons. I would never exactly what fans have come to expect tempos than previous efforts. “We were breakups with more empowerment and a disconnected. Some of my favorite pop want to be in a band with anyone foremost.’ –sara Quin from the Canadian duo. And some of their hoping to tip the guitar-keyboard scale wider lens of experience. It was natural to songs have incredible lyrical depth, but also but Sara. loyal following are famous—from the White toward a heavier presence of keyboard do something less passive than our last have a poppier sound—think about “Dancing SARA: It’s complicated to have a business in the gay community. We’ve seen our in the Dark” by . and personal relationship with anyone for audience diversify over the years to reflect TEGAN: If anything, the vibrant melodies this long. We work hard to respect the two a broader demographic. But ultimately I ‘We decided not to worry about what anyone else and infectious sound create an interesting very different parts of our lives, and ultimately see us as gay artists, and that shouldn’t juxtaposition. That’s exciting to us—it creates I’ve been grateful that our successes mean we’re marginalized in the mainstream. was looking forward to hearing.’ –tegan Quin a challenge for the listener and the player. were celebrated together, and all that we –Lee Zimmerman

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