December 1, 2008

After an extended summer hiatus, GCM returns with the fifth installment in our EA Trax series with an interview of the UK’s electropop sensation, Ladytron.

Ladytron has been cranking out their unique style of music since 1999, when its four members; Helen Marnie, Daniel Hunt, Mira Aroyo, and Reuben Wu, came together in Liverpool, UK. Ladytron is widely known for the eclectic nature of their sound from song to song – the result of collaborative songwriting from all four members of the band, and a propensity for using old-school analog instruments in lieu of digitally generated sounds – at least whenever possible.

GCM recently had the chance to ask Ladytron musician, Daniel Hunt, a few questions about Ladytron’s past, present, and future.

GCM: Ladytron has a reputation for using vintage electronic hardware and instruments to achieve a very unique sound –a real rarity these days where PC-based software applications have allowed musical composition to become a hands-off digital process. There must be a certain sense of accomplishment that is felt when you wrap up production on a song, knowing that the knob tweaking was done without the help of a mouse. Is it that feeling that drives you to go old school with Ladytron's sound?

Daniel Hunt: I wouldn't say it was a drive but it is its own reward. There is a rejection of hardware with some people now, and I agree that laptop production has enabled almost everything that is good in music now, not just electronics, but having said that, your ears do not lie, and if you're wondering why you don't listen to a record from a year ago as much as something you loved from 10 years ago, or further back, you have your answer.

There’s only so much pure digital sound your ears will take. Having said that, we use plenty of software modeling, we're not luddite or precious about it, it's just how we started, and we just find there are things you can do with a circuit bent piece of old junk that you simply cannot program.

GCM: One of Ladytron's most high-profile fans, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, was a true pioneer of PC-based (or MAC-based) album production – famously noting that his debut album Pretty Hate Machine was recorded, sequenced and mixed almost entirely using a Mac in a bedroom studio. That was 1989, and at the time Trent was seen as a young pup with a newfangled technology. But now it's 2008, and now Trent's showcasing the old school sounds Ladytron – even inviting the band along on his 2007 tour. That must have been a great opportunity to open for an act that has an enormous fan base like Nine Inch Nails. Was it a fun experience?

Daniel Hunt: On our first album, essentially I bought one of the first G3 Macs and it made the whole thing possible, I was struggling to make sense of how to utilize all this cool old gear before then.

The tour was something good for us, we had some time off and it worked out. We've turned down other tours before. Really, only with Soulwax before them, had we ever opened for anybody.

I do however feel like a little too much emphasis has been placed on that tour, people assume that (playing with NIN) would change the band in some way, and they're listening to the record and trying to hear that. Seriously, it isn't there!

GCM: Ladytron's distinct sound doesn't solely come from the vintage instruments – there is a definite sense of eclecticism combining elements of late-80's style electronica and shoegazer rock and ending up with a hybrid sound that hints at preeminent UK acts like New Order, Lush etc. When the members of Ladytron were growing up, what band were they listening to that have helped meld together the sound that Ladytron pumps out today?

Daniel Hunt: Those bands of course, but it's a long list. I think it's impossible to tell someone what music you like anymore, what do you call it – besides eclectic, which isn't a word I like. It suggests novelty or worse, vagueness – rather than the fun in connecting-the-dots that join stylistically dissimilar music.

We've had plenty of phases, and I suppose there’s a difference in our generation right now. Now everyone has 'everything all the time', and I suppose when you're younger you tend to immerse yourself in one thing for a long period. So personally I had my 60s phase, I had my new wave phase, and when I was at school, the shoegazing thing was the scene I felt attached to.

I remember hearing My Bloody Valentine for the first time and it was life changing. From there I suppose Stereolab were my favorite band of the mid 90s, and that got me into bands like Neu! I loved Pulp too. People expected us to be 80’s heads around the first album, whereas in reality, we were into Gainsbourg and Boards of Canada or whatever.

GCM: Although Ladytron is officially cited as being from Liverpool – it is no secret that the band's roots have a much larger international scope. Has the line-up's diversity helped add dimensions to the music?

Daniel Hunt: Sure, Liverpool was a base; two of us are from there. We didn't fit into any kind of scene there, though there’s more of an electronic scene now, obviously. Only one of us still lives there, and maybe not for long. I go back there quite often obviously as its still home, and it's improving rapidly; almost unrecognizable from when we started.

GCM: I do write for a gaming magazine, so I would be remiss if I didn't ask Ladytron a few questions about your gaming backgrounds and the recent deal with Artwerk. First, let's talk games – do any of the members of Ladytron consider themselves gamers? If so – which games/gaming systems are the most popular?

Daniel Hunt: Very casually, I mean I had a phase with GTA: San Andreas on the PS2 but kind of stay away from it now, there’s too much work to do. I'm curious as to what they do with the iPhone though, as it has possibilities. I considered getting a Wii last year then realized I had an album to make, so no way!

GCM: Have you guys had any experience with Guitar Hero, or EA's own Rock Band? If so, what does Ladytron think about the amalgamation of music and gaming that has been taking over the gaming industry as of late?

Daniel Hunt: I haven't played with those two, but I had to ban them from the Tour Bus – home use only, not when you've just come off stage from a real show. I'd come back after a drink to sleep and find our merchandise guy and tour manager geeking out with it!

GCM: Ladytron recently signed with EA and Nettwerk's label Artwerk, and your songs are confirmed to appear in this year's upcoming NBA and FIFA titles from EA. Both games have a huge international following and will expose Ladytron's music to millions of gamers who might not normally have heard the band otherwise. How did the Artwerk relationship come about?

Daniel Hunt: Well we signed to Nettwerk and as I understand their relationship is with EA; forming Artwerk. It makes sense for us, as we're the kind of thing that people like when they get to hear it in some context like this, but might not listen to the kind of stations that play us.

GCM: Ladytron is currently mid-way through a whirlwind tour of the US and Canada. How have the North American crowds been as receptive as the fans in Europe and the UK?

Daniel Hunt: Oh, the US and Canada is actually better for us, always has been

GCM: What North American venue has been the most enjoyable experience thus far?

Daniel Hunt: It's difficult to give one example; San Francisco Fillmore, Austin, I love it there. But there are plenty, Chicago is great, Montreal was nuts this time, as usual. In Toronto we played to about 6000 outdoors by the harbor – that was a special night.

GCM: Have any North American acts grabbed your attention during the tour?

Daniel Hunt: It's getting big now obviously but we picked up the Santogold album back at the beginning of the tour in the spring, we all love that.

GCM: The tour is in support of Ladytron's new album – Velocifero – which means "bringer of speed". Does this imply that the new music is faster and edgier than the previous work?

Daniel Hunt: More shows, another North American tour, and at some point we will make another record, its all a case of balancing the two things.

You can also get more info about Ladytron, find tour dates, and purchase music and T-Shirts at their official website or get more info about the band on Ladytron's MySpace page.