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Interview with Tegan and Sara: Origins and Influences


these twins walk the line between sad

these twins walk the line between sad and happy old and new welcome to

and happy old and new welcome to

and happy old and new welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Sarah of Tegan and Sara about their

with Sarah of Tegan and Sara about their

with Sarah of Tegan and Sara about their origins and influences and how they

origins and influences and how they

origins and influences and how they complement each other as musicians

why don’t you give us an idea about how

why don’t you give us an idea about how you guys first came to fall music as you

you guys first came to fall music as you

you guys first came to fall music as you back Tegan and I met in the womb when we

back Tegan and I met in the womb when we

back Tegan and I met in the womb when we were when we were conceived and we spent

were when we were conceived and we spent

were when we were conceived and we spent the first fourteen or fifteen years of

the first fourteen or fifteen years of

the first fourteen or fifteen years of our lives just hanging out like kids do

our lives just hanging out like kids do

our lives just hanging out like kids do siblings and we both played piano

siblings and we both played piano

siblings and we both played piano we loved music and then there was some

we loved music and then there was some

we loved music and then there was some kind of like it’s sort of grey area

kind of like it’s sort of grey area

kind of like it’s sort of grey area where somehow we went from listening to

where somehow we went from listening to

where somehow we went from listening to music to realizing oh I can sort of

music to realizing oh I can sort of

music to realizing oh I can sort of compose writing little songs on the

compose writing little songs on the

compose writing little songs on the piano we found a guitar that my stepdad

piano we found a guitar that my stepdad

piano we found a guitar that my stepdad sort of had buried in a closet

sort of had buried in a closet

sort of had buried in a closet downstairs

after highschool we entered a

after highschool we entered a competition like a garage war like indie

competition like a garage war like indie

competition like a garage war like indie rock type thing and if you won you got

rock type thing and if you won you got

rock type thing and if you won you got studio time we won we got studio time

studio time we won we got studio time

studio time we won we got studio time and then with a series of demos that we

and then with a series of demos that we

and then with a series of demos that we had we started to book shows and play

had we started to book shows and play

had we started to book shows and play across Canada and and then we were

across Canada and and then we were

across Canada and and then we were signed to a record deal and then we

signed to a record deal and then we

signed to a record deal and then we spent the next 13 years putting out

spent the next 13 years putting out

spent the next 13 years putting out records and touring that’s a very short

you said you were into the punk scene

you said you were into the punk scene but what were you guys listening to me

but what were you guys listening to me

but what were you guys listening to me you’re crying we listened to so much

you’re crying we listened to so much

you’re crying we listened to so much music cuz my parents were very into

music cuz my parents were very into

music cuz my parents were very into music and they were like seventies

music and they were like seventies

music and they were like seventies parents so they were like you know like

parents so they were like you know like

parents so they were like you know like the police and let’s upland and the

the police and let’s upland and the

the police and let’s upland and the pretenders and Bruce Springsteen and u2

pretenders and Bruce Springsteen and u2

pretenders and Bruce Springsteen and u2 and it was mix all of that stuff was

and it was mix all of that stuff was

and it was mix all of that stuff was really influential but we were teenagers

really influential but we were teenagers

really influential but we were teenagers in the 90s early 90s so it was like

in the 90s early 90s so it was like

in the 90s early 90s so it was like Nirvana Smashing Pumpkins whole Bikini

Nirvana Smashing Pumpkins whole Bikini

Nirvana Smashing Pumpkins whole Bikini Kill like all that stuff Tegan got more

Kill like all that stuff Tegan got more

Kill like all that stuff Tegan got more into like punk rock and hard rock and I

into like punk rock and hard rock and I

into like punk rock and hard rock and I kind of got more into indie rock so

kind of got more into indie rock so

kind of got more into indie rock so those things have really influenced the

those things have really influenced the

those things have really influenced the aesthetic of our band you know we still

aesthetic of our band you know we still

aesthetic of our band you know we still sort of have a rock sound but then we

sort of have a rock sound but then we

sort of have a rock sound but then we also grew up with these really big pop

also grew up with these really big pop

also grew up with these really big pop bands you know so that’s sort of 80s pop

bands you know so that’s sort of 80s pop

bands you know so that’s sort of 80s pop music con sensibility is still you know

music con sensibility is still you know

music con sensibility is still you know in forms the kind of music we make today

in forms the kind of music we make today

in forms the kind of music we make today you know

is there anyone that you listen to or

is there anyone that you listen to or respect at least that we might be

respect at least that we might be

respect at least that we might be surprised with I think that people

surprised with I think that people

surprised with I think that people assume that you like what what sounds

assume that you like what what sounds

assume that you like what what sounds like you you know so from the very

like you you know so from the very

like you you know so from the very beginning people would always make these

beginning people would always make these

beginning people would always make these assumptions they would sort of find as

assumptions they would sort of find as

assumptions they would sort of find as many bands that’s sort of resembled what

many bands that’s sort of resembled what

many bands that’s sort of resembled what we were doing and they would be like

we were doing and they would be like

we were doing and they would be like that’s what you love right and then I

that’s what you love right and then I

that’s what you love right and then I would be like oh no I love like hip-hop

would be like oh no I love like hip-hop

would be like oh no I love like hip-hop and I love like unleash your keys and

and I love like unleash your keys and

and I love like unleash your keys and Rihanna and whatever and they’d be like

Rihanna and whatever and they’d be like

Rihanna and whatever and they’d be like but you don’t sound anything like those

but you don’t sound anything like those

but you don’t sound anything like those people it’s less for me about emulating

people it’s less for me about emulating

people it’s less for me about emulating the music that we make and just letting

the music that we make and just letting

the music that we make and just letting those ideas you know sort of saturate my

those ideas you know sort of saturate my

those ideas you know sort of saturate my music brain and then when I’m sitting

music brain and then when I’m sitting

music brain and then when I’m sitting down to compose my own music I’m

down to compose my own music I’m

down to compose my own music I’m naturally sort of pulling from different

naturally sort of pulling from different

naturally sort of pulling from different genres and musics since you are twins I

genres and musics since you are twins I

genres and musics since you are twins I mean I’ve seen this ascribe to you a lot

mean I’ve seen this ascribe to you a lot

mean I’ve seen this ascribe to you a lot of the year the yin and the yang rain oh

of the year the yin and the yang rain oh

of the year the yin and the yang rain oh sure so who’s what like how do you

sure so who’s what like how do you

sure so who’s what like how do you balance each other I think that I tend

balance each other I think that I tend

balance each other I think that I tend to be a little bit more of a patient

to be a little bit more of a patient

to be a little bit more of a patient premeditated

premeditated

premeditated sort of person take a lot more time I

sort of person take a lot more time I

sort of person take a lot more time I probably self evaluate as a more of an

probably self evaluate as a more of an

probably self evaluate as a more of an introvert Tegan is definitely more of

introvert Tegan is definitely more of

introvert Tegan is definitely more of the confident extrovert risk-taking

the confident extrovert risk-taking

the confident extrovert risk-taking impulsive person and that is reflected

impulsive person and that is reflected

impulsive person and that is reflected in her songwriting process and you know

in her songwriting process and you know

in her songwriting process and you know business decisions and that sort of

business decisions and that sort of

business decisions and that sort of thing so we’ve really balanced each

thing so we’ve really balanced each

thing so we’ve really balanced each other

it’s also meant that like I’ve been in

it’s also meant that like I’ve been in Montreal for ten years and she’s been on

Montreal for ten years and she’s been on

Montreal for ten years and she’s been on the west coast for ten years and we’ve

the west coast for ten years and we’ve

the west coast for ten years and we’ve ended up creating really really

ended up creating really really

ended up creating really really independent identities because of the

independent identities because of the

independent identities because of the sort of you know opposite you know vibe

sort of you know opposite you know vibe

sort of you know opposite you know vibe that we both have but I think it’s also

that we both have but I think it’s also

that we both have but I think it’s also allowed for a really interesting band

allowed for a really interesting band

allowed for a really interesting band because we’re sort of always bringing in

because we’re sort of always bringing in

because we’re sort of always bringing in very different sides of what’s happening

very different sides of what’s happening

very different sides of what’s happening socially thank you very much thank you

socially thank you very much thank you

socially thank you very much thank you very much I love it I want to be in my

very much I love it I want to be in my

very much I love it I want to be in my own band this is the best interview of

own band this is the best interview of

own band this is the best interview of ever done I keep thinking of you’re

ever done I keep thinking of you’re

ever done I keep thinking of you’re gonna jump out she’s gonna be like it’s

gonna jump out she’s gonna be like it’s

gonna jump out she’s gonna be like it’s my turn

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