Sara Quin
Tegan and Sara
Top Ten Albums of 2006
1. TV On The Radio: Return
to Cookie Mountain
2. The Gossip: Standing in the Way of Control
3. The Thermals: The Body, The Blood, The Machine
4. Love Is All: Nine Times That Same Song
5. Thom Yorke: The Eraser
6. M. Ward: Post-War
7. Built to Spill: You in Reverse
8. Joanna Newsom: Ys
9. Kaki King: Until We Felt Red
10. Ratatat: Classics
What was the highlight of 2006 for either you personally or for the band?
Most of 2006 was spent off the road writing our new record, and it was the longest time off Tegan and I have had since graduating high school almost eight years ago. So being able to relax and write without the pressure of a deadline was amazing.
What was the low point of 2006 for you?
For myself personally, there was not a low point. Politically, it’s a different answer. In terms of world conflict, the war in Iraq, the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, Darfur, the environment, the ambivalence of the Canadian government to meet our commitments to Kyoto, etc. Just generally an upsetting year in the news.
What are your hopes and plans for 2007?
We are very excited to start recording our new album in January 2007. We all feel very excited about the material we are working on and are anxious to get it out! Hopefully this year will be very busy, lots of touring!
With the rise of MySpace and the ever-increasing presence of bloggers, what is your feeling about using the Internet as a promotional tool? Will MySpace last and are you actively involved in your band’s MySpace page? With the music blogs seen as an increasingly influential source for breaking new artists, do you read them and are they a positive influence that bypasses the industry machinery or just empty hype?
We do use MySpace, and because of the Internet, we have been able to function as an independent band since 1998. Before radio or TV supported our project, the Internet was the best way for us to bypass retailers, labels, agents, critics and speak directly with our fans. These days, I feel conflicted. I still believe in the power of Internet and blogs and MySpace, but I do feel there are powerful cons as well. It’s so much easier to lose interest in a band with the constant propaganda from other bands, labels, websites, bloggers etc.—there is an oversaturation for sure. I don’t read reviews very often and I do think blogs are powerful and important, but like the over saturation of bands, I do feel like anyone having an opinion (or anyone starting a band) doesn’t necessarily mean that they have good opinions. I also think people are mean. Not just bloggers, but everyone. I think we forget that there are humans on the other end of those blogs. I know, I’m a hippie.
If the world were ending in 24 hours, what would you do in those 24 hours?
I would stay in bed with my family on speakerphone.
If you could have any superpower, what power would you want to have and why?
I would want to be invincible. I’m so afraid of getting hit by a car or falling in a manhole, or being attacked—it would be helpful.
Be honest: Did you watch any episodes of Rock Star: Supernova?
Nooooo!
In 2006, what was the best movie you saw, book you read, and/or TV show you watched?
Loved The Departed, loved the 2006 edition of Best Nonrequired Reading edited by David Eggers. Amazing. Love Nip/Tuck.
1/2007