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Tegan and Sara

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Tegan and Sara

Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band led by identical twins Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Kiersten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs, most often separately. Whoever writes each song typically sings the melody for it. The band has released six studio albums since 1999, most recently Sainthood in 2009.

History

Tegan and Sara were born in Calgary, Alberta. They began playing guitar and writing songs at age 15.[2] They initially played as PLUNK without a drummer or bass player. In 1997, they used their school’s recording studio to record two demo albums: Who's in Your Band? and Play Day. In 1998, they won Calgary's "Garage Warz" competition, using the studio time they won to record their first professional demo, Yellow Demo, which was followed by Orange Demo and Red Demo.

Two songs from Red Demo appeared on their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, which they released independently in 1999. At the time they were known as "Sara and Tegan" but switched to "Tegan and Sara" because it was easier to pronounce. Neil Young's manager signed them to Young's Vapor Records label, and they released This Business of Art through Vapor in 2000. They have toured extensively since then.

In 2002, the band released If It Was You. Their fourth album, So Jealous, was released in 2004 and led to wider success. This album was released through both Vapor and Sanctuary. One track on the album, "Walking with a Ghost", was covered by The White Stripes, who released it on their Walking with a Ghost EP.[3]

Their 2007 album The Con was released by Vapor and Sire because Sanctuary chose to no longer release new music in the United States. The album was co-produced by Chris Walla. Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie, Matt Sharp of The Rentals and previously Weezer, Hunter Burgan of AFI, and Kaki King all appear on the album.[4]

On October 27, 2009, Tegan and Sara released their sixth album Sainthood, produced by Chris Walla and Howard Redekopp, as well as a three-volume book set titled ON, IN, AT.[5] While recording Sainthood, Tegan and Sara spent some time writing songs together in New Orleans. The song "Paperback Head" appeared on the album, making it the first song on any Tegan and Sara album that they wrote together.[6] Spin magazine gave Sainthood four out of five stars and wrote, "Tegan and Sara's music may no longer be the stuff of teens, but its strength remains in how much it feels like two people talking."[7]

Personal lives

Tegan lives in Vancouver, BC, and Sara lives in Montreal, QC.[8] Although their sexual orientation is rarely the subject of their songs, the media has sometimes focused on the fact that they are lesbians, twins, or women. Both Tegan and Sara have expressed concerns about how they have been portrayed in the media and about sexism and homophobia.[9][10][11]

Touring

Tegan and Sara have been touring since 2000, originally with Neil Young and The Pretenders. Their onstage banter, including stories and commentary about their childhood, politics, and life on the road, has become an indispensable part of their live shows. Other notable touring mates include Ryan Adams, Ben Folds, Gogol Bordello, Cake, City and Colour, Death Cab for Cutie, Hot Hot Heat, The Killers, Rufus Wainwright, and Weezer.

They have performed at festivals including Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair 1999; Coachella, Lollapalooza, and SXSW 2005; Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Coachella, Falls Festival, and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour 2008; and Rifflandia and Southbound 2009.[12]

Holly Miranda and Steel Train are the supporting acts for Tegan and Sara's early 2010 shows. Tegan and Sara will be the supporting act for Paramore for the 2010 Honda Civic Tour. They will appear on select dates during the 2010 Lilith Fair.

Other work

In 2009, both Tegan and Sara worked as producers for the first time. Tegan worked with char2d2 on the 2009 "Small Vampires EP", while Sara started work on 2010 albums by Fences and Hesta Prynn.[13]

Collaborations

Against Me!'s song "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart" features vocals by Tegan. It appears on the 2007 album New Wave.

In April 2008, Tegan wrote and recorded a song titled "His Love" at the request of Augusten Burroughs as a contribution to the audio version of his book A Wolf at the Table. The two headlined Spin's September 2008 Liner Notes benefit for Housing Works, a New York non-profit.[14] Burroughs read excerpts from his latest novel while Tegan played "His Love" and songs from The Con sans Sara.

In addition to their own set, Tegan and Sara performed with DJ Tiësto during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 13, 2008. Tegan and Sara appeared as guests, providing live vocals for Tiësto's remix of "Back in Your Head".[15] Tegan and Sara also collaborated with Tiësto on the song "Feel It in My Bones" that was released on his album Kaleidoscope.

Hunter Burgan, who played bass for all of Tegan's songs on The Con, confirmed in his blog that both he and Tegan are involved in an upcoming electronic side-project.[16]

Television and film

Tegan and Sara have appeared on American, Canadian, and European television shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live (2005), Jonovision, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (2004), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2005, 2007, 2009), The Late Show with David Letterman (2000 and 2008), The NewMusic, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2008), and ZeD.[12]

Tegan and Sara songs have been featured in the films Monster-in-Law and Sweet November and in the television shows 90210, Being Erica, Ghost Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, The Hills, Hollyoaks, jPod, The L Word, Life Unexpected, Melrose Place (2009 series), One Tree Hill, Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, and What's New, Scooby-Doo?.

In 2006, Tegan and Sara performed in The L Word episode "Last Dance" (season 3, episode 11). In 2008, they appeared on the kids music television show Pancake Mountain. In addition to acting in a skit, they performed the songs "Back in Your Head", "Hop a Plane", and an acoustic version of "Walking with a Ghost". In 2010, they appeared on CBC's Mamma Yamma, revising their single "Alligator" into a children's song: "Scaly, yes it's true. My spiky claws crawl over you."

Band members

Tegan Quin at a concert in Detroit, Michigan

Current

  • Tegan Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Sara Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Edward "Ted" Gowans – guitar, keyboards
  • Shaun Huberts – bass guitar
  • Johnny "Five" Andrews – drums

Former

  • Dan Kelly – bass guitar
  • Chris Carlson – bass guitar
  • Rob Chursinoff – drums

Discography

Main article: Tegan and Sara discography

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Result
2000  — YTV Band/Musical Group Achievement Award Won
2003 If It Was You Western Canadian Music Awards, Outstanding Pop Recording Won
2006 So Jealous Juno Awards Alternative Album of the Year Nominated
2007 It's Not Fun Don't Do It Juno Awards Music DVD of the Year Nominated
2008 The Con Juno Awards Alternative Album of the Year Nominated
2009 "The Con" Studio8 Song of August 2009 Won
2010 Sainthood Juno Awards Alternative Album of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Columbus Arts Briefs". The Lantern. Ohio State University. November 16, 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b Gdula, Steve (November 21, 2000), "Double the power", The Advocate, retrieved March 13, 2010
  3. ^ "Tegan & Sara Biography". AskMen.com. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  4. ^ Foucart, Jon (February 22, 2007). "Tegan & Sara Update". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  5. ^ Quin, Tegan (September 11, 2009). "ON, IN, AT". Tegan and Sara. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  6. ^ Eells, Josh (November 11, 2009). "Tegan and Sara: Across a Crowded Womb". Spin. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  7. ^ Wood, Mikael. "Tegan and Sara, 'Sainthood' (Vapor/Sire)". Spin. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  8. ^ Miller, Winter (May 4, 2008). "Songwriting Sisters and the Universe of What They Like". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  9. ^ Ash, Amanda (November 2009). "Tegan & Sara: Sisters of Mercy". Exclaim!. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  10. ^ Ash, Amanda (October 6, 2009). "Indie ladies who lunch: Tegan and Sara edition". The Indie Files. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  11. ^ Baltin, Steve (October 1, 2009). "Tegan and Sara's Sara Quin Strives Toward 'Sainthood'". Spinner.com. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  12. ^ a b "Press Kit — Biography" (PDF). Tegan and Sara. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  13. ^ Floyd, Mikela (January 11, 2010). "Northern State's Hesta Prynn to Release Solo Material". Filter. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  14. ^ "Tegan Quin, Augusten Burroughs Co-Headline SPIN's 'Liner Notes' Event". Spin. July 21, 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  15. ^ Maddux, Rachel (June 15, 2008). "Bonnaroo 2008: Day 3". Paste. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  16. ^ Fuoco-Karasinski, Christina (March 4, 2008). "Tegan and Sara's Tegan Quin Launches Side Project". Spinner.com. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  17. ^ Dombal, Ryan (August 4, 2009). "Sigur Rós's Jónsi, Bloc Party's Kele Okereke on New Tiësto Album". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  18. ^ Colly, Joe (December 11, 2009). "Fucked Up: 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
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