            
It's music that started in London
clubs and now Euro-dance music is hot even off the dance floor. Republica is one band
that's crossed boundaries with their song "Ready To Go." Karen Douglas talked to
them for this FC Groove Report.
"We're not part of the scene,"
says Republica's lead singer, Saffron. "You know, we're not grunge or Britpop or
dance act; we're not purists."
Republica doesn't fit in with one music
scene, so they came up with their own label. Saffron describes it as techno pop punk rock.
"That was just something I said that followed me around the whole of America,"
she explains. "It's just elements of things that you find in our music."
Basically they write dance music with
melodies -- a combination that breaks with tradition.
"We sit in there and try and write
dance songs," says Saffron. "And we wanted to put choruses...in there which you
couldn't do in the music, so we changed it."
Their primary influences are '80s New Wave,
but judging from Saffron's current collection, nothing is off limits. At the moment, she's
listening to Hole and Old Dirty Bastard.
Their own music is also tough to
categorize, and they think this is very British.
Saffron thinks British bands experiment
more with their music than American bands do, "In Britain it all starts in bedrooms
and this sort of thing, so it's a bit more quirky."
Tim Dorney, the band's main songwriter,
agrees. "The thing is in Britain things seem to work a hell of a lot faster than it
does over here. It's like in Britain you have two weeks to break a record."
"There's only one radio station in
England that really matters, and it's called Radio One," adds Saffron. "It's
essential for new bands to get played on there or you really don't have a chance. We've
actually been quite lucky that they've played quite a lot of our stuff."
They're on their second U.S. tour in three
months and they're still mastering the basics -- like what to bring on a trip.
"I try to bring enough for a whole
month without washing, but that's not possible," says Saffron.
"I've been nicknamed the Imelda Marcos
of techno, so I've got lots of shoes with me," she cracks.
So what's the worst part of life on the
road?
"Changing in backstage toilets is
probably the worst," offers Saffron.
"Eating at Denny's...is another one," adds Tim.
If their next single drops like "Ready
To Go," it looks like Republica should be able to upgrade from Denny's to at least
Chevy's.
FirstCutGrooveReport |
