It’s almost inevitable that a French electro duo will find themselves compared to the scene’s reigning emperors, Daft Punk. What’s less predictable, however, is that instead of hopelessly trying to prove themselves as wildly unique and free of influence from Daft Punk’s all-seeing robotic eyes, Guillaume Manbell and Greg Kazubski of Teenage Bad Girl are more than happy for the resemblance to be drawn.
“We both discovered dance music thanks to Daft Punk, so when we both started producing at around 18 we were trying to make our productions sounds like them,” Manbell explained to ITM ahead of their debut Australian visit this month. “We think it’s a bit the same for many other French electronic composers of our generation.”
It’s a breath of fresh air in many ways, but not entirely surprising when you consider the duo also met on somewhat unorthodox terms. They first struck up conversation through filesharing program Soulseek, with Guillaume having downloaded one of Greg’s tracks. They were soon working on music together, and their first release Hands Of A Stranger became an underground club hit.
Just to clarify, you guys are neither teenagers or bad girls, right?
Unfortunately not… We’re closer to being in our sad 30s, but we try to stay as bad as we can.
I hear you guys met in a very 21st century way… tell us a bit about it.
Yeah we’re totally into innovation! We tried meeting first, but it didn’t work… so we finally hooked up on Soulseek, the last cool illegal software to download music. I was sharing my own sound, the first record I released on my own label, Archibell. Greg heard about it on a forum and downloaded it on Soulseek. So we began to chat… we shared some sounds, and we immediately loved each other’s approach. So I asked him about a remix for me, and a bit later – the end 2005 – a track we did together ‘Hands Of A Stranger’, was out on my label.
How do you feel when you hear comparisons of Teenage Bad Girl to the likes of Daft Punk?
It’s cool, and we totally claim this! We both discovered dance music thanks to Daft Punk, so when we both started producing at around 18 we were trying to make our productions sounds like them. We think it’s a bit the same for many other French electronic composers of our generation; the ideas are different, but the style of production is definitely inspired by Daft Punk.
Who would you cite as major musical influences?
We have many influences, maybe because we listened to a lot of music when we were kids. Rock bands like Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and dance music like Technotronic, Corona, as well as electronic music like Daft Punk, Motorbass, the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy. Also 80s French pop, like Stephanie de Monaco, Jeanne Mas, Véronique Jeannot, and a lot of funk like René & Angela, Prince, Con Funk Shunk or Luther Vandross,
What would be the highlight of your careers to date?
Definitely our tour in Japan. It was a great souvenir, and a great adventure!
If you had to create your ultimate set list, what three tracks would it have to contain?
A difficult question, but probably a track from Serge Gainsbourg, one from Rage Against the Machine, and one from John Lennon.
Working as a duo, are there particular strengths that you each bring to the table?
We work in our own studios, never together… then we send what we’ve done over the internet, and try to build on what the other has made. We immediately know if it’s bad or good very quickly, and we’re always trying to surprise each other.
How do you begin to create a track?
One of us starts something; a rhythm, some chords, a melody… and the other one then completes a new element. Sometimes one of us can finish the whole first part of a track, while the other does the bridge. It depends, there are no rules.
Have you ever hit any bumps in terms of artistic differences?
Of course, sometimes we don’t agree 100% on what is good or not, but it’s pretty rare. We kinda have the same feelings or emotions we want to express.
Do you guys prefer DJing and being out in clubs and festivals, or do you like the production side of things more?
It depends. When we’ve just finished some new material of course we want to share it with an audience, but we’re always caught up by the necessity of creation. Let’s just say that the best situation is to create something and then share it with the public a few days later. It’s the most exciting thing about music.
Are there any artists you’d like to collaborate with or remix in the future?
It would be cool to remix MGMT, they had an amazing first album. We also like Pnau, they are the best in Australia!
Are there any particular aspirations Teenage Bad Girl are working towards?
A big live show with many synths and instruments.
Can fans start getting excited about an album in the future?
Excited, yes! But just a bit, we still need some time. We’re working on a compilation for the end of the year, and new productions for 2009. Just be patient!
Teenage Bad Girl tour Australia this September for the first time:
Sep 12 – Empire, Brisbane
Sep 13 – Trashbags, Sydney
Sep 19 – Electric Circus, Adelaide
Sep 20 – Tick Tock, Perth
