News
The Pipettes have a video up for voting this year!
Vote now for The Pipettes on Subterranean's best of 2007 countdown!
See the results on 12/17 on MTV2 at 1AM EST.
"We Are The Pipettes" available everywhere in the US!
The wait is over! The Pipettes North American debut LP is in stores now!
Click HERE to order the album.
The album has been re-mixed by producer Greg Well's and features two new tracks exclusive to the release - 'Dance and Boogie' and 'Baby Just Be Yourself'.
Chop Suey Review
The Pipettes
June 14, 2007
Chop Suey
Better Than: Spice World, the Phil Spector trial on Court TV, or most anything else one could have been doing on a Thursday night in Seattle.
"You are so talented! You are so beautiful! I LOVE YOU!!!!" So shouted the Pipettes' self-proclaimed "biggest gay fan in the world," from the middle of the capacity all-ages crowd at Chop Suey, just a few songs into the British pop septet's hour-long set. Based on the huge amount of smiles, sweat, and shimmying going on for the duration, he spoke for pretty much everyone — gay, straight, tween, senior — there to see the Pipettes wrap up their inaugural U.S. tour with their first-ever visit to Seattle.
If you happened to read my Pipettes feature in this week's issue, or you're just on top of the latest U.K. musical exports, you know that the group — polka-dot-clad singers Gwenno, Rosay, and RiotBecki, plus their all-male backing band (guitarist and Pipettes co-founder "Monster Bobby," plus a drummer, bassist, and keyboardist) known as the Cassettes — essentially put a modern twist on the Phil Spector/Joe Meek-helmed girl-group sound of the late '50s and early '60s (think the Ronettes, the Shangri-Las, etc., crossed with Bananarama and the Spice Girls). Although their full-length debut, We Are the Pipettes, is a blast to listen to, I was curious if the whole thing would really work in a live setting, or crumble under the weight of the concept.
I'm thrilled to say the Pipettes far exceeded my hopes, coming off charming rather than cloying, pure fun rather than purely formulaic. Bounding onstage at 11 p.m., Gwenno (the "glamour girl," in a figure-hugging mini-dress), Rosay (the "punkish girl," in a ruffled number), and Becki (the "naughty librarian," rockin' a sort of '80s ensemble) took their places side by side at the very front, while the Cassettes — sporting matching monogrammed yellow sweater vests but otherwise looking like your average indie-rockers — settled into the shadows way at the back of the stage. With plenty of sass and more spunk than the cheerleading championships on ESPN2, the ladies led the group through 19 songs in 60 minutes; the math tells you each was a three-minute pop gem.
Their "big gay fan" was right: the Pipettes looked hot, and in more ways than one — by the fourth tune, "Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me" (also the title of their brand-new, U.S.-only EP), the ladies were coated with sweat from all the classic, choreographed girl-group dance moves and the frolicking around the stage. And they're hella talented — their vocals, particularly the harmonies, were spot-on perfect. So were the Cassettes, who didn't interact at all with the singers save for some shared grins here and there, but gave the songs depth and even more life with their spry, tight playing.
The Pipettes saved the best for last, winding up with "Judy," "One Night Stand," "Dirty Mind," and their biggest hit to date, "Pull Shapes," for which they brought out openers Smoosh to jump around and dance along with them, then returned to close out the festivities with their theme song, "We Are the Pipettes."
Reporter's Notebook
Personal Bias: Yep, they're hot. And photogenic.
Random Detail: Outside the tour bus after the show, the ladies (in civilian, sans-polka-dots attire) graciously chatted with a handful of fans, posed for photos, autographed posters and biceps, and said they're planning on coming back to town in the fall. At one point, two of the Cassettes exited the bus — one fan tried to engage them by asking if they were British, too, to which they gruffly replied "Yes," then scurried down the street, prompting the fan to yell after them, "Way to reinforce stereotypes!"
By the way: Did anyone catch the Pipettes at their in-store at Sonic Boom in Ballard yesterday? I'm curious how all seven were able to wedge in there, not to mention pull off all the dance moves...
Pippetes in Nylon Magazine
Pipettes at Chop Suey
The Pipettes
June 14, 2007
Chop Suey
Better Than: Spice World, the Phil Spector trial on Court TV, or most anything else one could have been doing on a Thursday night in Seattle.
"You are so talented! You are so beautiful! I LOVE YOU!!!!" So shouted the Pipettes' self-proclaimed "biggest gay fan in the world," from the middle of the capacity all-ages crowd at Chop Suey, just a few songs into the British pop septet's hour-long set. Based on the huge amount of smiles, sweat, and shimmying going on for the duration, he spoke for pretty much everyone — gay, straight, tween, senior — there to see the Pipettes wrap up their inaugural U.S. tour with their first-ever visit to Seattle.
If you happened to read my Pipettes feature in this week's issue, or you're just on top of the latest U.K. musical exports, you know that the group — polka-dot-clad singers Gwenno, Rosay, and RiotBecki, plus their all-male backing band (guitarist and Pipettes co-founder "Monster Bobby," plus a drummer, bassist, and keyboardist) known as the Cassettes — essentially put a modern twist on the Phil Spector/Joe Meek-helmed girl-group sound of the late '50s and early '60s (think the Ronettes, the Shangri-Las, etc., crossed with Bananarama and the Spice Girls). Although their full-length debut, We Are the Pipettes, is a blast to listen to, I was curious if the whole thing would really work in a live setting, or crumble under the weight of the concept.
I'm thrilled to say the Pipettes far exceeded my hopes, coming off charming rather than cloying, pure fun rather than purely formulaic. Bounding onstage at 11 p.m., Gwenno (the "glamour girl," in a figure-hugging mini-dress), Rosay (the "punkish girl," in a ruffled number), and Becki (the "naughty librarian," rockin' a sort of '80s ensemble) took their places side by side at the very front, while the Cassettes — sporting matching monogrammed yellow sweater vests but otherwise looking like your average indie-rockers — settled into the shadows way at the back of the stage. With plenty of sass and more spunk than the cheerleading championships on ESPN2, the ladies led the group through 19 songs in 60 minutes; the math tells you each was a three-minute pop gem.
Their "big gay fan" was right: the Pipettes looked hot, and in more ways than one — by the fourth tune, "Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me" (also the title of their brand-new, U.S.-only EP), the ladies were coated with sweat from all the classic, choreographed girl-group dance moves and the frolicking around the stage. And they're hella talented — their vocals, particularly the harmonies, were spot-on perfect. So were the Cassettes, who didn't interact at all with the singers save for some shared grins here and there, but gave the songs depth and even more life with their spry, tight playing.
The Pipettes saved the best for last, winding up with "Judy," "One Night Stand," "Dirty Mind," and their biggest hit to date, "Pull Shapes," for which they brought out openers Smoosh to jump around and dance along with them, then returned to close out the festivities with their theme song, "We Are the Pipettes."
Reporter's Notebook
Personal Bias: Yep, they're hot. And photogenic.
Random Detail: Outside the tour bus after the show, the ladies (in civilian, sans-polka-dots attire) graciously chatted with a handful of fans, posed for photos, autographed posters and biceps, and said they're planning on coming back to town in the fall. At one point, two of the Cassettes exited the bus — one fan tried to engage them by asking if they were British, too, to which they gruffly replied "Yes," then scurried down the street, prompting the fan to yell after them, "Way to reinforce stereotypes!"
By the way: Did anyone catch the Pipettes at their in-store at Sonic Boom in Ballard yesterday? I'm curious how all seven were able to wedge in there, not to mention pull off all the dance moves...
Boston Herald Review of Pipettes
|
Retro Pipettes are built to last This U.K. girl group wore its heart on its sleeve when it named its debut “We Are the Pipettes” - and that sleeve was probably clothed in the ’50s-style polka dot dress that’s now become synonymous with the unmistakable trio. Yet despite the kookiness, the newest member, Gwenno, dismisses any idea of the Pipettes as a novelty. “It never really enters our mind, because although we have fun, we take the music quite seriously,” she says from her home in the UK’s unofficial capital of cool, Brighton. “We certainly wouldn’t have lasted so long if we were just a flash-in-the-pan act.” The lady makes a sound point. The band began way back in 2003, even though it’s only starting to get discovered in the United States. The Pipettes bop into Great Scott for a Fenway Recordings show tomorrow, the day before their “Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me” EP drops stateside on Interscope. Four years ago their now-manager and backing band member Monster Bobby and founding member Julia saw a gap in the musical market for a retro girl group. (And to think - Amy Winehouse hadn’t even arrived yet!) They recruited Becki (the one with glasses) and Rosay (the brunette) from the Brighton scene, perfected their harmonies and made some real headway in the UKscene, supporting the likes of the Magic Numbers and the Go! Team, which is about when Gwenno (the blonde one) came on board. “When I saw them, I thought they were amazing,” she enthuses. “It was exactly what I thought pop music should be and exactly what I thought was missing from the current music scene. I got talking to them afterward and found out Julia was leaving, so I auditioned - and the rest is history!” Slowly evolving history. “It’s been a lovely way in hindsight because we haven’t gone from playing to no one to playing Wembley Arena,” Gwenno says. “We’ve taken it one step at a time. That’s given us time not only to develop, but also we’ve been able to get our heads around the concept, so there hasn’t been any enlarged egos. “Plus,” she adds, “it means that when we go to the States, we don’t have the expectations that we would if we’d had a No. 1 album across Europe. We’ve never been in or out of fashion. We’re not expecting to be flavor of the month. As long as people come to see us, we’re happy.” Now the Pipettes are making their second visit to the States. “We played three gigs the first time, in New York, at South by Southwest and a gig in L.A. as well,” Gwenno says. “They were all fab. The crowds are much more enthusiastic. They take no time to start bopping about, which is great because that’s what were all about.” The flipside of touring America, however, is van life. “In a lot of ways, I’m a different person than I was when I started touring,” she says. “I’m now used to being completely disgusting. My hygiene standards are so low now. What you see on stage is just an illusion. But you’ll be OK as long as you don’t come too close!” The Pipettes, with Smoosh, Monster Bobby and DJ Carbo, tomorrow at Great Scott, Allston. Tickets: $12; 617-566-9014, www.greatscottboston.com. |
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Pipettes Feature in Seattle Weekly
The Pipettes With Smoosh. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8000,
www.chopsuey.com <http://www.chopsuey.com/> . $10. 8 p.m. Thurs., June
14.
The girl groups she's referring to are the Shangri-Las, the Ronettes,
the Supremes, and the Shirelles. These are classic pop acts rooted in
R&B, soul, and doo-wop traditions that the Pipettes' founders, Bobby
"Monster Bobby" Barry (also the group's guitarist) and now-departed
singer Julia Clark-Lowes, felt were due for a modernized update.
The Pipettes-a seven-piece outfit fronted by a trio of fetching female
singers who don polka-dot dresses and perform choreographed dance
moves-formed in 2003 by imagining the past four decades or so of rock
'n' roll history occurring quite differently.
After recruiting Rosay, Rebecca Stephens (aka Becki Pipette), and three
guys who would join Monster Bobby in the all-male backing section dubbed
the Cassettes (and later Gwenno Saunders, who replaced Julia Pipette in
2005), the septet began cranking out a string of campy singles indebted
to the sounds of those aforementioned groups, as well as the recording
techniques of producers Phil Spector and Joe Meek. The songs are dense,
reverb-heavy, insanely catchy compositions merging punchy strings and
horns with rockabilly/surf guitars, piano plinks, organs, and, of
course, all those heavenly, girlish vocal melodies and "oooooh sha la la
la" harmonies.
On the Pipettes' 2006 full-length U.K. debut, We Are the Pipettes-slated
for U.S. release in August-there are nods to other eras as well.
Vocally, there are echoes of Bananarama and even the Spice Girls (their
cheerleader chants also fall somewhere between Toni Basil and riot
grrrl), and the song "Dirty Minds" crosses Maxine Nightingale's "Right
Back Where We Started From" with the B-52's "Roam."
Lyrically, the Pipettes typically steer clear of the submissive approach
associated with the original girl groups, frequently opting for bawdy
sentiments and righteous kiss-offs: "I don't love you, I don't need
you/If you think that this is cruel/Then you should see what my friends
do," the trio gleefully sneers in "One Night Stand."
"We're definitely not interested in being some pastiche of the girl
groups from the '50s and '60s," Rosay states. "We're just using those
ideas as a springboard, and to do something different, you know, as
opposed to this sort of standardized rock 'n' roll canon that everyone
is born knowing, and this unquestionable reverence you have to have for
all of these bands."
To that end, the group has promulgated an attention-grabbing manifesto,
boldly stating that the Beatles "ruined everything," and that the
Rolling Stones and the Who created, as Becki lamented to a British
paper, a "hegemony of cock rock": a world where guys with guitars
ultimately rule, and where pop music has been considered "disposable."
Many have applauded their stance, but naturally, ripping the Beatles is
enough to make your average critic foam at the mouth.
"It was almost like we were blasphemers or something!" Rosay laughs. "I
mean, it's not even the Beatles' music that bothers me. It's more about
what happened afterward that's the problem."
Seizing on their image and stage presence to dismiss them as
manufactured pop, some detractors have taken things even further,
suggesting that the Pipettes' approach actually sets women back by
romanticizing an era in which men, they claim, were firmly in control.
"I was quite naive to think that these sort of authenticity and gender
things wouldn't really be an issue," Rosay admits. "Like, we don't play
any instruments onstage, and that's supposed to be 'disempowering' and
it 'isn't a valid way of being in a band.' But surely we're at a point
now where women can be onstage and perform and express themselves as
they choose.
"This is a very careful thing that we've chosen to do," she continues.
"Nobody told us to do anything-we did it; we came up with it. I mean,
we're very aware that we're female musicians in a male-dominated
industry, and we make sure we do things the way we want to. But we're
not overtly feminist in our outlook, and we don't want that to be the
prime focus of the Pipettes. We always wanted to create a show for
people to just have fun and lose themselves for an hour or whatever.
People are slightly more keen to dance and just enjoy it now, thank
goodness."
Of The Morning Call
By Len Righi
Of The Morning Call
Off stage, she is Rose Dougall. But on stage, as the brunette member of Brit pop sensation The Pipettes, she becomes Rose Pipette, a.k.a. Rosay.
So, who is Dougall more like — real-life Rose, or Rosay, who wears short, polka-dot dresses, sings, plays keyboards and does synchronized dance steps?
“I don’t know that it’s relevant,” replies Rosay over the phone, sitting on the roof of her home in Brighton, England. “They’re both emotionally engaged with the music we’re making.
“I’ve done this for 3 1/2 years, and it would be difficult for me to be involved in anything I didn’t care about very much,” she adds. “We’re writing for a cause, an idea more than anything else.”
That cause — putting a modern spin on the traditional ’60s girl group sound — has already enlisted sizable support in Britain, thanks to The Pipettes’ debut disc, “We Are The Pipettes,” which was released in the U.K. last July.
Now The Pipettes are ready to tap into America. The group, which will perform on Sunday (June 3) at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, will release its first U.S. EP, “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me,” on Tuesday (June 5). (The North American release of “We Are The Pipettes” is set for Aug. 28.)
The four-song EP samples the group’s strengths — brash banter set to schoolyard chants (the title track), winsomeness and self-deprecating humor (“I Love You”) and classic girl-group singing (“Really That Bad,” about the wrong kind of guy, who, says Rosay, “always gravitates toward me. I can’t really help it.”).
The track that meshes all of those qualities is “Guess Who Ran Off With the Milkman?” “We decided it didn’t quite fit on the \[album\], but we’ve been playing it \[live\] for a year and a half,” says Rosay. “The main idea is not wanting to grow up, of resisting the pressures of how you’re meant to be with certain people.”
Is the rippling production a nod to the Murmaids’ 1963 David Gates-penned hit, “Popsicles and Icicles”? “I love ‘Popsicles and Icicles,’ but I never thought of \[‘Milkman’\] in that way,” she answers.
Although Rosay, Becki Pipette (Rebecca Stephens) and Gwenno Pipette (Gwenno Saunders) are the visual focus, the group also has four male backing musicians, including guitarist Monster Bobby (Bobby Barry), who came up with idea for The Pipettes in 2003.
So Rosay, who early in life was partial to British folk musician John Martyn and singer-songwriter extraordinaire Joni Mitchell, stresses: “We are a seven-piece band. All seven of us take part in the songwriting and in making decisions. It’s quite a democratic process. …
“The idea was formed by Monster Bobby. He may have had some notion to be like a Svengali, but he made the fatal error of involving six people in his idea. It’s not really about an individual at all.”
Why polka dot dresses?
“We wanted to have strong, simple, bold image, something uniform for three girls, a brand,” Rosay responds. “It was cheap and it was good. And we were bored with bands that looked like they just rolled out of bed.”
The Pipettes, with The Booze and Monster Bobby, 8 p.m. Sunday (June 3), First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, 866-468-7619. Tickets: $10; $12 day of show.
pipettes washington post review
WASHINGTON POST
The Pipettes
|
|
Their first disc won't be available in the United States until tomorrow, but the Pipettes performed to a sold-out Black Cat on Saturday night -- not surprising, since the group has been the subject of Internet hype since it formed in 2003. Live with a backup band, the all-female singing trio from Brighton lived up to its throwback-to-1960s girl-group reputation, with peppy harmonies, matching polka-dot dresses, and choreographed gestures. They gave that retro sound a modern flair by broaching all the raunchy subjects you always imagined the Shangri-Las discussed behind closed doors, from no-strings-attached romance ("One Night Stand") to mistreating their boyfriends ("Why Did You Stay?").
Their performance was just as enchanting as their infectious songs are on record: The knowing glances they shared as they bopped around the stage conveyed the sisterly camaraderie that their songs imply. More impressively, they shared vocal duties seamlessly, with Gwenno's strong lead on "Pull Shapes" melding with Rosay and RiotBecki's interspersed lines.
As expected from a group whose recorded sound is so crisp, many of the group's vocal nuances lost their precision in the live setting. The sassy "Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me" was marred by RiotBecki's weak lead vocals and Gwenno's muffled countermelodies. But for this bubbly trio, vocal exactness was less important than liveliness, and their short-and-sweet pop tunes (20 in just under an hour) captured the trio's carefree spirit and delightful energy.
-- Catherine P. Lewis
