Posted on May 31, 2010 - by Mark Zonda

Cought in a Tender Trap

Tender Trap doesn’t need any presentation for real lover of the indie scene. A true band icon of the scene, this little band from London is the epythome of a pure indie gist at the apex of its perfection, quite a brit response to other “tiger-band” from beyond the sea. Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research are only part of a natural evolution that brought Miss Amelia Fletcher to cheer up our days with brand new refined perfect pop gems. No wonder I wasted my only chance to ask her about the most hidden secrets of indie pop for… cheap-chats!! Here we go…

Mark Zonda: What’s the story behind Tender Trap? When and how did you formed?

Amelia:  Well it’s a bit silly really. Tender Trap arose from the ashes of our previous band Marine Research, and when we started we were keen to be more esoteric and electronic. We were influenced by Magnetic Fields, and their slightly perverse world view, and by the desire to try something new. But that was all really quite a long time ago now. And these days we are far keener on making the music we really love the most – fuzzy girl-group-inspired-but-feminist DIY pop. Much more in line with the sort of music we started off with in our earlier bands Talulah Gosh and Heavenly.

Mark Zonda:  Marine Resarch was a cool name, and I really love Magnetic Fields. How this little adventure came to an end?

Amelia: We love Magnetic Fields too. As a band and as people. We just weren’t as good a band when we were trying to be more like them. It wasn’t in our DNA like indie pop is!

Mark Zonda: Are all the member of the band fond with twee, c86 revival and indie pop?

Amelia: I think all of the band are fond in their own ways, although they would deny it to different extents!

Mark Zonda: Dum Dum or Vivian: how a modern indie girl should be?

Amelia: I like both – and we enjoyed playing with Dum Dum Girls last week – but I have to say I feel a bit more comfortable with the Vivian Girls. They are musically a bit snappier, more fun, and most importantly they are less waif-like and wear more clothes! Those Dum Dum Girls may get away with wearing almost nothing in LA, but they’re going to get a chill if they carry on trying it in Europe! If I was a teenager today, it is the Vivian Girls that I would dream about being in.

Mark Zonda: Gonna see the Dumb Girls tomorrow. Got any impressive opening to catch their attention?

Amelia: Easy. Just say ‘Hey, what did you think of Tender Trap when you played with them?’ And then tell me the answer! Although it might just be ‘Who?’

Mark Zonda: What’s the story behind “Talking Backwards”? Are you happy about that song?

Amelia: It is about that feeling of wanting to say something to someone you like, and finding that the words just come out all wrong. What seems incredibly eloquent in your head somehow comes out all in a muddle. The final words in the chorus are ‘Life than more you love I”. You probably get the picture. And yes, I really like the song. Especially the bit in the middle when it breaks down into the acapella ba-da-ba-s towards the end. Good girlgroupy stuff.

Mark Zonda: You’ve just come back from the New York Popfest. How did it go?

Amelia: It was totally great. We had a really good time, and met so many lovely people. It was our first time in the US for 6 years, so it was all pretty exciting. We also played in Philadelphia on the Saturday, and the show turned out to be at a frat house. Pi Lambda. A proper US experience! I also really enjoyed simply hanging out in Manhattan and Brooklyn in the sun -America has some very evocative smells!

Mark Zonda: Why on Earth David Bowie is afraid of Americans if he talks like them?

Amelia: What a great question. I have no idea how to answer it. Maybe he thinks they are Spiders from Mars.

Tender Trap – Girls with guns

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