Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie rock/indie pop duo consisting of identical twins Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980).
History
Tegan and Sara were born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They initially played as PLUNK and lacked a drummer and bass player. In 1997, they used their school’s recording studio to record two demo albums: Who's in Your Band? and Play Day. They had three demo albums called Orange Demo, Yellow Demo, and Red Demo.[3] In 1998, they made an early breakthrough by winning Garage Warz Battle of the Bands, a local music competition in Calgary.[4] Since then, the two have toured extensively. They are signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records in Canada and to Sire in the United States as their previous label, Sanctuary Records, is no longer releasing new music in the United States.
When they were competing in Garage Warz, they were known as "Sara and Tegan" because that is how their mother registered them on the competition forms. The competition was held at a local bar/club in Calgary, and since the twins were only 17 at the time, they were actually not able to go inside without adult supervision. Their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, was initially released under the name "Sara and Tegan". This Business of Art is a Tegan and Sara album, released in 2000. It is their first official release through Vapor Records, though they independently released Under Feet Like Ours the previous year. This album was recorded at Hawksleytown Studios and mixed and mastered at Umbrella Sound in Toronto. So Jealous is an album released by Tegan and Sara on September 14, 2004. One track on the album, "Walking With a Ghost", was later covered by The White Stripes and became the title song of their EP Walking with a Ghost. The album art was created by designer EE Storey. They had a brief friendship with Amanda Munoz.
While both twins are similarly involved in vocals and playing instruments, the singing of the lead melody usually goes to whichever twin wrote the particular song.
Their fifth album, The Con, was released on July 24, 2007.[2] It was co-produced by Chris Walla. Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie, Matt Sharp of The Rentals (who was with Weezer during The Blue Album and Pinkerton), Hunter Burgan of AFI, and Kaki King appear on the album.[5]
Tegan and Sara released a new album, titled Sainthood, produced by Chris Walla and Howard Redekopp on October 27, 2009. [6] Spin Magazine gave Sainthood four out of five possible 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." SPIN.com [7]
Accomplishments
Tegan and Sara have been profiled in a number of magazines and their albums have been included on several notable "best of" lists. In the fall of 2003, they graced the cover of ROCKRGRL magazine issue #49, which focused on a tribute to duos. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine named their album So Jealous on their list of the best 50 albums of the year.[8]
Tegan and Sara were nominated for a 2006 Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year alongside Hot Hot Heat, Metric, The New Pornographers and Broken Social Scene. They were also nominated for 2008 Alternative Album of the Year alongside Arcade Fire, Wintersleep, Holy Fuck and Patrick Watson. The 2008 Junos were presented on April 6 in Calgary, Alberta and they lost to Arcade Fire.
More recently, they appeared on the cover of the Summer 2007 issue of Under the Radar, the March 2008 cover of Alternative Press magazine and Spinner.com placed them at #7 on their list of Women Who Rock Right Now.
In January/February 2009, Tegan and Sara graced the cover of WonkaVision's "Women in Rock" issue, also featuring the likes of Feist, Amy Millan and Kate Nash.
Tegan and Sara were on the cover of the July/August issue of Curve Magazine. They were also on the cover of the November 2009 issue of Exclaim! Magazine. [1]
Punk band NOFX's 2009 album, Coaster, contains a song titled "Creeping Out Sara" (it appears as "Creeping Out Tegan" on Frisbee). The song details an alleged conversation between the singer and Sara (or Tegan).
Personal lives
Although their sexuality is rarely the subject of their songs, the fact that both sisters are lesbians has been the subject of some interest in the press. Both of the twins have repeatedly expressed disappointment that their sexuality is so often focused upon in reviews of their music. [2] The two have also expressed their desire to be judged solely on their music, not on their gender, sexuality or the fact that they're twins. [9]
Tegan currently resides in Vancouver, BC.
Sara currently resides in Montreal, QC.
Touring
Tegan and Sara have been touring since 2000 (the first being with Neil Young), and finished their 2009 fall US tour to record their latest album. They have recently released new Europe tour dates on their website.
They are famous for their onstage banter; their stories and commentary about their childhood, politics, and life on the road have become an indispensable part of their live shows.
Opening bands like Northern State and An Horse have become household names among Tegan and Sara fans.
Notable touring mates include Neil Young, Rufus Wainwright, The Pretenders,[4] Ben Folds, The Killers, Cake, Gogol Bordello, Hot Hot Heat, Ryan Adams,[10] Death Cab for Cutie, City and Colour, and Weezer. They also performed a show at Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair.
They have been seen on numerous festival lists, including the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Austin City Limits, Southbound Festival, Coachella, Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour, and most recently Rifflandia.
Publications
Tegan and Sara released a three volume book set to accompany Sainthood, which dropped October 27th, 2009. [11]
| Publications |
|
| Title |
Year |
| ON, IN, AT |
2009 |
Television and film
Tegan and Sara have made many television appearances, including Vicki Gabereau's Canadian talk show, CityTV's "Ethnosonic", The Late Show with David Letterman (on more than one occasion), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, MuchMusic's The New Music and Brad TV, Sonic Temple, Jonovision, Late Night with Conan O'Brien (on more than one occasion), Jimmy Kimmel Live (March 23, 2005) and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (November 11, 2004). They also played "Monday Monday Monday" on ZeD, and thus the song appeared on the 2003 CD ZeD: Live Off The Floor.[12] The twins have also been featured on the hit TV show the L word.
Their songs have appeared on several soundtracks, including those for the films Monster-in-Law and Sweet November. Tracks are also found on the television shows Grey's Anatomy, Being Erica, The Hills, What's New Scooby Doo, Ghost Whisperer, The L Word, Veronica Mars, One Tree Hill, and jPod. On The N's channel, their song "The Con" was played repeatedly between television programs. Many of their tracks from the album So Jealous were used on Grey's Anatomy, particularly in the early seasons. Recently their music has also appeared on the British television series Hollyoaks.
In 2006, Tegan and Sara appeared in the L Word episode Last Dance (Season 3, Episode 11).
In the spring of 2008 Tegan and Sara appeared on the kids music television show, Pancake Mountain. In addition to acting in a skit they performed the songs "Back In Your Head" and "Hop A Plane", as well as an acoustic version of "Walking With A Ghost".
Cover songs and collaborations
Songs covered by Tegan & Sara
Tegan & Sara songs covered by other musicians
- "Walking With a Ghost" - The White Stripes (Walking With a Ghost EP, 2005)
- "Wake Up Exhausted" - Alkaline Trio (2008)
- "So Jealous" - Cancer Bats (Tour EP, 2009)
- "Back In Your Head" - HeyHiHello (2009)
- "Not Tonight" - Matt Sharp feat. Maya Rudolph
- "Walking With a Ghost" - Nick Storm
- "Back In Your Head" - Tiesto
- "Call It Off" - World War Wonderful
Collaborations (Tegan solo)
- "The Alphabet" - Vivek Shraya (A Composite of Straight Lines, 2005)
- "Never Give Up" - Melissa Ferrick (In the Eyes of Strangers, 2006)
- "La Le La La" - Kinnie Starr (Anything, 2006)
- "Hey Kids" - David Usher (If God Had Curves, 2005)
- "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart" - Against Me! (New Wave, 2007)
- "Saturday" - Rachael Cantu (Run All Night, 2006)
- "Broken Songs" - Jim Ward (In The Valley, On The Shores EP, 2009)
Collaborations (Sara solo)
Collaborations (Tegan & Sara)
Other work
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.com'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 Tiesto's remix of "Back In Your Head".[15]
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]
Both twins took out time to produce records with other bands in 2009--Tegan worked with char2d2 on the "Small Vampires EP", while Sara worked on an upcoming Fences album.
Band members
Current members
- Tegan Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Sara Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Edward "Ted" Gowans – guitar, keyboards
- Shaun Huberts – bass guitar
- Johnny "Five" Andrews — drums
Former members
- Dan Kelly — bass guitar
- Chris Carlson — bass guitar
- Rob Chursinoff — drums
Discography
Studio albums
Singles
| Year |
Song |
| 2000 |
"The First" |
| 2003 |
"Time Running" |
| 2003 |
"I Hear Noises" |
| 2003 |
"Living Room" |
| 2003 |
"Monday Monday Monday" |
| 2004 |
"Walking with a Ghost" |
| 2004 |
"Where Does The Good Go" |
| 2004 |
"Speak Slow" |
| 2007 |
"Back in Your Head" |
| 2007 |
"The Con" |
| 2008 |
"Call It Off" |
| 2009 |
"Feel It In My Bones" (Featuring Tiësto) |
| 2009 |
"Hell" |
| 2010 |
"Alligator" |
DVDs
| Year |
Name |
| 2006 |
It's Not Fun, Don't Do It! |
| 2007 |
The Con — The Movie[17] |
Demos
| Year |
Name |
| 1998 |
Yellow Demo |
| 1998 |
Orange Demo |
| 1998 |
Red Demo |
| 2008 |
The Con Demos |
EPs
Music videos
| Year |
Name |
Director |
| 2000 |
The First |
Unknown |
| 2002 |
I Hear Noises |
Sean Michael Turrell |
| 2003 |
Monday Monday Monday |
Christopher Mills |
| 2003 |
Living Room |
Kaare Andrews |
| 2004 |
Walking With A Ghost |
Troy Nixey |
| 2005 |
Speak Slow |
Tegan Quin/Angela Kendall/Brian Dutkewich[18] |
| 2007 |
Back In Your Head |
Jamie Travis[19] |
| 2007 |
The Con |
Suzie Vlcek[20] |
| 2008 |
Call It Off |
Angela Kendall[21] |
| 2009 |
Hell |
Jamie Travis[22] |
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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Tegan and Sara |
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| Sara Quin · Tegan Quin |
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