Dope dyke foursome Lesbians On Ecstasy savour expanding fan base and MiMi nods
We certainly don’t need Spin magazine or The New York Times to tell us how hard the Montreal music scene has rocked this year – the evidence is in our face.
Want proof? Forget about that scrawny, shaggy indie-boy Arcade parade and check out the estro-powered attitude of Lesbians On Ecstasy, a totally over-the-top party phenomenon that could only have come from La Belle Province. Since hitting the club scene with their live act last year, the dynamic dyke quartet have taken partyers in Montreal – and beyond – on their own special trip. Jacking up Sapphic sass with the dark beats of drum’n'bass, and infusing dance music with a political edge, the leather-sporting, whip-wielding Lezzies have redefined dance and dyke culture with their sex-charged, lesbian-inspired brand of electro ecstasy that seduces even straight dudes into submission.
After dropping their debut disc with homegrown indie Alien8, touring North America with Le Tigre and being heralded by The Advocate as the number one gay band of the year, the Lezzies on X have just received Montreal kudos with two MiMi nominations, one for best songwriting and the other for best new electro album. Their star is rising fast, furious and high.
But that doesn’t mean the foursome – comprised of frontwoman Fruity Frankie (DJ Lynne T.), self-professed nerdy keyboard noodler Bernie Bankrupt, former rockers Jackie "the Jackhammer" and Veronique Mystique, as well as the group’s mascot, a feathery bird-pen called Speedy – don’t have time to laze around on a Saturday morning for coffee and croissants in fine Montreal slackerdom style. All are comfortably seated around Bernie’s retro kitchen table in her equipment-cluttered Parc X apartment, playing off one another in that special way reserved for bands and sports teams.
Hour Your music and performance fuse polar opposites – the granola-crunching earnestness of lesbo folkies like Tracy Chapman, the snarly punk rawk attitude of riot grrrls like Team Dresch and the post-queer electro politicking of Le Tigre. You’re obviously drawn to the dark and sweaty aesthetic of drum’n'bass – do you have any Sapphic classics you think work better within an electronic framework?
Fruity Frankie The song that makes me laugh the hardest is Closer to Dark (their version of the Indigo Girls’ Prince of Darkness). That was one of the first we wrote. Bernie and I spent hours singing the tune until we realized the song deserved a drum’n'bass spin. Those lyrics – "My place is of the sun/ this place is of the dark…" It’s like we said, "What can we possibly do to make this song more absurd?" So we added helicopters, a choir, a hardcore band…
Bernie Bankrupt It’s total teenage fantasy music.
Hour But your music also seems to be commenting directly on who has access to certain kinds of music, or who controls certain "scenes."
BB Remix culture and sampling or re-recording for the dance floor – we didn’t invent those ideas or the technical aspects. We poached the template and applied it to our community. But our influences seem more blatant and at odds with convention since we’re dykes referencing lesbian music, because for the most part in the industry – especially in electronica – it’s mainly men poaching men. Early in our career, I told a DJ/producer friend of ours we got our first gig in NY through friends, and he dismissed it as "one of those lesbian connections." Uh, how do you get a DJ gig in NY? Oh yeah, it’s your straight dude friends! How come that isn’t equally pejorative?
Jackie Jackhammer So basically, it’s all about [whispering] the gay mafia…
BB Yeah, thank God one of us slept with someone in Portland.
Hour So, do you think people get that you’re trying to fill a void in the lesbian dance scene?
BB What lesbian dance scene? [Riotous laughter ensues]
Veronique Mystique The lesbian jig?
JJ The dyke two-step?
BB Really, there are no lesbian bars in the city, so we’re all about mixing things up – both scenes and spaces and the music itself. The crowds at our shows are really diverse.
VM My favourite audience response is: "I’m totally not gay, but you guys are great. I’m straight as a bar."
Hour You also charm the ladies – queer and straight.
BB We have been trying to get onto an Olivia cruise [a huge commercial cruise liner for gay women]. I mean for God’s sake, somebody hook us up! How crazy would it be for us in our chaps, with our whips, to be doing the entertainment on an Olivia cruise?! Thousands of women stuck on a boat for a week. Every night they’d have to listen to our rendition of k.d.’s Constant Craving! [They proceed to sing it]
Hour Speaking of lesbian havens, what was it like playing notorious all-women’s Smith College?
Everyone Lynn signed some boobies! [more laughter] And Jackhammer signed a stomach!
BB And one pair of boobs [Fruity Frankie] signed was… [whispering] fake!
FF Yup, there was some feedback boiiing to it. Uh, yeah, so Smith was a lot of short-shorts and breast baring!
Hour But that seems like it’d be the exception to touring in the States. It’s such a weird time to be gay in America. On the one hand, you have same-sex marriage dividing the country, but on the other, there are tons of great queer bands that have emerged.
JJ We’ve been struck by how diverse it is and how there are meccas, like Olympia, these enclaves of cool, fun, progressive-thinking people doing a lot of activism and art. Although there are just as many pockets of extreme right-wing people.
BB It’s unfortunate that the Bush/Iraq thing has painted America as this monolith. Everywhere we went, even in the far south, people were opposed to the government. We noticed that tons of people are so envious of us being Canadian – they have this romantic notion of what it is to live here. I mean Canada has a right-wing presence that’s very strong as well! It’s not some idyllic dream world. Sure, we’re lucky to live in Montreal – it’s a very open city. But there are still divides… between the anglo and franco lesbians, or in the Village, between homos and dykes. Still, in the States, creating an openly queer space was something very inspiring for people, and something I think we take for granted. It’s still important, not just in gay clubs and bars, to create spaces for women and queers and flirting and dancing.
Hour You guys have remained fervently bound to a DIY/indie process of making music. Are you ever frustrated by the music industry in Canada?
BB In terms of distribution and promotion, sure. I mean how many times can a lesbian band play Toronto and Montreal? We rely on touring in the U.S. to survive.
Hour Le Tigre are one of the few political, queer-focused bands to move beyond cult indie status and make serious headway in the mainstream. What was it like touring with them?
BB It’s inspiring. They have a tour manager and a bus. We have problems finding a sober lesbian to drive our car!
Hour Are you surprised by your recent MiMi nod?
BB Yes! The music community can be harsh sometimes. It feels like we’ve received an exceptional and surprising amount of support from unlikely channels – we never expected much attention from things like the MiMis or our DJ friends. We are surprised and very happy that those avenues have stepped up to support us as well.
Lesbians On Ecstasy
Play at the MiMi Awards Gala at La Tulipe (4530 Papineau), March 13
DJ Lynne T.
At Wunderbar at W Hotel (901 Square Victoria), March 20
With Bernie and DJ Headmaster at CO-ED at Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent), March 14
At Femme Fridays at Parking Pub (1296 Amherst), March 18
18 comments
My question here would be is the Image or the fact they are Lesbian making the music a success or is it the other way around is the music success making these lesbians have a good image. I would really like to see music groups sell the music without the sexual identy labels or the costumes. Other than that I would like to see what they sound like , I may just do that. I have seen so many groups focus so much on the image when the music was really not that good. The most important thing a group must have is good music other than that you can stand bare naked or be a it who cares.
Lesbians on Ecstasy have just about the most creative in your face monicker since E.M.F. – and like those erstwhile boys of yesteryear, these dykes sure know to party. Sure they may be delightfully over the top – the antithesis, if you will, to The Arcade Fire`s grandiose soundscapes which while engaging to most, may well alienate others. L.O.E., however, are all-inclusive – gay, straight, and everything in between and their music grooves hard – hell, I defy anyone not to shake their booty to their infectious tunes.
I haven’t heard of this band before but I do think it is great that they are getting some exposure. I have a slight problem with labels about one’s sexual orientation because sometimes it seems that this is the only thing that people are paying attention to, rather than the quality of their music itself. On the other hand, labels can also help identify who you are and if that gives you the edge in the music businesss, go for it. Anything helps since the music business is extremely competitive.
The Canadian Lesbians On Ecstasy use a mix of originals, covers and tracks “inspired by.the lesbo back catalogue” (Tracy Chapman, etc.) that they have change into kind of poppy, high-energy club music..This is a great idea, when it works. Such as on “Tell Me Does She Love The Bass,” which takes the Melissa Etheridge song “Like The Way I Do” and turns it into a thumping electronic house rave track. And the best original, “Manipulation,” sounds like a new romantic girl’s therapy session. Some better production would help in places, too — the drum machine shouldn’t sound quite so clapped-out. LOE are trying to bring the point of view of their sisterhood to what is traditionally a gay men’s genre. There’s enough here to justify investigation, especially by techno dance fans looking for something other than Peter Rauhofer and Kylie.
I don’t know about these guys. A friend of mine tells me they’re the bomb but from a small tune that I heard they’re not that bad. Not my kind of funk but sounded solid enough.
Take away the dyke attire and the lesbian promotion and what do you have…..girls….plain and simple. Why the need for the lesbian intent sprawled so wide for all the world to know….is this how they get the attention of the crowd?…are they really good singers or on a mission. Enough already…Are bands coming out with labels now…lesbian act….dysfuntional group….std enhanced…..come on….this is not a group…it is a matter of political awareness….oops did I say political.
I am really tired of all the enhancement on gay/lesbian this and that…..ok so your gay…so what…I’m straight and is that a big deal?
Play as a group….let the people hear you for your talent not the way you swing… I have no more to say!!
ummmmmmmmmmmm……..never heard of these lesbians before in my life. is their any bouncing and sliding beats or are they any good or what. is this on muchmusic or musiqueplus hahahaaa…well i have nothing wrong with same sexes….for one thing if they make music together thats totally cool but whats this ecstacy crap is that what inspires their music e…..is very dirty………….vvvvveeeeeeeryyyyyyyyyyyy ddddddiirrrrrtyyyyyyyyyyy…ever heard of a bad hit..one bad hit and your dead bet you diddnt know that go ahead take another (((hit))) pop ohhhhhh wowwww lets make out oh my gosh… how about we make some funky lezbian techno. wow this sounds good lets be the lesbians on ecstacy. and so they were. to my thoughts i wonder how many people bought this cd or do they have more oh noooooo haha well i never heard of it so i really have no say. maybe one day at the bar or club at closing time they will play some lezbian tunes then maybe the club will like it whoooooo knowzzzzzzzzzzz but i would like to find out “somehow” i think if they got big with this maybe i should quit my bagel job…good idea julia..so wheres the lezbian shows at do they do stuff on stage are they on e all the time whats the deal with these boyish looking lezbians..i think i will get someone or even try myself to burn the cd then play it at one of my parties when were all chilling out then hey man whats this muzikkkkkkkkkkkk………..its the lezbians on ecstacy……………..maybe i will help them get famous and maybe i might even get inspired by their music and try something out myself haha im kidding……i guess if i want competition with them i will be named the julia konikd sexsi lova and it will have heavy electric with with my powerfull pipes, hard to the core drums and tweeked out effects how does that sound……..screw making bagels lets get this band made whos in with me….whoooooo wants competition against the lezbians on ecstacy meeeeeeeeeeee lets do it..i still wanna hear them.
Has it come to this? All-girl bands are so desperate for attention that they resort to nomenclature that is bound to raise an eyebrow, and hopefully sell a few more albums?
Call me a cynic, but how much of this article/interview is actually about music? Perhaps they should spend a little more time pushing the music and a little less pushing the lesbian. Because the only ecstasy I have is when I hit the ‘off’ switch…
I really try to understand why gay people ask straight people to consider them
as normal when they do all to show us they are differents? This is what this
group does. Calling itself Lesbian on ecstasy and singing about self situation
is a way to show to straights and sober people how different they are, making
their revendication of “normality” and “tolerance” even more difficult. It is
sad to see that in our society of “over-freedom”, they need such provocative
name to make the promotion of drugs. I wonder how would be popular a group called
Straights and sobers…
i cant believe how fucking sexy and sexually satisfying L.O.E. are…i always thought there wasnt a straight bone in my body but when L.O.E. all bones are straight…and pointing!
They’ve been on my CD player constantly since kindly coming down to St. Catharines (Ontario) and playing a gig here last September. Get over the high-mindedness about the name…they’re having fun…and you will, too, if you give them a listen. And, as great as their album is (my fave from 2004), they’re EVEN BETTER live. Dig in!
I’m not nearly so hard up for musical entertainment that the magical insertion of the word lesbian in a band name is going to make me lose my head. If you’re good then I’ll listen to you, if you’re not then I’ll gladly ignore you on your path to oblivion. I’ve listened to a few cuts from this band and there’s just nothing here worth writing home about. Sure, I guess it ain’t bad but that’s hardly a a selling point, is it? I’m sure they have their fans but I ain’t one of them.
so you’ve got a problem with this group’s name?
a) it’s probably nothing but a silly reference or even tribute to COS (chicks on speed) and b) it’s a pretty accurate description of what they are – a bunch of raving homosexuals that is! :D
and don’t tell me you’re actually still surprised that gay people make a big deal out of being gay. that is ridiculous. if for some reason i could turn you weirdos into queers for a while you’d understand pretty damn soon. and it wouldnt just be fun and rainbow parades i can tell you that much.
I think your reading way too far into the name of the band. And we don’t try to show you that we’re not different. We are. And we know that. We’re not trying to be just like YOU. We’re just trying to be treated like human beings. . . .so tis a big fuck you!!!!!!
I heard the song Parachute Clubbing on CFCR in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and I new then that this was a great album. I looked around the record stores in Saskatoon, and couldn’t find it. I ordered it out of the U.S.
After liestening to all the tracks 4 times in a row I can say that this is a fantastic CD and I can’t wait untill the next one comes out.
The bands name is great and I see no reason what difference this makes as the music is what they are about.
I want to tell the the girls in the band to keep making CD’s and tour down west as I would differently come out to see you play.
Check it out, LOE in live session at http://www.liveroom.tv. Watch a brilliant 20 minute live set recorded at the Liveroom studios in London, England. This site is sooo cool with some great new bands, including crazy fellow Canadians Kids on tv.
i was really bored one day in class and i was just looking up music and i found this band.. now all of my friends listen to them.. they rock exspecially if u are gettin ready to go hit the gay club and need some music to listen to…
I’ve been checking out music for most of my life, and at 60 that’s a lot of years. A lot of bands are pretty good and don’t do much different. A lot of bands are different, but aren’t really good.
Then there are those bands that are different and good. LoE is (so far) one of those.
I think the people complaining about them being in-your-face about their gayness are forgetting one of the basic tenets of rock and roll: it’s always been about in-your-face. If you were lucky enough to see Freddy Mercury and Queen doing ‘God save the Queen’, you saw in-your-face R&R. John Lennon doing Revolution is about as in-your-face as you can get.
I hope the band can make it to the Albany NY area scene. I’d love to see them in person (tho’ the wife would likely stay home. She prefers dark ambient female singers like Collide, who’ve performed one time ever last I heard.
Anyway, keep rocking and don’t let anyone tell you that you’ve gone too far.