Most people’s first encounter with the ultra hip, uber talented band, The Ting Tings can be attributed to Steve Jobs and his brilliant iPod commercials. Their song, Shut Up and Let Me Go, was catchy, fun and piqued everyone’s interest…in more than an MP3 player. Fortunately, that song wasn’t the only trick up The Ting Tings’ sleeve.Their newest album, We Started Nothing, is further proof of this duo’s serious talent. Unable to get those songs out of our heads, COED just had to get the story behind the band. So, we did. The good news: Katie White is just as down to earth and cool as she is talented. And, though we didn’t get to chat with Jules, we are pretty sure the same goes for him.

COED: We Started Nothing is chock full of textured beats, irresistible melodies and witty lyrics- where do the songs come from?
The Ting Tings: We didn’t intend to form in a band so I think it came from a very honest place, because when we wrote these songs we didn’t think anyone would ever hear them. We just wrote them to play for our friends at parties. We were both feeling quite frustrated at the time and very sort of, I don’t know, like, invisible. We had been in a band that hadn’t worked out, we had a bit of a horrible time with it; I think it came from a real frustrated point of view, but they weren’t negative songs; they were just songs to make us feel better.

COED: Could you describe your song writing process?
TT: It’s completely different for every song. Both myself and Jules write everything together. Sometimes it will be that I will come up with something on the guitar and then we’ll come up with an idea on top of that. Or Jules might come up with something on the guitar or drums, or we’ll play keyboards or we’ll just have this little percussive sound. We just turn to sing like guy vocals and then an idea will come out of it. (more…)

What ever happened to the Spirit of ‘77? The knuckle-dragging riffs and snot-nosed yelps of Everyteen With a Dream USA when Punk broke?

It’s always been here, but IT – that undiluted, uncompromising ethos connected to punk – is much harder to follow in the MySpace Generation.

Artists hoping to be crowned The Next Big Thing crop up as often as that phrase gets bestowed on the undeserving.

It’s no small wonder why groups that treat rock like blue-collar work (clock in, clock out) find themselves creatively exhausted by Album #2.

As always in rock, a shtick – a dirty word; let’s say “dealbreaker” instead – is needed to get attention. And what better way to garner attention than through a mother****** of a live show?

Memphis, Tennesee’s Jay Reatard plays Wire-inspired punk rock, no-frills and rough around the edges. Jay Reatard shreds with a flying V guitar. Jay Reatard is rad. (more…)