Erase Errata: valiant girls puzzle a feminist

Erase Errata is a band of girls who had two albums issued on the same mid-September day [in Europe]. The new, second long player, ‘At Crystal Palace’ was joined on the shelves by their debut, ‘Other Animals’, that had a very limited distribution upon its original release in 2002. The two discs compliment each other perfectly, with punchy, quirky and invigorating songs.

Erase Errata appear to be driven by an attitude that, one suspects, originates in their anti-biz stance. This is a band that is counter-everything as far as the music industry’s reach: image, sex-appeal, fashion [no division between street and onstage garments], make-up, démodé eyewear, no members’ pictures either on artwork or their website and writing songs that confound any mainstream standards. [Shouldn’t forget that The Fall were a major label band at one time - history Ed.] Oh yeah, the point being made is that gender matters not.

There is a distinct gang-mentality at work here, ‘us vs. them’, and it is all fine in theory [and on paper] but it’s tricky to utilize onstage. The band appears too aloof, distant and reluctant, a thought occurs they could happily do Miles Davis by playing with their backs to the fans. We are not ‘them’, we are in the EE’s corner and that‘s why we find ourselves in a pre-dinner-drinks section of a restaurant near the venue to discuss it all.

Our conversing members are Sara and Bianca; the other girls, bassist Ellie observes singer Jenny presiding the nearby table in a chew on some other topics. Guitarist Sara appears more willing to talk while drummie Bianca is busy rolling up ciggies. She helpfully explains how she doesn’t smoke but simply likes rolling them. And not doing a bad job by the looks of it.

‘At Crystal Palace’ is a surgery for hearing while recalling times when music used to be outrageous, experimental and still have a melody within.

“That’s the idea, that’s our favourite kinda music,” Sara confirms. “It has melodic basis but it ventures into adventurous and experimental mode.”

What is your guiding light?

“The process is diverse and although the songs are generally the same but sort of…” Sara attempts to pinpoint the complexity of the entity they are in a studio. “Generally, there are no pre-conceived ideas, it is only a vague notion how a song should sound. What actually happens is that we play it out and see what happens, what it becomes. It’s happened on this record, it’s been happening every time we write a song.”

Antinomian sisterhood

This suggests freedom of expression and therefore a big surprise to find out that, although the songs sound very spontaneous, they are rehearsed. There appears to be nothing laboured, changes are natural rather than designed for impact. It sounds real, raw, stripped and often - radical.

“That’s our style of playing,” Bianca diverts her attention from paper-licking for a trifle. “That’s our way of doing it, keeping it loose so we can play things differently if we want to or simply improvise at certain points. We don’t even try to play in the same key like the rest, and there is never set bridge or chorus, nothing is set in stone.”

“We truly trust each other’s taste,” Sara informs, “and usually work so well together, we click on so well as a unit, there is no discussion about the process.”

“We have no creative differences, ever,” Bianca confirms.

The results are layers that need to be unwrapped, it is like Christmas on every encounter.

“That’s really nice, thank you very much,” Sara says as both smile.

“That’s very cool but I don’t think it is that good,” Bianca passes a judgement.

What is that missing to make it ‘that good’, then?

“I’d put five reggae songs onto it,” Bianca drops the thought. “Reggae is such an underrated genre and there are a lot of fans around the world…”

“We tried to experiment even further,” Sara interjects, “and have had an album of remixes. It was fun to hear what others [one being Matmos] could bring to our songs and it made us listen to our music differently.”

“It is like our band,” Bianca explains, “but in a more electro-dance version. We all like it a lot.”

Lares and penates

Erase Errata were forged on friendship and locality; Bianca and Jenny were in a band and even lived together in San Francisco; the other (future) members moved in next door, became friends and started the band as a joke, just for fun, “something to do”.

“One afternoon they came over,” Bianca remembers, “and it all happened. When we started a band we didn’t make any plans, we just played for our own satisfaction.”

It appears that some have more satisfaction to find; singer Jenny [Hoyston] released a solo album several months before the band’s second disc, under the Paradise Island tag. ‘Lines Are Infinitely Fine’ is similar in spirit to Erase Errata but more abstract and idiosyncratic. Her site is the one where rare images can be found.

“No, we don’t want any of that,” Bianca replies, “Because we wanted the basic information. Nothing flashy, just simple and minimal. I love looking at it… If we wanted something else, we’d have done it. I suppose we are making a point…”

“We are simply trying to keep it real for ourselves,” Sara adds, “the secret is to keep it good and right for us. We don’t wanna become caricatures of ourselves or setting up ourselves as commodity you are automatically if you are sold in the marketplace. I know we’ve blown our chance!”

It’s never too late but the fact is that refusal of the visual exploitation still an image maketh. How are you perceived on a private, emotional level?

“We all have 15 boyfriends…” Bianca starts…

“… and 13 girlfriends,” Sara finishes.

“We get plenty of action,” Bianca confides.

I wasn’t fishing for such intimate details but perversion is gratified…

“Yeah, we get a lot of privacy, we are not The Strokes,” Bianca proclaims. “Or The White Stripes… Nobody cares about our band.”

You are wrong, girl, so wrong.