Midterms are in the air, as you may have sensed from Nobodaddy's stress-inspired story last Wednesday (TMT News). Frankly, if I have to struggle with information I have learned and barely retained, then I think you should too. Thus, Tiny Mix Tapes is proud to inflict upon you: The Ladytron Challenge!!!!!
This test will be multiple choice with each question worth 666 points, so please do the best you can. Your reputation as reader with a strong repertoire of musical knowledge depends on it. Furthermore, Tiny Mix Tapes staff, myself included, shall personally shame each individual who scores poorly.
Properly motivated? Let's go!
1. Who is Ladytron?
a. Helen Marnie
b. Mira Aroyo
c. Daniel Hunt
d. Reuben Wu
e. All of the above, and don't you forget it.
Answer: E -- That's correct, vintage analogue electro-pop sensation, Ladytron (shit that was a lot of adjectives), has been harnessing the power and talent of Helen Marnie, Mira Aroyo, Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu since they formed the group in 1999. An anonymous and overly informed asshole on Wikipedia notes that, "When playing live, Ladytron uses vintage synthesizers/keyboards, including a Korg MS-10 (played by Wu), an MS-20 (Aroyo), Roland SH-2 (Hunt), as well as four MS-2000Bs." And you know what that means? It means Ladytron doesn't fuck around.
2. Ladytron has how many studio releases?
a. Several hundred
b. Just 100
c. 3
d. None -- they're currently working on their self-titled debut
Answer: C -- Three albums currently exist by the Ladytron-tastic
five-some. Debuting with 604 in 2001, their Light & Magic release
kicked clubs' asses worldwide with pedophilic anthem "Seventeen,"
whose popularity was only superseded by the single "Destroy Everything
You Touch" off their 2005 album, Witching Hour. Ladytron is currently
harnessing their collective sexiness into a new mind-blowing album
(title pending), set to be released to many electro-pop heads'
delight in May 2008.
3. Which label has Ladytron signed to?
a. Emperor Norton Records
b. Ed Banger Records
c. Nettwerk Music Group
d. XL Recordings
Answer: C -- Ladytron has joined the Nettwerk Music Group family alongside acts such as Datarock and Felix da Housecat, two acts who I've never fully appreciated. (Extra Credit will be rewarded to those who agree that the Datarock self-titled debut was nowhere near as ass-kicking as many have touted it to be.)
4. What sort of sheisty shit is Ladytron up to these days?
a. Dancing
b. Gigging
c. Being sexy
d. Engaging in rock-star workaholic-ism
e. All of the above
Answer: E -- Always sexy, dancing, touring, and working, Ladytron has been making appearances worldwide in support of their Witching Hour material for nearly two years now, both headlining and as support for acts such as Nine Inch Nails and The Chemical Brothers. Ever the multi-taskers, Ladytron continued to develop new material while on the road and are now in the studio with co-producer Vicarious Bliss of Ed Banger records to nail down the new release. "We came straight from our final shows in the US to the studio in Paris to complete what we have been working on for the last year or so," said band member Daniel Hunt in a Nettwerk press release. "The sessions are exciting, and we can't wait to get the new tracks out there."
A full North American tour is being slated for late spring of 2008.