TALK: The Raveonettes

By Jim Shearer on 06/02/2008

The Danish throwback rock duo, the Raveonettes are currently touring in support of their latest release, Lust Lust Lust. Sharin Foo recently announced that she had to drop off the tour because she is pregnant. Filling in for Foo is Foo's sister, Louise Foo. For anyone planning on catching a Raveonettes show anytime soon, rest assured that you will not have a Foo-less experience. Not too long ago, I caught up with, Sune Rose Wagner, the mastermind of the group as he took us through the Raveonettes' long-distance method of recording an album:

(left: Sune Rose Wagner)

Jim: I wanted to ask about your songwriting process, I heard that you had written over a hundred songs for Lust, Lust, Lust. How do you whittle that down into an album's worth of songs?

Sune: Um, usually there will be one song that sticks out. I like it and will sort of build an album around that song.

Jim: Do you ever go back to your old rubbish and say, "Oh, wait a second that that might be good for a future song"?

Sune: Oh yeah, all the time. We can choose and pick. Some of them are meant more for the Raveonettes and some of them don't really sound like Raveonettes songs, so we don't use them. But they are all really nice songs.

Jim: Do you live in New York City now?

Sune: Yeah I live in New York.

Jim: Is Sharin out west?

Sune: Yes, she lives in Los Angeles.

Jim: So how does that work?

Sune: I write all the songs so that's not really a problem.

Jim: So when does Sharin come into the Raveonettes process?

Sune: I send her some music files when I'm done with a song and see if she likes it.

Jim: When does she finally come out east and sit down with you?

Sune: She does her vocals from home and I do everything in New York. We'll get together and mix the album.

Jim: So you record the album without ever seeing each other?

Sune: Yes.

Jim: Do you find that odd at all?

Sune: No, because that is the way we've always done it.

Jim: And just with the whole stylistic approach with your album artwork and your videos, you guys seem very into the 1950's. Is there anything that interests you in the 21st century? Any new bands you guys like? Are you into ipods and gadgets like that?

Sune: I mean I like a lot of electronic music and I have a computer, an ipod, and all of that--I'm not particularly a retro guy, I'm happy where I am, you know?

Jim: Do a lot of people misunderstand you as a retro guy?

Sune: In the beginning maybe a little bit, but not so much anymore.