Reykjavík Grapevine - 21.10.2005, Side 6

By Paul F Nikolov
PHoTo: JEREMy GolDBERG
>>> Danish dance pop duo Junior
Senior took Icelandic radio by
storm in 2003 with their hit
single Move Your Feet. The
single’s accompanying video, a
hyperactive animation montage
that looked like it was composed
by the Atari team in 1981, helped
secure their name as a breath of
fresh air in a region of the world
not known for its dance pop
acts. After two years of touring
and recording, Junior Senior
are finally coming to Iceland.
The Grapevine spoke to Junior
from his home in the UK to
see what they had in store for
Airwaves. <<<
In lISTEnIng To D-D-Don’T
STop ThE bEAT, I coUlD hAvE
Sworn I hEArD SoME EArly
MIchAEl JAcKSon In ThErE.
AM I IMAgInIng ThIS?
Junior: no, you’re not imagining
it (laughs). we love Michael
Jackson. off the wall (one of
Jackson’s earliest records) is
definitely his most celebrated
period, so we took a few hints
from there. I’m more a fan of
the Jackson 5 myself, a big fan.
he might be a little bit scary
now, but he’s definitely a great
composer.
copenhagen. we’d been in a
bubble, in our own little world,
isolated. There wasn’t anything
being played out there that we
liked, so we started writing the
music that we wanted to hear. we
were certainly surprised by how
well that worked.
whAT MADE yoU DEcIDE To
plAy AIrwAvES?
Junior: we’ve always wanted
to play Iceland and it’s a cool
festival. Iceland has such a big
music scene and we want to see
how it is. we’ve heard it’s one of
the more interesting places to
play.
yoUr lIvE AcT IS Known for
bEIng prETTy ExploSIvE,
bUT In TAlKIng To yoU, yoU
Don’T ExAcTly SEEM lIKE ThE
“ExploSIvE” TypE.
Junior: yeah, we’re both pretty
shy (laughs). we just go out there
and play. when we’re on stage,
it’s a natural thing. when we’re
performing we feel like we’re in
the right element, so if people
don’t like it, we know they’re
wrong. no, I’m kidding. but if you
see our show you’ll definitely
have a good time.
>>> Junior Senior played NASA
on Thursday, oct. 20. <<<
So whAT hAvE yoU bEEn Up
To lATEly?
Junior: Since the album came
out much later in some parts
of the world than others, we’ve
spent more than two years
doing concerts around the world
promoting it. last year I spent
the first six to eight months
writing songs for the new album,
because I can’t write songs on
the road. It’s too hectic.
IS ThE nEw AlbUM TAKIng
Any DEpArTUrES froM ThE
prEvIoUS onE?
Junior: Definitely. we don’t see
a lot of bands doing what we’re
doing. It seems like a lot of “left
field” bands have been doing this
gang of four style of punk. when
everyone’s doing the same thing
it’s really boring. It’s like there’s
no more funk in music anymore.
So we wanted to explore the old
stuff that we like, without doing a
garage version of our influences.
There’ll be more harmonies,
more funk.
I cAn’T SAy I’vE hEArD A
loT of hAppy DAncE MUSIc
or fUnK coMIng oUT of
ScAnDInAvIA.
Junior: That’s true. I think what
we’re doing is unique. we didn’t
really come from any scene in
Music from the Bubble
An Interview with Junior Senior
INTERVIEW
Junior Senior’s new album, Hey Hey My
My Yo Yo, will be available for sale at the
bad Taste music store during Airwaves.
you can visit their website at
{  } Friday October 21 – Issue 1 of 3