Lollapalooza 2008: Chicago, Ill: Grant Park: Saturday August 2nd: Day 2 - 12:45-1:30pm The Ting Tings @ the AT&T Stage.

If you live in Los Angeles then chances are you listen to Indie 103.1 or KROQ 106.7. They are the main 2 “Modern Rock Alternative” stations and where you will most likely hear Salford, England’s 2-Piece party dynamo The Ting Tings. If you listen to either station then you might even be sick of said band considering they play at least 1 of their 3 singles at least 1 to 3 times an hour. And as far as I remember Indie 103.1 was spinning “That’s Not My Name” since sometime last fall (’Feel My Heat’ or ‘Big Sonic Heaven’ most likely?). Say you don’t live in L.A…poor thing, you probably got your first taste of The Ting Tings with “Shut Up and Let Me Go” from their iPod+iTunes ad. The Ting Tings album “We Started Nothing” is good. Too Good. Its catchier than Hepititis at a Motley Crue show. Without giving you a full review I’d say the album for its sheer ass shaking power easily scores a 7.5/10.

Here is a recent AvantTrash interview with The Ting Tings’ firecracker Katie White (Guitar, Vox, Bass Drum…Cowbell) and beat master Jules De Martino (the drums, the drums, the drums…):

AvantTrash: That’s not your name? What is your name then?

The Ting Tings: Katie White & Jules de Martino

AT: I’m really bad with names. So you wouldn’t answer to darlin’?

TT: Captain darlin maybe! But just darlin’ …erm no!

AT: I’m sure you’ve met a lot of people lately, how do you remember peoples names?

TT: We don’t really. We become very animated when meeting faces we recognize but names we’ve forgotten. Lots of pats on backs and leans on shoulders seem to do the trick.

AT: Summer festivals, when is the best spot? Early and get it over with or later to a bigger, more pumped up crowd? Whats the biggest crowd you’ve played to so far?

TT: Glasto[nbury festival] spilled out to around 13-14k, T-in the park was about the same. I reckon there’s no time like the headline spot on the pyramid. That’s king. The rest are all brilliant princes and princesses.

AT: It seems that a lot of music is coming from across the pond. What is the musical climate in England right now? What would you say set all of this off?

TT: There’s a lot of real pop emerging! Home made pop not the glossed up manufactured stuff of the 90’s. Technology has set off a bunch of new musicians capable of creating big sounds with few people. That’s how we do it. We once saw one guy start a set with acoustic guitar but within 2 minutes it sounded like 6 Nirvana’s playing all with the aid of loop stations and pedals. Unfortunately in this particular case the artist sounded like 6 Nirvana’s playing different tunes at one time but it can work.

AT: You are a band of two. How do you support the sound of a full band live?

TT: Live looping, fx on K’s guitars, lots of energy on the kit and screaming melodies.

AT: What is your songwriting process like?

TT: There are no rules to our song writing. Either one of us will lead the way, on keys, guitar even drums. A rhythm can set of a tune for us. We like to be enthusiastic and keen with any route to a good tune. We often only gave a new idea only 2 hours before either scrapping it or keeping it. If it didn’t feel like a hit in 2 hours it was erased from disc.

AT: Jules: You play the drums live, Why do you prefer them to guitar or anything else you could be behind?

TT: Drums are the most rewarding of all instruments. You can orchestrate from behind them, watch and control the audiences energy, let out the frustration and most importantly hide behind them.

AT: You’re songs are catchier than Bird Flu, how do you come up with your “hooks”?

TT: We’ll Katie has had two encounters with bird forms. A seagull shat in her eye when she was a toddler. Looking up at the sky it landed one right inside and needed emergency cleaning. Then just before forming this band she arranged the removal of tons of pigeon shit from a disused factory loft. So maybe the birds are responsible for the hooks.

AT: Besides spinning a hot Ting Tings remix, what makes a “Great DJ” anymore?

TT: A person that spins great records of course. They don’t have to be anything else but catchy rhythmic songs that make you feel part of the gig. If you’re feeling isolated you’re either in the wrong place or listening to the wrong dj.

AT: Everyone in music anymore seems to have a line of clothes, i’ve heard you make your own stage costumes, do you lust for the life of a fashion designer?

TT: No. I don’t think my clothes would survive a week. They look great but fall apart as I’m not the hottest seemstress.

AT: Well here’s to hoping for a wardrobe malfuntion!

The Ting Tings play August 6th @ the El Rey in Los Angeles and this Saturday afternoon at Lollapalooza and AliUptown and I will see you there!