Tiger Tape interview!

Tiger Tape used to be called Moofish Catfish. I must say I love their old name, but as long as they keep making music, they can use whatever name they want. Tiger Tape's first album, I Woke Up In Hökarängen, is a strong contender for my album of the year...more on that when it's time for that inevitable 'albums of the year' post.

I sent the band a message a while back asking if they wanted to answer some questions, and last night they got back to me. As usual, nothing apart from spelling mistakes have been edited.



So, first. Who's answering the questions? Who are Tiger Tape? Who does what and what do you all do when you're not playing music?
It´s me, Agnes, who is answering the questions, but I would defenetly say that Tiger Tape is all four of us. Tiger Tape is kind of what happens when we meet. The band started on my initiative and I am the one writing the songs but still, they wouldn't be Tiger Tape-songs if all four of us wasn't arranging and playing them together. Wågis is, first of all, a genius and the one holding the songs together with the drumming. She is also a chef. Emilia is a note-fascist in contradiction to everyone else and she is also the shortest person in the band and she is studying to be a teacher. Kristina is bass ace and she can speak English really well, during daytime she takes care of kids. And me, ehm, I see myself as the “manager” of the band because I have to do all the dull stuff, like answering mails (not like this one because this is fun!) I´m no instrumental genious but I belive I know how to write a good song and that's better. When I don´t play music I hang out on Facebook.

I absolutely adore Moofish Catfish, both the name and the music. Why did you feel the need to change band name? How/why did you decide on Tiger Tape?
Moofish Catfish wasn't meant to last forever. I can't really say why but we had to kill it. I think the main reason for the change of band name was my need to put things behind me. We had to move on and it was the easiest way to do that without quitting playing together. Tiger Tape (like Moofish Catfish) doesn't mean anything and I already forgot why I chose it, but I like it! .

Moofish Catfish playing at The Buffalo Bar at some point last year

On the record and on your badges there's a full stop after the band name, but on myspace and last.fm and things there's none. What's the deal with the full stop? Is 'Tiger Tape.' or 'Tiger Tape' the correct way of writing the name?
Haha, Thats a good question. We have chosen to write Tiger Tape. with a full stop only when we use the “logotype” because it looks good. But when we just write it down we don't use the full stop because it looks weird. You can actually choose for yourself.


How would you describe the music of Tiger Tape? Is there a difference and if so, what is the main difference between Tiger Tape and Moofish? Do you still play Moofish songs live?
I would describe the music of both Tiger Tape and Moofish Catfish as something straight from the heart. We don't talk that much about what sound we want to create, it just happens because it´s the sound of the feeling that I want to express. Kind of desperate in a way and more feeling than perfection.

There is a difference between MC and TT but the difference is not really there because of the change of band name but more because now we have played together for a long time wich results in a certain evolvement. I think the diffrence between “On a sunbeam to your heart” and “Yours to share” is just as big, to be honest. Our next album will probably also be kind of different from our last. There's no point in doing the same thing over and over again, I think.

We do play MC-songs live, yes.

How do you make the songs? Is it a collaborative effort or is there a main songwriter?
I write all the songs. That was the deal from the beginning and it also happens naturally that way. Usually I sit on my bed at home and composing a sad (or happy) little song and at the next band rehersal I play it to the others. They don't look excited, but they are. And then we start to build something from there all together. I don't tell the others what to play. Everyone use their instruments how they like as long as it sounds good.

What are the pros/cons of being an all-girl indie band? Do you feel people treat you differently because you're all girls?
I play in another band as well were we are to guys and two girls and I have to say that it's not really a difference at all. At least not if you're at the level that we are (the small Indieband level). And I have no experience from being in a all-boy indie band so I can't compare. But maybe they have more girls wanting to make out with them after the shows. We only have a few.

Some random questions...any local bands you think I should be aware of?
At first I was like: this is easy and then I realised I don´t really listen to local bands so I will Hijack your question and change it to: Top five bands ever (this week)?

Comet Gain
Rough Bunnies
Pavement
Best Coast
Broder Daniel

What was the first concert you ever went to?
I don't really have a memory of my first concert experience. I think it might have been some local band in Lindesberg were I grew up.

What was the last concert you went to (not as a friend or as part of the bill)?
Haha, actually nowadays it feels like I ONLY go to concerts were I play myself or were some friend is playing. Im so boring. It might have been Adam Green or the Pastels. I wanted to go see Best Coast but something upheld me. Recently a friend of mine has become obssesed with black metal so maybe I'll join her some day to see insane people pouring blood all over the stage. But first I´m gonna see Television Personalities next saturday. I look forward to it even though I was dissapointed the last time I saw them live.

The new record has a Swedish song on it, Skanstull. Any particular reason you decided to do this song in Swedish? Any plans to do more songs in Swedish or was this a one-off?Actually, Skanstull was at first meant to be played in another band wich I play with. But then I changed my mind and made it a Tiger Tape-song but I didn't rewrite the lyrics because I really liked it and I thought, why not have a song in Swedish? And I still think, why not? I really like writing in Swedish so if I was to predict the future I would predict that more songs will be in Swedish.

Sweden is seen by some as a sort of spiritual home of indiepop and there's been a lot of Swedish indiepop band coming and going over the past years. Why do you think makes Sweden such a good breeding ground for pop music? How do you feel about it? Is Sweden a good place for making the kind of music you're making?
I usually don't pretend to know much about this because I don't. But I guess it could depend on the weather. Most part of the year it so horrible and cold that all you want to do is to sit in a basement playing music. Also Sweden is a relativly wealthy country wich means that there are a lot of spoiled kids out there whose parents could afford to buy them instruments when they were kids. I could also blame the “Public School of Music” (kommunala musikskolan) wich encourage a lot of kids to start playing an instrument at a young age. And I guess that the indiepop genre suits the swedish mentality in a quite good way. I don't think I can answer the question in a better way. It's so many things collaborating when a certain culture is created. I guess Sweden has the right ingredients to make an interesting music scene which seem to be appreciated in other places as well.

I think Sweden is an ok place for our kind of music. I think some people have a hard time categorising us and they get confused. But I guess that happens everywhere. We even have trouble with that ourselves.


What are your thoughts on "illegal downloading" of music? One of the Moofish albums was available for free download and was even called 'Yours To Share' so I expect you're not viciously opposed to it?
We are not opposed to it, no. I think that buying an album can be a really nice way to support an artist or band that you like. But I also think that music should be available for everyone to listen to even if you can't afford to buy it. Making “Yours To Share” available for free was a way for us to make people listen to it, it wasn't really a statement even though I don't mind if people think so. Our last album is not available for free download but if people share it anyway “illegally” I would only be happy because it means they like it. We don't play music to make money obviously, but if people want to support us by by buying cd's or bags or even pins it means a lot to us.

What does the future hold for Tiger Tape? Any major plans?
We always have, yes. We are in the process of making new material right now and we are really excited about it. So Tiger Tape will keep playing and we hope to release something within a year or so and we also hope that we will do a bit of touring in both the UK and other parts of Europe in a future not to far away.


Big thanks to Agnes for answering my questions!

Tiger Tape on myspace

Tiger Tape on bandcamp