Sarai writes:
Dear Tegan,
I've noticed that Sara has been involved in several projects since the
beginning of the year. Does that affect your writing process for the upcoming
album or any other project do you have as a band? Also, do you see the involvement of
Sara in these projects as a way to expand the band to a new audience? As her
sister, how does it make you feel about her?
Thank you very much for taking the time and answer the questions. It means a
lot. I hope you have a wonderful day and take care.
Best of wishes to you and Sara.
Hey Sarai!
Thanks for the question(s). Both Sara and I love working with friends
and experimenting with new music and collaborating with other artists! Neither of us
sees it as a deterrent from making our own music. If anything, I think it inspires
more music and different music from our own band! We've been working non stop over
the last few years and it's nice to take a break and do other things. At this point we're
on schedule to make a new record next year and in the mean time I am happy for
Sara and glad she is keeping busy!
Megan writes:
Hi Tegan!
As someone who's wanted to become a musician from a young age, I've always
wondered how you learned about the business side of the music industry. Did
you know how you were going to manage your band when you first started or was it
something that came with experience?
Love,
Megan
P.S. Your music inspires me unlike anything else. Thank you.
Hey Megan!
Thanks for writing in! When we first started writing, the music business was the last thing
I thought about honestly. Once we had graduated and started taking our music more
seriously it became obvious that we needed to educate ourselves about how things in our industry
worked. I think it was obviously well worth it because after 12 years I still feel very
on top of our business and as a result am able to make the music I love the way I want.
We have a wonderful team of managers now who take care of the day to day stuff
and that makes it easier to worry more about writing and making great music but I still like
to be involved in the big stuff our company and band deal with daily. It's a really interesting
business and as I get older, I realize more and more that my role in our business and management
was more due to my interest in the business itself and less about necessity! My advice to people
getting started in our business is to learn as much as you can! It will come in handy
down the road! Mostly it will be the biggest asset you have to protect your music!
Take care,
Tegan
Emma writes:
Hi Tegan!
I just have a couple questions. In a song that Sara writes, do you write the
harmonies or does the writer write both? Do you ever have trouble establishing
yourself as not part of a pair? The sound on The Con is so extremely different
from the sound of Sainthood. Where do you see your sound going?
Love,
Emma
P.S. I love your music, it's gotten me through a lot and I find new things to
love about it every time I listen to it. Thank you so much.
Hi Emma,
Thank you for writing in! And thank you for being a fan! We appreciate you guys
more than you know! Regarding our "sound"- from record to record it changes
of course - but mainly we feel that it's just us as people changing. As we get
older and more capable and proficient at songwriting and performing, our records
reflect that change. We never intentionally create any particular style or sound - it
all comes out pretty naturally.
Regarding harmonies and co-writing - Sara and I write almost exclusively alone.
We send demos back and forth and make suggestions and often times record our
own ideas on the original demo (this would include harmony ideas) but often times
the background parts have already been recorded by the songwriter (Sara or me)
so it just depends from song to song!
And do we have trouble establishing ourselves as not part of a pair...well..sometimes.
I think there is definitely moments where I feel...coupled with Sara when it isn't
appropriate. We have independent lives on opposite sides of the country as well as
many different interests and passions. But that being said, we are very similar and
very close and so it's inevitable that we get paired. We have chosen to live our lives
together in a sense and share so much and this is because we love each other very
much. Family is paramount to us and so we embrace the partnership most days!
Take care,
Tegan
Cindy writes:
Hi,
I have always wondered what kinda of guitar collection you (and/or Sara) have.
Which one is your favorite? Is there an instrument that you wish you could
play?
I hope you and Sara have a great year with time to rest, reflect and find that
well-deserved medium in life!
Thanks :)
Hey Cindy,
Thanks for the well wishes! Appreciate it!
I don't have a HUGE guitar collection. I have about 10 guitars in total. 4-5 of them
tour with me and the other 4 or 5 stay at home and I use them to demo new songs
and practice at home. The guitars that tour with me get pretty beaten up and battered
so they tend to be a reflection of what is needed and the sounds you hear on record,
where as the guitars at home are more sentimental and smaller and less consumed with
being amplified or sounding good! I am not a guitar collector by any means.
I am a songwriter and use guitars to write. I only have a lot because over the years guitars that break on the
road get fixed and left behind at home. I remember when I got each one and what tour/record I used
them on and so I have a hard time letting them go.
I have a few keyboards at home and a drum kit.
I wish I could play the drums better. I love demoing drums and I love just sitting playing
the kit. I am not very good though! Ha. Although, I don't play the drums for any reason
other than they are very fun to play.
-Tegan
Camille writes:
Hi Tegan!
I'm from Quebec and I was wondering what you think about the election of a
conservative government in Canada? Are you scared of what might happen to the
rights of gays and lesbians and of artists like you and Sara?
I send you a lot of virtual love!
Your biggest fan from Quebec,
Camille
Hi Camille!
Thank you for writing in! Great question. For the most part I am NOT concerned about gay
and lesbian rights in Canada. I think the conservative government for the most party seems
very much supportive of keeping the rights we have in place. It is one of Canada's greatest
achievements in my opinion and in the opinion of millions of people around the world and so
I don't imagine that Stephen Harper or any other conservative will look to destroy that.
If they did, I would of course campaign and work very hard to right that wrong. All people in
Canada are equal. I don't see that changing.
Take care and Merci!