“If you're reading this, BUY ME A BEER”

Tropics is made up of two barely-legal noisemakers, Simone and Twig. Banging and wailing together for several years resulted in an angry, gritty new-wave sound and some excellent photobooth pictures. Allana Mayer did her best to patronize and debase them, but didn't particularly succeed.

So, how'd you two meet and decide to make beautiful music together?

Simone: We met in junior high school, and we started a really funny metal band. It was just kinda meant to be. We were just thinking the same thought on the same day to start a band. It was kind of strange. We’ve played on and off ever since.

Slim Twig: As for making beautiful music, we try hard to almost not have it be beautiful. We want it to be loud and punishing (live), but also maintain a really catchy edge. Many of the lyrics are pretty unsettling.

For those too lazy to visit your Myspace, I'll reiterate that you cite The Wire, Refused, and Black Dice as your "Sounds Like." Any other influences you'd like to name-drop, to impress the readers?

Simone: We’re not really inspired directly by other bands. Sonic Youth, I guess. Pretty much just each other's parts -- that's where the sound comes from, playing off each other...

Twig: We're much more interested in blowing people away with our songs rather than our record collections (which, by the way, are both impeccable). Those are more bands we really bond over, rather than ones we aspire to “sound like.” I think our intention when writing is to try and make our shit as original as possible, both in the structure and in the sound.

Do you really only have two songs (as your Myspace shows) or are you just too lazy to record the rest? (And who plays the organ on "I Used to SingSingSing"? Is it Siena from the Huckleberry Friends?)

Twig: Expect Wavelength's first two song set...

Simone: Yeah, our lack of recorded material is partially due to insufficient funds, and also because we enjoy a little bit of secrecy. Slim plays all the organ parts on record, though Siena is quite good too!

Twig: Yeah, I also kind of like how different we are recorded [compared] to playing live. We're much more chaotic and loud than those songs give us credit for, which is great. I want people to listen to our stuff and think, yeah this is nice catchy stuff -- then come out to see us and be caught off guard by the intensity of the songs...

Did you sneak any Twig/Tropics tunes into the Tracey Fragments soundtrack? Cuz you should've. At least tell me you made friends with the Broken Social Scene kids.

Simone: No. No. No.

I read in an interview with Huckleberry Friends that you all went to a performing arts high school together. What was that like?

Twig: Simone went to a different school than us, but yeah we all went to art schools. It was okay, I don't feel that it's had an influence on my music whatsoever. My family life has had way more of an impression on me as far my attitude towards art-making.

Simone: School was great. I had access to resources I wouldn't normally have been able to use and it was really great being around an artistic environment where everyone was focused on the arts as opposed to regular high school bullshit.

What rambunctious underage shenanigans should we expect from your Wavelength performance? (You guys are underage, right?)

Simone: None; we're not underage.

Twig: Expect feedback instead.

Well, if you were underage what non-alcoholic beverages would your adoring fans buy each of you in lieu of booze?

Simone: Generally I only accept alcoholic beverages. I've met quite a few people after shows who have been kind enough to buy me a drink, though I wouldn't say no to a Shirley Temple.

Twig: Yeah, it's pretty weird. Without fail someone will buy Simone a drink of her choosing. Sometimes they'll ask me what she likes to drink -- what the fuck?! I've never been [given] a drink, and it leaves me feeling completely inadequate. If you're reading this, BUY ME A BEER! I'll drink 50 or stock ale, I don't give a shit. Stop with Moet, she doesn't need it!

By Alana Mayer