From the Archives - Stereo Total Interview

"Underground pop - punk music, French chanson, 80s German electronic music and disco music sung in French, German, English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Turkish," was how Françoise Cactus described the sound of her band when I interviewed her in 2005. Stereo Total played in Whelan's Dublin on 23 April 2005 as part of the Berlin Anticonformiste Festival with Jeans Team and Cobra Killer. This has to be one of the best gigs I've ever attended in the city. An amazing night and three amazing bands. I spoke to Françoise earlier in the day about Stereo Total's then latest album Do the Bambi. The band had previously played Dublin supporting The Strokes in the Olympia and had received a great reaction but were really looking forward to this their own headlining show. Françoise chatted about moving to Berlin in the 80s and forming a garage band Les Loitas. She also recalled that a Dubliner called Valerie McClean was the original bass player with Les Lolitas.