The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes

The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes
Cherry Tree: 10/2/2007

Imagine a parallel universe in which the influences of The Supremes and The Stooges spawned a proto-punk/Motown hybrid genre. The notion isn't that far-fetched. The two groups' dynasties in southeasten Michigan overlapped from the late 60s to mid 70s. Geographic and temporal proximity have given birth to new musical forms throughout history, and these are often stranger than the scenario I've described. Even John Cage and Woody Guthrie were friends and exchanged musical ideas, so why not The Supremes and The Stooges?

The Pipettes are precisely what I imagine coming out of such a syncretic interaction. They have revived the mid 60s girl-group paradigm which, in contrast to the Spice Girls model, emphasized solid songwriting as well as production. Today's girl groups like Pussycat Dolls can pose and vamp until they turn blue, but they just don't make you believe it like The Pipettes do. The Pipettes seem completely at ease with their sexual appetites and don't need to beat you over the head with it. Their songs are much edgier and more frank about sexual topics than their frothier counterparts. Genuine female sexual aggression is still taboo in Western society, but The Pipettes carry it off with an "I don't give a fuck what you think" attitude. In this sense, The Pipettes strike a sensible medium between the subdued euphemistic sexuality of The Supremes and the deliberately confrontational exhibitionism of The Stooges. As someone who loves both, it's great to hear such a well-executed fusion.