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On March 13, Tahiti 80 will be playing Metro Manila. This will be their second time in the city and as luck will have it, the French band will be playing Metro Manila the same date as nurockers Incubus. “Some people say [Brandon Boyd] and I bare some resemblance,” Xavier Boyer, the lead vocalist of Tahiti 80 says over email. “But that’s about it. It’s not my scene. At all.”
And it’s true. Where Incubus has a thicker sound and invites general head banging, Tahiti 80 is mellower, groovier, and absolutely fun to dance to — a real treat for those over and done with the turn-of-the-millennium angst.
While Tahiti 80 may not be as mainstream as that other band, playing a second gig in Metro Manila should prompt you that they’re a band you should, at the very least, get acquainted with. Read more from our honest and rather revealing interview with Xavier below!
What made you start the band? Were you in another band before Tahiti 80?
I met Pedro Resende while auditioning for another band. We thought we would make better music together than with the other guys! Before that we had only been in one high school band, I guess. We started young, around 18 years old.
What were you listening to then?
I was listening to a lot of UK indie (The Stone Roses, Teenage Fanclub), power pop (The Posies), and classic bands (The Clash, Big Star) and obviously some ’60s pop.
Who are the top 3 artists that influenced Tahiti 80?
The Clash for their openmindedness, Marvin Gaye for his spirituality or soul, & the four guys from Liverpool for the rest.
Is there a band or an artist that has influenced Tahiti 80 that will really surprise people upon learning of its influence?
I was a big fan of A-ha. They had pretty complicated melodies, structures and arrangements. I guess it comes across sometimes in our music.
You’re in Manila the same time as Incubus — what do you think of their music, if you even think of it at all?
Some people say that their singer and I bare some kind of ressemblance. I guess that’s it. Not my scene. at all.
On your soundcloud account, it’s written that you have “much material to write about — love gone wrong tends to do that.” What happened? Whose heart is broken? We hope that member is fine now, yes?
Someone who reads our posts! I write 90% of the lyrics, so I guess it’s about me, falling in and out of love, though it could have applied to other guys in the band. A long-term relationship ending is tough, for both parties. The only good point is that you get a lot of material for songs.
Is it the same person who inspired the “I became good at lying” line on T.D.K.?
I’m the one who became good at lying, but as a singer, songwriter you have to be an expert at lying. In the last 4 years, I have improved a lot.
How long did you work on Ballroom? Did you do anything different in terms of recording or songwriting process?
It was a very long session. At some point I was working on a solo album, and the T80 project at the same time. The sessions ended merging, somehow. It was tough because of the material. It was very personal and plus, we needed to change our work methods. It was hard to find the right direction, especially after 5 albums, but once we got it, it was much easier. Ballroom is focused, it’s dense, catchy and weird at times.
Do you have a personal favorite song in the new album? What is that and can we expect that you’ll play that in your Manila gig?
My fave is ‘The God Of The Horizon.’ It means a lot to me. I also love how far we went with that song — the structure, the time signature etc. We should definitely perform it [there].
Speaking of Manila, you’ve been here in 2011 — what was your first impression of our dear ol’ city?
My memories are kind of blurry. We stayed something like one day over there, so I would love to [see] more. I thought the people were very cool and friendly.
What surprised you the most about Manila?
I’m always surprised when we travel that far, that we get to meet with people who genuinely love our music. It’s amazing, makes me extremely happy.
What’s the biggest lie you’ve been told about Manila?
Dwarf fight?! Is it true? Would love to go the beach next time though.
What do you think sets Manila apart from the other cities you’ve visited?
Ask me this question again after our 2nd trip.
What are you expectations this time around?
Do a memorable gig, and some more sight seeing, though we’ll leave the next day to Jakarta. [We want to] go record hunting, and find some 7-inch local pressing of Zombies’ singles?
Are you looking to repeat a certain experience from the last time you were here —maybe have another round of sisig? Or have another go at San Miguel?
Definitely a some nice after-show party. I would love to eat some great vegetarian food with a some cool Filipino beer!
Photo: Fred Margueron courtesy of Toti Dalmacion
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