ATTACK OF THE CLONES: Queer pop duo Tegan and Sara dispel the eerie mysteries of twinship, but say they were born gay
BY DANIEL KUSNER
Identical twins have an innate creepy vibe — like those ghost girls from “The Shining.”
But gay twins are fascinating.
On one end of the spectrum, there’s a big thirst for spitting-image incest. On the other, twins might unlock the mystery for those trying to determine if sexual orientation is genetic.
This week, Canadian sister act Tegan and Sara traipsed across Texas. The 26-year-old Quin twins are promoting their fifth album “The Con,” their catchiest and best disc so far. They sound like they’ve completely ditched the “coffeehouse strumming” sound of years past and opted for straight-up pop laced with a keen, lo-fi edge.
While waiting for a phone call from either Tegan or Sara — who were both in Austin — I watched five of the duo’s videos to see if I could differentiate the sisters. The results were muddy. I think Sara usually gets more screen time, and Tegan seems cast in a supporting role. Some reviewers say Sara’s voice is more strident. But to me, their voices sound exactly the same.
When Tegan finally called, I asked questions either sister could have answered. It’s easy to tell they’ve grown tired of people’s fascination with queer twins.
Before Friday’s gig at House of Blues, y’all will be in Texas for three days. Any special plans? We’ll spend the night in Austin. And then we’ll have a day off in Dallas. We’ll probably just see a movie and have a family dinner together. Since I don’t have to get up early, I’ll just plan on sleeping in that day.
Your “If It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It” DVD included footage of your gig at Gypsy Tea Room. That was the first and only time we played Dallas. The only thing I really remember is that the dressing room was super tiny.
What’s up with the matching haircuts? Our haircuts are similar, but they actually different. All my friends have asymmetrical haircuts: long in the back, weird overhang bangs. But Tegan and I use different stylists. For a long time, I had blonde hair. And when I had a shaved head, Sara had short, spiky hair.
A recent review in Pitchfork said that y’all have transcended the “tampon rock” tag. Curious — have you and Sara always shared the same menstruation cycle? I have no idea.
Do you think you were you born gay? Absolutely.
Ever thought that being lesbian wasn’t biological? Never.
Have you ever seen gay-twin porn? Nope.
What cover songs are you playing on this tour? None. We did “Umbrella” on the last tour. But we have five albums we’re working from and we have a lot of our own material to get through.
Would you ever tackle the real bubblegum pop — like the song form the Doublemint commercial? I don’t know what that is. I don’t have a television.
Do you and Sara have an intrinsic “twin dynamic” or a secret language? We’re pretty intuitive. Since we’ve known each other our whole life, there are things that go without saying. But no, we do not have a secret language. People’s beliefs about twins must come from somewhere. But I think everybody has the ability to be instinctual with one another. We’re just taught or trained to silence those parts of ourselves.
Do you think your mother loves you equally? My mom realizes that our daughter-mother bonds are as strong as it could be. But ultimately, the bond between Sara and me is stronger.
Do you have identical tastes in women? Sara has always picked suitable and loving partners. But we go for very different people. Sara’s more introverted and shy, and she dates completely different people than I do. I’m more gregarious, and that attracts a different type of person.
DOUBLE THE FUN: Tegan and Sara and Northern State play House of Blues Dallas, 2200 N Lamar St. Nov. 9, doors at 8 p.m. $21.50. 214-373-8000.
But gay twins are fascinating.
On one end of the spectrum, there’s a big thirst for spitting-image incest. On the other, twins might unlock the mystery for those trying to determine if sexual orientation is genetic.
This week, Canadian sister act Tegan and Sara traipsed across Texas. The 26-year-old Quin twins are promoting their fifth album “The Con,” their catchiest and best disc so far. They sound like they’ve completely ditched the “coffeehouse strumming” sound of years past and opted for straight-up pop laced with a keen, lo-fi edge.
While waiting for a phone call from either Tegan or Sara — who were both in Austin — I watched five of the duo’s videos to see if I could differentiate the sisters. The results were muddy. I think Sara usually gets more screen time, and Tegan seems cast in a supporting role. Some reviewers say Sara’s voice is more strident. But to me, their voices sound exactly the same.
When Tegan finally called, I asked questions either sister could have answered. It’s easy to tell they’ve grown tired of people’s fascination with queer twins.
Before Friday’s gig at House of Blues, y’all will be in Texas for three days. Any special plans? We’ll spend the night in Austin. And then we’ll have a day off in Dallas. We’ll probably just see a movie and have a family dinner together. Since I don’t have to get up early, I’ll just plan on sleeping in that day.
Your “If It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It” DVD included footage of your gig at Gypsy Tea Room. That was the first and only time we played Dallas. The only thing I really remember is that the dressing room was super tiny.
What’s up with the matching haircuts? Our haircuts are similar, but they actually different. All my friends have asymmetrical haircuts: long in the back, weird overhang bangs. But Tegan and I use different stylists. For a long time, I had blonde hair. And when I had a shaved head, Sara had short, spiky hair.
A recent review in Pitchfork said that y’all have transcended the “tampon rock” tag. Curious — have you and Sara always shared the same menstruation cycle? I have no idea.
Do you think you were you born gay? Absolutely.
Ever thought that being lesbian wasn’t biological? Never.
Have you ever seen gay-twin porn? Nope.
What cover songs are you playing on this tour? None. We did “Umbrella” on the last tour. But we have five albums we’re working from and we have a lot of our own material to get through.
Would you ever tackle the real bubblegum pop — like the song form the Doublemint commercial? I don’t know what that is. I don’t have a television.
Do you and Sara have an intrinsic “twin dynamic” or a secret language? We’re pretty intuitive. Since we’ve known each other our whole life, there are things that go without saying. But no, we do not have a secret language. People’s beliefs about twins must come from somewhere. But I think everybody has the ability to be instinctual with one another. We’re just taught or trained to silence those parts of ourselves.
Do you think your mother loves you equally? My mom realizes that our daughter-mother bonds are as strong as it could be. But ultimately, the bond between Sara and me is stronger.
Do you have identical tastes in women? Sara has always picked suitable and loving partners. But we go for very different people. Sara’s more introverted and shy, and she dates completely different people than I do. I’m more gregarious, and that attracts a different type of person.
DOUBLE THE FUN: Tegan and Sara and Northern State play House of Blues Dallas, 2200 N Lamar St. Nov. 9, doors at 8 p.m. $21.50. 214-373-8000.
