The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Are Ready to Take Over the Universe

A band with a name like The Asteroids Galaxy Tour had better pack ample punch. Luckily for us, the Danish duo of Mette Lindberg and Lars Iversen lives up to their larger-than-life title. Their long-awaited, much-anticipated debut album, Fruit, is a fizzy concoction of big band, jazz, and sun-soaked pyschedelic pop that impressed critics and quickly had Macintosh knocking at their door. But although lending their "Around the Bend" in last year's Apple iPod Touch commercial likely helped put them on the map, their non-stop touring schedule has also helped.

In November, these Nordic nomads, led by 26-year-old Lindberg, a blonde bombshell fairy princess with unparalleled lung capacity, passed through New York to play packed shows at Mercury Lounge and the Tribeca Grand Hotel. PAPER caught up with Lindberg while she was in town, and she shared a ridiculous story about a bandmate, revealed her frustration with "glossy pop," and discussed being the only girl in an otherwise all-boy traveling act.

First, congratulations on, at long last, releasing Fruit. What was the delay?

We have our own record label and we're trying to build everything ourselves. Because we don't have a big record label supporting us, we have to build everything up from scratch with our management and all the people we work with. The album was pushed back some months because they didn't have distribution deals ready. We had the iPod commercial but we couldn't release the record because we didn't have the financials. It wasn't possible. Right now it's released in Europe and the US. And we are writing new songs for our next album and hopefully next year we will release a new album. It's been a busy year touring and now we are touring again.

Second wave, huh? How have reactions to your sound differed across the globe?

The album's not out in some spots, so that can be tough, but it's good. People seem really, really happy. Our music is not only about happy things. It's very depressed, actually, with the lyrics and the feeling in it. Loneliness and seeking something. We are in the cold north, you know. We try to bring some Nordic soul to it. People have been very positive. Many different ages and types of people like our music. My mom can relate to the music and so can my nephew.

Your voice is similar to Macy Gray's. Has anyone ever told you that you sound alike?

Yes. The thing is, I can't hear it. I know one song by Macy Gray: "I Try." But, I can't hear it. If it's good, it's okay. If it's bad, I don't want people to say it. It's not typical glossy pop. Blech. I'm so bored about that. I like the more primal sound of the voice. It's an instrument. Use it, instead of polishing it. Make things happen that are interesting. I like pop. We are pop music. It's not glossy pop, but it's definitely pop.

Sometimes I get really mad when I listen to the radio or the top 40 or something. It's so boring.  This has nothing to do with saying 'Oh, we are the best.' I really feel that it's so uninspiring what's going on on top of the charts. What it is people are forced to listen to. There are so many great bands. Where is the music revolution?

Speaking of music revolutions, I last saw you live at Le Poisson Rouge. It was kind of a chaotic set. I recall instrument switching, at some point someone's shirt came off...

Them crazy boys! We are not a typical bass, guitar and drum band. We have so many different sounds. We want to make it as alive as possible. That's what we like.

You tour with four additional band members, who are all men. What's it like being the only girl amid so many boys?

I'm really lucky because I always have my own room. I'm the singer. I'm the girl. I always have my own room. The others share because it's cheaper. We're really good friends. They're not, like, body builders or sports guys. They're musicians and artists like I am. So we're friends. Definitely. They wear nail polish sometimes as well. I can do their hair.

Speaking of hair, what do you do to yours? It's impressive.

What do you call this? Fringe? Bangs! Forehead hair. Usually it's short, but I had it grown. It's a little bit annoying. I wanted something new. I figured I could point it up, so then I could see.  

It's teased. It's so fun! It's like you have your own stylist.

Myself!

How has the iPod commercial changed things for you?

Being featured in TV series, movies, commercials, it's a new thing. We hadn't even a record out and we are from a small country. I think it was a great opportunity to say 'Hey, we're here.'  found a lot of music through commercials, especially Levi's commercials. They had really cool music going on. A band called the Lilys, a song called "A Nanny in Manhattan." I used to record it on an old school tape recorder. Every time it was on television. I didn't know what it was and didn't know how to find it. It was before YouTube and the Internet. I bought their album because I saw them on television.

So what's on your iPod?

I like listening to David Bowie and Prince. Always makes me feel good to say 'Fuck! They're great!' I like the Beatles and Blur and Radiohead and Missy Elliot. Jay-Z is really cool. And Gnarls Barkley. I like Danger Mouse Productions. I just bought Julian Casablancas' new solo album. I really like his voice.
 

I concur. In addition to the high profile feature in an Apple ad, you were on Gossip Girl (like many an amazing musical act these days) and in Anna Wintour documentary The September Issue.

I haven't seen either! At home in Copenhagen, I try to walk in those big malls, just stroll around, whatever. They were playing our songs! I get so shy! 'It's me! Fuck, I'm singing!' I feel like everyone is looking even though people might not know who the hell I am. But I feel so naked. I want to hide. At the same time, I want to see how people react. It's so strange to hear yourself. I would love to see it in this movie. I think I would blush. 

What's something interesting that's happened thus far while touring?

In New York, we have two really small apartments where we live. And the guys, they can't use the toilet in our apartment. Only me, 'cause I'm so small. So the guys go into the other apartment. Yesterday, Lars wanted to take a shower and he went to the other apartment and got locked out [of this apartment]. It locked itself. You couldn't use keys or anything. So he was left only with his boxer shorts in the other apartment. And we had to go to do an acoustic set. So, he needed to transport all our equipment out the window, only wearing boxer shorts. Barefoot. He crawled down the ladder and into another apartment to get everything in and out. He was climbing like a ninja, wearing only his boxers, getting our things out the window.  

[Laughs] Where were you all?

In the other apartment. 

You could have helped him! Moving on, what do you love most about playing pop music?

I think sometimes people feel that, if you do pop music, there's nothing underneath. That it's only pop music and the lyrics are lame. This is the genre. It's the sounds we like. It's as deep as you want it to be. For me, music is a language for everyone. You don't have to understand the lyrics to feel the music. You can feel the loneliness or the sadness in the tone, the melody, the drumbeat. You can't explain. It's just taking you with it. That's what I like about music. You can use the lyrics. I could say this song is about this or that, but it might kill the experience for the person listening. It's better to have it going in every direction. You can take it as you want.  

Let people search for their own meaning.

We're a lot about loneliness, you know, searching. I think many people are searching all the time and can relate to that. Maybe it's okay to search. Get loose. Maybe it's not because of the lyrics, but just the way it makes you feel.

Photo by: Miranda Penn Turin