Interview

U.S. Girls

Toronto resident Megan Remy is the sole member of U.S. Girls. The self-proclaimed Bruce Springsteen mega-fan makes gritty and haunted pop songs that make you want to go dancing in the dark. As she puts it: ‘The radio got thrown into the bathtub while I was in it.’ If you want to find out what her guilty pleasures are (covering Brandy & Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’ is not one of them), go catch her live and stumble over a bottle of beer right in front of her. You’ll see why.

Multiple choice questions sent by Brenda Bosma. Artwork photographed and xeroxed by Dimitri Karakostas in Toronto, Canada.

1) Can you give us the definition of U.S. Girls according to your dictionary?
a. If there’s a hint of an American Dream in my music then it’s rather dark and haunted, like a ghost of Jessica Simpson hovering over it.
b. We run this world.
c. Other, namely: The radio got thrown into the bathtub while I was in it.

2) What’s so great about Philly?
a. Apart from bumping into the Boss every now and then in the narrow aisles of Duane Reade, nothing much.
b. The Phluphian Dialect! The way the Philadelphians say, ‘Coming right up hun, ya wan’ yer sawff pressie wi’ or wi’aw musserd?’ is sooo adorable.
c. Other, namely: Tom Lax (label boss Siltbreeze Records).

3) You’ve covered a lot of songs, from the Boss’s ‘Prove It All Night’ to Brandy & Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’. What’s the attraction of these particular songs?
a. I can’t help falling for these songs. Plus, I just had to prove that the boy IS mine.
b. Covers are almost always better than the original. I’m looking forward to the day when this little girl (or boy) will cover my songs.
c. Other, namely: A and B both.

4) How do you fight loneliness on tour?
a. I just imagine I’m plural.
b. I don’t; it has its positive qualities as well, like peace and quiet.
c. Other, namely: By sending postcards to my loved ones.

5) Are you the kind of person to feel guilty?
a. Yes, like the Catholic version of it.
b. No, not even when there are angels greeting me on the corner every morning and I don’t greet them back.
c. Other, namely: Answer A!

6) If you were, could you name one or two guilty pleasures?
a. Yes, see answer C.
b. No, because I don’t have any.
c. Other, namely: I feel guilty that I sometimes find pleasure in the missteps and mistakes of others.

U.S. Girls play on 2 May at dB’s in Utrecht and on 13 May at oCCII in Amsterdam. Both shows are free for Subbacultcha! members.