Inara George and Greg Kurstin, known as The Bird
and The Bee, have a distinctive musical touch that
defies time and space and transports the listener into
an ultra-pleasant world with just the right pollination
of jazz and pop. Their newest Ray Guns are Not Just the
Future proves they really can charm the birds out of
the trees and, just like a bee to honey… evoke many a
sweet sound with the hum of their music.
Rage: Ray Guns are Not Just the Future does have a noticeable sci-fi tinge to it in the back-
ground of several songs. how does this album differ for you both from your debut?
Greg Kurstin: I think we wanted to push the envelope a little more. After playing
live after our first record, we kind of got a hit off the crowd of what songs made
them want to dance, or songs that they really responded to. So we thought a little
more about that aspect.
Inara George: And I think the sci-fi thing just sort of happened after the record
was finished... We had written the song “Ray Gun” and it seemed like a cool way to
present the album.
Rage: Your lyrics can veer from haunting to bitterly realistic for me. That is one of the appeals
of The Bird and The Bee. You have this retro 1960s touch yet a modernism in the approach to
The Timeless AppeAl
some of the lyrics. how would you describe your sound?
Inara: That is always a tough question. I think the music represents us, and what
we do together. We have a lot of fun and we love exploring different kinds of
of The Bird and The Bee
music, of all different kinds of eras, for inspiration.
Rage: Your song, “lifespan of a Fly” is really trippy and beautiful in an eerie way. The lyrics of
“i have no regrets for anything i’ve done. i feel like i’ve lived as good as anyone. Remember
me as best you can. so i might live, outlive my lifespan.” i thought of fame and death and how
people keep those memories of friends or famous people close to their hearts. What is the
story behind that title?
Inara: It’s actually a song about a fly. (laughter) Greg and I were in the studio
one day and a very big and slow fly was buzzing around the studio. We sort of
wondered about how long he had to live... and so we wrote the song.
Rage: Oh no! have you had any new offers to feature any of the songs on television or film? what was happening in the U.S. at the time... So it sort of has the similar sound
Greg: We seem to do alright in the TV and film placements. For some reason our of bossa nova, but it was kind of a reaction against that, with more psychedelic
music seems to be very license-able... which is a great thing for us. influences.
Rage: Track seven “meteor,” i can see that being remixed for the dance floor. i think it would Rage: Your recording of “Diamond Dave” is almost Doris Day-like in the intensity of the strings
make a great dance mix. and the sweetness of the lyrics.
Inara and Greg: We would absolutely love that... Inara: That’s great. I had seen Van Halen with David Lee Roth right before we
wrote that song. I was so impressed. I had always loved the David Lee Roth/Van
Rage: What are two of your favorite albums that have influenced you? Halen version of Van Halen. I hadn’t really paid attention to them since he had
Greg: David Bowie’s Low and I listened to a lot of Fats Waller. left. I’d never been a die-hard fan. But I’d always just loved their videos and the
Inara: Prince’s Purple Rain and Gal Costa’s self-titled record I would have to say. way that they presented themselves. For that sort of music, they really had great
songs. I was blown away by the show... especially by Dave. He’s just so over-the-
Rage: i read that Ray Guns are Not Just the Future has a psychedelic feel from the Tropicalia top. It just seemed it would fit with the music they were playing with the top hat
era. What is the Tropicalia era? and the confetti coming down at the end of the show. I just felt like he deserved a
Greg: Tropicalia was a musical movement in Brazil in the 1960s, very similar to song (laughter).
Photography by Autumn DeWilde MARCH 2009 | RAGE monthly 29
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