Sunny side up

Lebanese punk band Scrambled Eggs talk about music and the industry, over whiskey and local beer at the iconic Torino, on Gemmayzeh Street.

I’ve always wanted to know, where did the band name come from?

Charbel: The official story is that we were 15 when we came up with it, and we weren’t very serious. Food in bands names was in, think Smashing Pumpkins for instance, and we thought Scrambled Eggs was a psychedelic name.

Thought? Have you considered changing it?

Charbel: We tried a few times.

Actually tried?

Charbel: We tried several times. One of the times was very serious; we brainstormed and tried to pick a new one. But any attempt to pick a new name felt like we were trying too hard. It isn’t easy changing your name once you’ve learned to live with it.

Has the music changed since your early days?

Charbel: Not changed, but it has evolved. We haven’t changed, we’re still the same teenagers: we still like Nirvana, we still even sound like them sometimes. It’s an identity that’ll stay with end till the end of our lives. The shows we perform, the songs we write, those have changed; they’ve become more structured, and easier to materialize. We’ve been fed so much in the past 15 years, we’ve toured internationally, performed, recorded.

And your message has changed. I know that Time recently mentioned that your music contains political messages?

Charbel: We don’t have a political message in our music, not a clear political message. It is intentional but it’s not conservative politics. As artists we protest to the things we don’t like, and some of those will coincide with general politics, some won’t. It was pretty exciting to be in Time though.

I’ll bet it was…

Charbel: At first we were blaze’ and casual about it, but then when you see people treating you differently you realize how exciting it is. When you’re arguing with someone you can say, ‘shut up, you were never in Time Magazine.’ Tony actually keeps a copy with him every day, just slaps it on the table when he wants to make a point.

Tony: You should see how it helps with visas. How can I prove we’re musicians? A magazine cover for your consideration. Thank you.

But the international take on things bothers me; when they’re assessing music it’s more of a ‘good as far as Lebanese music goes’, rather than a solid ‘good music…’

Charbel: They’re appreciating it for the wrong reasons. Ah from Beirut? No, no impossible. It’s so good… I don’t like it either. We have this perceived inferiority problem – with an ego as big as the fuckin’ planet, and that’s the paradox – but this is changing. There are groups in Beirut now that are respected by their friends and fans, and I think we’re getting rid of this idea.

Tony: I hear people saying they want to go to a concert for the band, and not its nationality. People are more open, and bands are maturing and evolving, and rising up, independently. And when people around you see that you’ve made it, they’re inspired to do the same.

So hang on, have you ‘made it’ when you’re appreciated here, or internationally?

Charbel: You mean financial success? Making it is a complicated term.

Tony: If you think money, we used to make $200 a gig only a few years ago. Now we make $2000. But it’s not all about money, at all.

Charbel: in terms of fans…

Attractive woman from bar: In terms of fans they have plenty. They’re my favorite band, and I compare them to all modern music, not just local creations.

I see you have groupies…

Charbel: We’re a serious band. We have t-shirts, we have video clips, and we have a groupie. If that’s not the measure of a successful band, what is?

Woman: Plenty of groupies. And the young bands look up to them, and are inspired.

Charbel: But you feel the success when more and more people start picking up your old records. They feel you’re a serious band, with a history. Tony: And that’s why these online portals are so important. Our MySpace page streams our new stuff, and archives our old. This is a fantastic tool to work with. I mean, compare it to television, the main communication tool of older bands, it flashes once and it’s gone. And then what?

Speaking of going away, I heard you lost a member recently…

Charbel: Well he’s not dead, so we didn’t lose him. But we did have artistic differences, as it goes. The three of us wanted to go one way, and Marc wanted another direction. It wasn’t working for the band, and he was already involved with Lumi so with his departure things came back together.

And the music improved with just the three of you?

Tony: It changed.

Charbel: It did change. Whether it improved is up to people to decide.

You all dabbled a bit outside the band though, didn’t you?

Charbel: We still do. I did some experimental music with a talented musician called Miles. Both Tony and I play with XEFM.

Tony: And I play with Lumi on the bass, and other projects. This enriches us, keeps us together as a band.

Doesn’t it dilute your interests?

Tony: No, that’s the interesting part. We pick up the experience from all the bands and projects we’re involved in, and we bring it back with us into Scrambled Eggs.

Charbel: The projects start bleeding into each other. The experimental stuff will bleed into Scrambled Eggs for instance, and the sound that comes out will be that much more interesting. The Scrambled energy bleeds into the experimental stuff, and that enriches it.

With all that bleeding why only release a single, why haven’t you released the whole new album?

Charbel: We weren’t convinced with what we had. The songs we chose to release are the ones that we liked. We recorded seven tracks, but these two will be enough for now. It’ll get released in London as well, with some remixes on the track. Then we’ll go on tour, and release another single.

Tony: The strategic idea behind it is to work on one single to our satisfaction, then start touring and try out the rest of the tracks. We’ll come back with a solid idea of what we want.

You said you recorded more though, did they come out badly?

Charbel: Not the recordings themselves. We’re working with Fadi Tabbal of Tunefork, and the quality we’ve managed to attain with him is unbelievable. But we need to develop the songs ourselves, and we need the feedback from the touring. A small change in the right place improves the songs considerably.

Tony: We started shortly after Marc left, so we composed a lot in a short time, and we weren’t convinced of our own output. They need more arrangement, and the smart thing to do is release a product you’re comfortable with.

So no dates for the album?

Tony: Early next year, I’d say. Maybe around January; stay tuned.

Well, before I head out, any chance I could buy you a drink?

Attractive woman from bar: Sorry, I’m only into lead singers.

The Lebanese music scene is alive, drinking and kicking. For more stories check out the Eggs’ MySpace page, or the Lebanese Underground site.