Betty & Oswald are all about playing with the amazing synergy between the sexes, so we asked them what their favourite boy/girl combos are of all time.
Some of the best musical creations of all time have come from the synergy between man and woman. Betty & Oswald know this all too well. Claudia Schmidt and Pete Sotiropoulos are the boy/girl duo that front the band, and their voices work magically together.
The band’s new single Schmuck is a wonderful, buoyant piece of psych-pop with the duo’s vocals sitting front and centre.
The way they play off each other is pretty awesome, one minute gliding in unison before splitting off and curling around each other. Throw in some shimmering guitar work and hovering organs and you’ve got a damn good pop track.
We asked Pete and Claudia to tell us about their favourite boy/girl combos of all time.
Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg – Je t’aime moi non plus (1969)
Eroticism in music at its finest. The title which translates to “I love you, me neither” captures the playful nature of Jane and Serge’s love affair and the sexiness of intimacy with strangers. Jane’s breathy melody finally descends into the heavy and excited breathing which you know is on its way. Oooh baby erotic AF.
Lou Reed & Nico – Femme Fatale (1967)
Love the deep voice of Nico. Especially fitting because she is singing a song that Lou Reed wrote about Edie Sedgwick. There is a kind of cultural stirfry going on with Nico’s thick German accent singing a song with a French title, along with those chants of “She’s a femme fatale” by Lou Reed and John Cale in their comical American drone.
Mara Keagle & Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre) – Anemone (1996)
This song is by Brian Jonestown Massacre, one of our favs. Tambourine always. Love the subtle interaction between Mara & Anton. There’s not much to this other than the underlying cool. This song speaks for itself, you should get into it.
Pink Floyd & Clare Torry – Great Gig In The Sky (1973)
From one of the great sonic pieces around comes this cracker of a tune featuring Clare Torry. Her vocals capture an element of surprise every time you hear it. Even with the lack of lyrical content there is a greater expression in the way she really uses her voice as an instrument, and in this way she captures the dynamic spontaneity of the whole album. The climax is incredible, but aren’t they all ;)
Air Feat. Beth Hirsch – All I Need (1998)
There’s something beautifully nostalgic and soothing about the way Beth delivers her lyrics throughout the song and the perfect production that Air always seem to create. Together they capture a mood often forgotten about.
Olivia Newton & John & John Travolta – You’re The One That I Want (1978)
Oh Oh Oh Honey.
