Blonde Redhead

Sure, there's the rumor about twins having a freakishly close connection. Is it quasi-spiritual urban legend or biological fact?

“There's definitely something,” Simone Pace says about playing with his twin brother, Amadeo, in New York band Blonde Redhead. “But what to me is more interesting is when the three of us get together... because we are so close. The most amazing thing about being in a band is to get to know some people so deeply and learn how to deal with it and learn how to behave with other people.”

Named after a song by 1980s no-wave band DNA, Blonde Redhead has become New York's favorite heirs to the Sonic Youth throne. In fact, it was Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley who discovered the band and put their first record out on his own label in 1995.

Their dissonant guitar rock, combined with Kazu Makino's mystically shrill vocals and Amadeo's heavy Italian harmonies, has made more than a few friends. Unwound's bassist, Vern Rumsey, played bass on their third album. Fugazi's guitarist, Guy Piccioto, produced their most recent-and best-selling-album to date, 2000's Melody of Certain Lemons.

They're currently writing their sixth full album, which was put on hold when Makino took a bad fall while learning to jump horses. “She fell and broke her jaw and some teeth. It was pretty bad,” Simone softly says in calculated, broken English. “It was quite sad. When you do something you love and that ends up hurting you, it's always very strange.”

When they resume writing, Simone says they hope to work again with Piccioto. Not necessarily because of his Fugazi legend. Because he's one of them.

“He understands us very well. He's a good friend also,” Simone says. “It's always been really important for us that whomever we record with, we be very comfortable. I think we get very affected by who's around us when we record, because you're so vulnerable at that point. And Guy's sensitivity is just incredible... he becomes one of us.”

Simone hopes the next album will sway radio outlets other than their loyal college constituents. But hell, he thought their last one might do the same.

“It's a bit frustrating,” he says. “It's easier for us in Europe-radio stations are not so controlled as they are here.”