Saint Bernadette is one band that’s quite proud to call Bridgeport, Conn., home. Husband-wife team Keith Saunders and Meredith DiMenna have a lot invested in the city, having relocated there in 2004 with hopes of growing their band, their label (Exotic Recordings) and their relationship.
That investment has already started to pay dividends. Last year the band recorded its debut, “In the Ballroom,” over a marathon three-day recording session at the abandoned Bijou Theatre. They emerged with a sultry, entrancing release heavy on old-school soul that garnered the band attention far outside the cozy confines of the Northeast. On March 4, the band re-emerges with the EP “I Wanna Tell You Something,” a more immediately modern collection of songs that invites listeners to step out of the retro vibe of the ballroom and in to the raw, smoky barroom.
Metromix caught up with the husband-wife team before its recent CD release party and appearance at the South by Southwest music festival.
First, we've got to ask you—what’s with all of the “Grease” references in your MySpace top friends?
Meredith: Our name, Saint Bernadette, actually comes from the movie, “Grease.” When they ask Cha Cha DiGregorio why they call her Cha Cha, she says, “Because I’m the best dancer at Saint Bernadette’s.” And Frenchy adds, “With the worst reputation!” I played Cha Cha DiGregorio in my high school production of “Grease,” and her character is a major inspiration for me, both the stage and the film version. I’m kind of a mix between the two.
Keith: It's also a subtle tribute to our campy love affair with musical theatre.
Did you two really meet while opening for Run DMC?
M: It was one of our first gigs together. We met in the recording studio. Keith’s group was coming out when mine was going in. They needed some female backup singers so they approached me and Monica Attell—the other girl who was in my band at the time—to come to some rehearsals with them. Our own collaboration kind of sprung out of that.
K: A lot of the first work we did together had hip-hop influence—programmed beats, catchy hooks—and we still put out a rap track once in a while.
It's not uncommon for a Saint Bernadette review to dwell on the sultry, seductive nature of the music—is this a vibe that you two get caught up in when you're on stage?
M: Ha! Not at all. Keith spends most of his time interacting with the rest of the band, and I spend most of my time hogging the spotlight. Sometimes after a show, we’re kind of like “hello!” to each other, because we almost feel like we haven’t seen each other in an hour.
K: Speak for yourself! When Meredith gets going sometimes she'll be rolling around on the floor across the stage like a scene from “The Exorcist.” She's been known to unplug guitars and knock over beers when inhabited by the spirits. Trust me, we see you...
Meredith, you sing about some pretty interesting women in these songs, to say the least, where does the inspiration for your characters' stories tend to come from?
M: I tend to be a pretty self-centered songwriter. Most of these women are me in one way or another. In “She’s a Natural,” though, I’m writing specifically about a high-priced call girl that is referred to in Miles Davis’ autobiography. He describes her as being a trusted confidant to many, many powerful men and that she was just very well suited to the job. I’ve always felt that there is this type of woman, whether it’s a geisha, or a courtesan, or a call girl who is not going to cook pot roast for any man. She has a different set of skills. I have a lot of admiration for a woman who realizes that and I wish that it were a more accepted phenomenon.
How much did the setting in which you recorded effect the vibe of “In the Ballroom”?
K: We were hoping for a great live space to record in—something big enough to stretch out and not feel cramped, but small enough to still feel intimate and connected with each other. I never really imagined we'd discover something as perfect as the Bijou Theatre. It's a much larger space than we envisioned, but its natural acoustics struck us immediately. The band began to actually “play to the room,” and in a way that theater became another member of the band. That part was unexpected.
“In the Ballroom” was a Bridgeport production through and through, from the location right down to working with Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Mates of State) on the mix-down. What inspired you guys to relocate to the area?
M: That was totally by design. We wanted our album to practically be a giant commercial for Bridgeport. And we’re happy because it could not have been made anywhere else. Our plan for coming here was to come up with Bridgeport. We wanted to be part of its development and help spread the word about what a great place it was. We thought we could do the SubPop/Seattle or the Saddle Creek/Omaha thing. Just try to get to know all the musicians, artists, etc. and try to help everyone get their stuff out there. Housing and rehearsal space is very affordable, and it’s closer to Manhattan than some parts of Brooklyn. We made the right choice coming here. We’ve been very involved in the Two Boots of Bridgeport and what will soon be the Bijou Theatre. It’s just the beginning of many great things to come. Bridgeport is still a challenging place in many respects, but it has an incredible beach, unbelievable ethnic food and some very cool people.
Will this be your first time at South By Southwest? What's the first thing you'll do when you roll into Austin? We assume you'll make sure to put the country on notice that Connecticut is actually an indie music force to be reckoned with…
K: First, we'll open up the cooler we've brought and scatter some snow on the ground so that we feel at home. Then, no matter what time of day we've arrived in Austin, I think beer and BBQ will be in order. 1,700 miles is a long ride!
M: We went down last year, actually, because we had a short film in the film festival. My brother J. DiMenna played two years ago, so some of the band members were down there with him, but this is our first time as Saint Bernadette. We absolutely will. We represent Bridgeport and Connecticut to the fullest. It’s a tough burden, but someone’s got to do it.
Check out Eric Danton's podcast with Saint Bernadette on www.courant.com.
