The Jew Spot

The couple, with two very different styles, have produced a sound I’ve never experienced before yet can’t get enough of. They call it “Biblegum Pop” which the band admits the term has received a few groans, even accusations that it somehow cheapens what they are doing. “Either way, we like that it’s gotten people talking,” they say.

Integrating Torah thought to dance beats with Eurythmics feel , the two aren’t nervous to push one another’s limits. Check out our interview with Stereo Sinai below and see why we’re talking about them, too.

I read that you orginally came together to write a lullaby for your rabbi's newborn son. Did you know at that point that you had something amazing? Did you think it could be something bigger than a one-shot deal?

"Gideon's Song" became the first Stereo Sinai song, but we had written and performed together as different duos for a few years before that. But yeah, when we finished that song we really loved the sound. I think we knew there was something there.

There was something special, fun, about combining this pop music, where everything is so shallow and synthetic, with biblical verses, which have this inherent depth. We liked how they played off one another, and how they synthesized. So we played with that sound with other verses, and the idea evolved, and it's still evolving.

With so many influences in your music (Pop, 80‘s dance, Sonny and Cher, Torah), what do you keep in mind when writing? How do you stay focused and true to your sound?

Alan: Wow. Those are some huge questions. Songwriting is inherent to both of us, but definitely different for each of us. I’m at a place where I believe that the best lyrics have, arguably, already been written. By Hashem. In the original language. So when I write for Stereo Sinai, I’m trying to keep that in mind.

Davening and niggunim have an influence - these are meaningful moments that speak to us. But the defining Stereo Sinai sounds are the production style and our vocals, and that's what keeps the consistency from song to song. It's always us.

Your music incorporates a lot of powerful concepts from Torah. What is the one idea from Torah that resonates with each of you most, and why? How does that play into your music?

Miriam: I feel kind of a connection with my biblical namesake. Miriam is totally outspoken and impetuous, and it gets her into trouble. But it also creates these rich moments. After this harrowing experience of crossing through the Sea of Reeds, she picks up her axe and leads the women in song. I love that the Torah acknowledges that there are certain moments that can only be fully expressed, or fully experienced, through music. When I sing, or play, or write, I want to be like her.

Alan: The Torah concept that resonates with me the most is actually mitzvah #613 in Sefer HaChinuch. Hashem commands every Jew to write a Torah scroll. In many ways, it’s the culminating commandment. The best part is the verse from which our sages derive the mitzvah, Deuteronomy 31:19. Hashem says, "And now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites - put it in their mouths - in order that this song remains a witness for the Israelites." The Rabbis equate the word “song” with Torah here. Hashem is a songwriter, and the Torah is Hashem’s song. As a songwriter, I think that’s pretty awesome.

What do you believe came first - Torah, music or love?

Miriam: Phew, ummm... I guess I won't do the whole it's-not-fair-to-separate-them-cuz-they're-all-interrelated thing and go with love. The other two are dependent on the existence of love.

Alan: I believe that music came first. Hashem brought existence through sound. Whether that’s the Big Bang, or when Hashem spoke “Vayehi or,” or that they were both the same thing, it all started with a sound.

As a couple who sing together, do you find the songwriting process more or less challenging? How do you work together?

Miriam: Writing used to be really, really difficult. We have completely different approaches to songwriting. I'm more spontaneous, and I rely more on inspiration. I have a hard time "deciding" to write a song, and once I've started, I feel like I have little control over where it's going to go or what it's supposed to be about. My first draft is usually my final product.

Alan is more methodical. He has a concept in mind from the beginning and he works it through, over and over, tweaking and adjusting, until the song fits his vision. They're both valid methods, but they're coming at it from totally different ends of the spectrum. I think we work best when one of us approaches the other with an unfinished project and we complete it together, rather than trying to force something from the beginning.

Alan: I agree. Some of our songs are credited much more to one of us than the other, but I think our best work is the stuff we mostly collaborate on. That’s what keeps me challenged and wanting to continue writing with Miriam.

Your music and narration was featured on G-dcast. Tell us about that experience.

Miriam: That was the fastest we have ever written a song together. Matthue Roth, a crazy-talented writer and good friend of ours, approached us about the project and we were so thrilled. The first two narrations had been spoken word, but of course we wanted to do a song. Part of the assignment with G-dcast is that you need to include a "chiddush," a new insight. So I wrote the lyrics from Sarah's point of view. Meanwhile, Alan had been working on music entirely separately. It was a total coincidence that the two fit together so well, and we produced the final product in about a week.

Where would you like to see your Biblegum Pop band 5 years from now? What would your headline say?

Miriam: Well, it'll be a lot like the end of "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" where Wyld Stallyns play this concert that saves the world. That's all I ask.

Alan: (To Miriam) You set your goals way too low. Five years? Come on, we can do that in three, tops.

Last Question: What would you say the best thing about being married to your partner in crime is?

Miriam: I think it's really helped us grow both as musicians and as a couple. We're always learning from and about each other. In order to make good music, we've had to learn how to step out of our own comfort zones, really push ourselves, and try to understand the other's musical language. It's a challenge, and we argue, and we make mistakes, but we also laugh a lot.

Alan: That’s what it says on our ketubah, actually. “Partners in crime.” Actually, the best thing about being married to Miriam is that she constantly amazes me. Including her musical talent. I honestly couldn’t imagine doing this project alongside anyone else.

... And there you have it. Love really does make the world go round. So if you want your music to kick ass, make it with the one you love. Thanks Miriam and Alan.