20 Questions:
Katy Goodman
We liked the last couple of La Sera albums a lot, so the news that another one will be arriving in early March fell pleasantly on our ears.
The band kind of started out as a side project for Vivian Girls (RIP) member Katy Goodman, but for some time it’s been a full time gig, with Goodman swapping lo-fi fuzz for sweet melody and jangly new wave guitars. Expect to reassess your opinion on The Fifth Element in this 20 Questions interview, which has been condensed significantly because Katy couldn’t understand my accent.
Who’s your favourite person to follow on Twitter?
@sosadtoday
What’s your signature recipe?
Vegetable, lentil, kale and sweet potato soup.
What was the last book that you read?
Well, I just started Ready Player One. It’s kind of like Harry Potter, but it’s a dystopian sci-fi.
What’s the worst hotel you’ve ever stayed in?
We stayed in an Etap hotel, in Belgium I think, and we could see that there were bed bugs crawling all over the walls and the beds. That was the longest night of my life.
Gary Oldman or Gary Numan?
Gary Oldman, because I love The Fifth Element. I was trying to make my husband watch it the other night, he wasn’t interested. I guess it doesn’t hold up, but I view it with child-like eyes as the best movie of all time.
“Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Toby Maguire came into the store I was working at together on April Fool’s Day”
Do you have a number one fan?
Eric Kolke, who lives in Chicago. He’s the number one La Sera fan of all time and we love him.
Describe your worst haircut…
I cut my bangs way too short in 2007, and then I got a really bad eyebrow wax. So for a few months I had a real weird look.
Who’s the most famous person you ever met?
Leonardo DiCaprio.
Really?! How did you meet?
I was working in a store in downtown LA. Him, Jonah Hill and Toby Maguire all came in on April Fool’s Day – like a year and a half ago. They were riding round town making people feel weird, and it worked. Leonardo came to the counter and started asking me a barrage of questions that were, like, meant to make me feel flustered.
It sounds terrifying.
It was, but it was also hilarious and very good natured. But I was literally just staring at the floor and blushing. Because it’s Romeo!
Rate these actors in order of how much you like them: Danny DeVito, Danny Glover and Daniel Day-Lewis…
My favourite is Danny DeVito – solely because of his role in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, I heard he asked if he could be on the show, which is hilarious if it’s true. Danny Glover is number two because I really like Lethal Weapon. Daniel Day Lewis – “I drink your milkshake!” – that was weird, but he’s a good actor.
Of all the songs you’ve ever recorded, which is your least favourite?
I like all my songs!
Have you ever had a nickname?
Kickball Katy.
Of course. How did you get it?
I played kickball in college, and I had it as my AOL Instant Messenger name. Then when Vivian Girls put out our first records, we used our nicknames.
Would you go for a beer with Kanye West?
I don’t drink, but I’d sit with him while he drank a beer. But I’d probably feel really nervous. As made clear by my Leonardo DiCaprio story, I’m not great in weird social situations!
If you could pick a surrogate grandparent, who would it be?
This one is very timely: David Bowie.
Could you pick a favourite Bowie song?
No. But Vivian Girls would cover John, I’m Only Dancing, and Rebel Rebel was like my number one song to put on mixtapes when I was growing up.
And finally, if you could give yourself a piece of advice ten years ago, what would it be?
Nothing. I believe that all the decisions and choices have led me to this point where I’m at right now. I love my situation, so I wouldn’t change anything.
Music For Listening To Music To is released 3 March via Polyvinyl
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