THE PRETTIOTS INTERVIEW
Kay Kasparhauser (Vocals/Ukulele ) and Lulu Prat (Bass) create catchy tunes with super straight forward lyrics about love life (mostly) of young women living in New York City. As a man, that may not sound like something I’d normally listen to, but The Prettiots and their new album Funs Cool due out February 5th is quite simply awesome! You’ll definitely see a Banger! review of this soon. The album is cheeky and melodic but it’s not a gimmick. These ladies have great song writing ability and are honest, in the most genuine way. I actually laughed a few times listening to the lyrics, and even though it is a woman’s perspective, I somehow relate to it. It might be because of the specific NYC references and the type of guy Kay sings about which are often categorized by the neighborhood he is from. If you ever hung out in the East Village part of NYC for example, you have totally met “that guy” described in the songs. Lulu is really funny and cool, but unfortunately Kay couldn’t really participate in this Prettiots interview because she was recovering from a little operation, but don’t worry she’s better now! Make sure you go to their album release show at Alphaville on Friday February 12th if you are in NYC!
PRE-ORDER FUNS COOL VIA ROUGH TRADE
photo by Sue Kwon
SONIC HIGHLARK: So you both grew up in New York City right?
LULU PRAT (THE PRETTIOTS): Yeah, I grew up in Brooklyn and Kay grew up in the city.
SONIC: Are you the going out type?
LULU: Kay doesn’t really go out, I guess I go out in Bushwick (Brooklyn) if I do.
SONIC: Any good eateries you can recommend?
LULU: Food? Hmmm, I don’t know I usually eat bodega sandwiches only.
SONIC: Well the bodegas in Brooklyn are much better than the ones in Manhattan.
LULU: Yeah, anywhere that I am in Bushwick I’d go to a bodega so that would be a great food recommendation.
SONIC: We have a section on our website where we feature tattoo artists. I know you have a couple, so is there a shop that you like going to?
LULU: Yes! This girl Tessa at Gnostic Tattoo. G-N-O-S-T-I-C. She’s an apprentice there but she does all of my tattoos. We were doing an interview and was getting tattooed during it on New Years Eve and we went to her, she’s amazing.
SONIC: Awesome! Do you plan on getting any more?
LULU: For sure. My one arm is pretty much finished.
SONIC: Looks like you mostly have black and grey work?
LULU: Yeah, well I have this one color tattoo that I got when I was 17 but all of my tattoos are prison-y or I really like the Chicano style artwork and stuff. Single needle work I guess.
SONIC: Of course the 17 tattoo! So the bass. When did you pick that up?
LULU: I played a lot of instruments growing up. I think I was 12 or something, someone asked me to fill in to play bass for a show. I had no clue how to play it but I was like “Okay, that sounds fun” so I started playing it and I fell in love with it.
SONIC: What are some of the other instruments you played?
LULU: Well I still play guitar, I play trumpet and some piano and what not.
SONIC: It’s actually cool that you use your fingers when you play bass.
LULU: Yeah, yeah, well I mean sometimes when my acrylic nails are really long I use it as a pick.
SONIC: Haha, it’s impressive.
LULU: Well thank you!
SONIC: What do you look for when you pick a bass? Is it the tone, or just how it looks? Maybe a bit of both?
LULU: I use the Rickenbacker and I love it. Um, I’d get a jazz bass maybe. I look for tones, but there’s all these pedals out there now so you can really manipulate the sound.
SONIC: If you can travel back in time and tell your younger self something, what would you it be?
LULU: I’d tell myself to back up my computer.
SONIC: Haha, that’s a good one.
LULU: Yeah, or obviously don’t mess with fuck boys I guess? Don’t waste your time with this person.
SONIC: If you can grow up in a different time period or location? Where or when would it be?
LULU: Ummm.. Maybe London in the early 2000s would be kind of chill. I love New York though, but growing up here you kind of get jaded you know what I mean? I sometimes I wish grew up in Florida or just a middle of nowhere kind of situation and move here, then love it. I mean I do love it but I wish I grew up in New Jersey or something.. well, not really. Just somewhere a little more low key so there is something to look forward to. Here you’re going to bars at 14 so by the time you’re 21 you’re getting tired of it already. I have this dream of driving in a car with nowhere to go. I wish I could have done that when I was 16 and just being able to get a driver’s license and drive around the neighborhood for hours smoking cigarettes or whatever because there is nothing else to do. I feel like I missed out on that kind of experience. Or drinking 40s in your mom’s basement or something. I always wanted to do that and I never got to.
SONIC: That’s really interesting. It may sound strange to some people but I totally get it.
LULU: I try to do that now but everyone always asks “Well who’s there?” And I say “It’s just me but come chill, let’s watch a movie.” Then they just want to go to a bar and I’m like “Nah dude, but I guess I’ll go out because that’s my only option.”
SONIC: This leads me to my next question, what’s a typical night like for you?
LULU: Kay likes karaoke, so she does that a lot. I usually go to a bar but way too late, and stay there till 4am then I have to wake up and go to work in the morning.
SONIC: Yeah, that is normal to me but I didn’t realize that in other states everything closes by 2am and I would be like “I don’t even leave my house till 2!”
LULU: Wait, are you from New York? Is this a New York based thing? What is this, who are you?
SONIC: I am a person, surprisingly.
LULU: Haha. Is this Siri? This is Siri isn’t it.
SONIC: Well, it’s like an advanced Siri.
LULU: Ok, cool.
SONIC: Because I’m Japanese so I’m more technologically advanced.
LULU: So you’re like half genetically engineered or something.
SONIC: Yeah, half nano-bots.
LULU: Right, right, wow that’s cool.
SONIC: I am from New York though, so I totally get everything you’ve been saying.
LULU: Word. That answers my question.
SONIC: What are some pickup lines that work?
LULU: God, your questions! So hard! Um, what about pickup lines that don’t work? I can answer that one.
SONIC: Sure, sure.
LULU: You look a lot like Amy Winehouse. I get that one a lot.
SONIC: Can you recommend me some music?
LULU: I’ve been listening to a lot of PC computer music, also Bossa Nova and shit which is cool. Oldies. A lot of oldies but some Drum and Bass stuff, Electronic stuff, that’s really cool too.
SONIC: Nice, we get down with the Electronic Music for sure. Ok, last question. Stalkers…. frightening or flattering?
LULU: Stalkers? This is like a Cosmopolitan interview. I guess it depends on the severity and age maybe. There are some old guys that like our stuff and it’s a little creepy because I feel like they have this young girl complex. But if they’re fans that are closer to my age then that’s sick! There’s girls that are really into us but it’s cool that our music is relatable. We found something on Instagram recently where someone did a drawing of Kay. Not sure what I was searching but found it so I told Kay “Yo, this girl did a watercolor of you.” She posted that she’ll be at our show tonight, and came out and bought a shirt and stuff. That was really really cute. It was endearing.
SONIC: That’s awesome.
LULU: But if it’s an old guy they probably don’t even listen to our music, so we’ll just be like “Gotta go.”
SONIC: Thank you so much, I hope Kay feels better soon. I’m going to check out the album tonight.. I think.
LULU: Sick! Enjoy it. Wait, I don’t even have a copy yet.
SONIC: You wrote the thing! You know the songs already.
LULU: But I don’t have it. Remember I said my computer crashed.
SONIC: Oh that’s right, the damn computer!
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