the no-fi "interview" with
Having missed them the first time they made their way to Silverlake opening for CLINIC, I was happy to hear that KaitO were returning to our little town from their tiny little island known as England. I knew I had to get an interview and approached them before their show at The Silverlake Lounge. They were interested and we eventually set one up for that weekend where they would be playing an in-store at Sea Level Records in Echo Park. So No-Fi "Photo-Gurl" Kelly & I saw them a total of three times that weekend and every show was great. We did this interview at Sea Level Records after their free show.
C = Chris Beyond, K = Kelly, N = Nikki (Guitar/Sing)
Da = Dave (Guitar), G = Gemma (Bass Guitar), Di = Dieta (Drums)
C:
When did you guys first get together as KaitO?
N: About 1997 as KaitO, yeah,...with the original
members.
G: It was actually 1998.
(Nikki
laughs)
C: (to Nikki) So, that's 2 points off. Sorry.
So you've lost 2 points already.
N: (laughing) What?
C: Oh, I didn't tell you? Sorry.
So, where did you get your name from?
N: It's from a Japanese cartoon
character...a comic strip character that I named my cat after and then I named
my band after my cat which ran away.
C: Your cat ran away? How come?
N: I had him when I was out of
school and took him home for holiday and he just done and ran off.
G: He just doesn't like Nikki.
N: Her cat's bigger, you see. He
was intimidated. It was really sad. He was really young.
C: You can put his picture in the
next CD.
N: That's the thing that he was so
young that I didn't have a picture of him.
Da: I have nine cats.
C: Really?
Da: Yeah, nine cats.
C: So you're that crazy cat person
down the street!
Da: We've all got cats. Dieta's got
a cat.
Di: I've got a cat. It's a little
one. It's a very nice cat.
G: Mine's Ruffin. My pussy's
called Ruffin.
(Everyone
laughs)
N: So bad! I've got a cat called
Doug.
C: Duck?
N: (laughing) Doug!
KaitO
live photos taken at The Fold located in The Silverlake Lounge, March 7th,
2002. Click to Enlarge.
C: I have to ask this because
Kelly's making me...What's the deal between you guys and Fresno, California? (referring to the
song called "Fresno Song" on their new E.P.)
G: When we were here last time we
were kinda under pressure to record loads of songs in their studio in L.A....in
Eagle Rock. We only wrote one and it took about six hours or something... We
called it 'Fresno' because...
N: We wanted something that rhymed
with "O" and it was "Fresno." (laughing) No, it's because our tour
manager comes from Fresno and we've been there.
G: We hadn't even been there, but
we've been there now.
Da: We've made a pilgrimage to the
town and kissed the floor when we got there.
C: I heard the show went well. So,
you're like the international ambassadors of Fresno.
Da: Seems that we are. Picking up
towns everywhere we go.
N: What we're gonna do is like
instead of Fresno Song, when we go to a town we say that this song is about
that town. We sold so many CDs after that show, didn't we?
G: They wanted the CD with
"The Fresno Song" on it.
N: Instead of Fresno Song we can
call it "Your Song" or "Your Town Song."
C: See what you do is you make the
song and you photocopy the cover in each town you're in.
N: It was a sweet change of
environment cuz England's really kinda, whatchu-call-it...
Di: Cold.
N: Cold.... Cold gray... You know
it's quite uptight where here it's very laid back and we're just really
overwhelmed by it all. You can tell by that song that it's very laid back
compared to all the others.
Da: We were in a sunshine mood.
G: We were hung over as well,
that's why it's slow.
Da: Really hung over.
N: Honestly we were just like down
in it for like four hours and it sounded awful. It was like nothings gonna come
out...
Da: We had played with CLINIC the night before and they kept
saying to me, "Hey Dave, can't wait to record you guys tomorrow! What've
you got planned?" I go "We haven't got anything planned. " He
thought it was a joke. When we got to the studio, you could tell in his face
"They haven't got anything planned."
C: Clinic are going to be in the
next issue. Do you have anything to say to them or ask?
G: Tell Brian hello and I love
you. I want you to give him a big kiss on the cheek.
C: Oh, YOU'RE the one he has an
order against. I remember. Ok, which of you would most likely beat up the rest
of you all at once?
G: Nikki!
N: No Gemma!!
G: I'll beat Dave up!
Da: I'll beat Gemma. Gemma's got a
very hidden...
Di: It would be an interesting
thing to watch. All four of us just locked in a ring...just going at it.
C: That would be a good video!
Da: There'll be hidden agendas. Two
of us would gang up against the other two.
Di: Loyalties move around.
Da: It would sorta like being in
tag-teams. Like Double Wrestling.
C: So Gemma's the one to watch.
Da: (to Gemma) You'll go down easily.
G: I'll pull your hair.
Da: You'll punch me in the bollocks.
G: Oh, yeah. (laughing) Punching in the bollocks is my
specialty. (pause) Dave's not laughing so much.
Da: She punched me the other night.
N: Well, you spat food at her.
Da: Yeah, I spat food on Gemma and
Gemma punched me. It was later when she punched me. Much later. I guess it's
drinking too much. It was a strange maneuver. It was like, "You're dirty!
You're messy, but you could be dirtier" and that is what I meant, but
Gemma took it wrong.
G: So I punched him.
Da: And Jennifer from THE MOVIES punched me as well so I got one
on one side and one on the other side.
G: Yeah, I was the ringleader that
night.
KaitO
live photos taken at Spaceland in Silverlake, March 9th, 2002. Click to
Enlarge.
C: What are some of your favorite
local bands from where you're from?
N: MAGOO is really fantastic and really
cool. Really lo-fi type stuff.
Da: This guy called Shane is a
local madman, but I think he's a genius. He'll play SO many shows and they're
all different. It's worth seeing every time.
C: You played John Peel. You gotta
hook me up with a recording.
Da: Yeah. We'd love to.
N: We haven't got one ourselves
though.
Da: That's just like a crazy time
last year. It was in June and we had a tour coming up with this band called SEAFOOD and lots of thing happened. And
the Peel session dropped on us from out of the blue. It was this intense period
last year. We just did it and it was like...great. This very well spoken radio
engineer was recording us in this room where every and you can imagine had
played. It was just a small room. We just got drunk and had some good food.
G: I...I threw up.
C: In the studio?
(everyone
laughs)
G: No, in the toilet.
C: Did you get to go to Disneyland
while you were down here?
G: I'm scared to go on any of the
rides. I don't like rides. I'm scared of them.
Da: She's scared of flying.
G: I'm scared of flying as well.
C: How'd you get here?
G: On the plane!
Da: We have to take her and stuff
her on the plane.
C: Like in the A-Team! They had to
beat him up to get him on the plane.
G: And they give him milk with
tranquilizers. We didn't have tranquilizers for me to take, but I don't think
that even they could help me sleep.
C: But seriously everyone should
drink their milk right?
G: Yeah, strong nails and teeth.
Da: We all got very drunk on the
plane...well, I did.
N: Yeah, you did.
C: Which cartoon character do you
relate to the most and why?
Di: Droopy the dog...
N & G: No! You're Shaggy!!!!!
Di: Oh, Shaggy from Scooby Doo...I
was trying to deflect attention from that. I guess Shaggy from Scooby Doo.
Looks and personality.
C: Are you looking forward to the
Scooby Doo movie coming out?
Di: Well, no, I'm quite bitter about
the fact that I didn't get the part to be honest. I don't think I'll be going.
(I
notice that I keep swinging the tape recorder in Gemma's face to get to Dieta)
C: Gemma, if I smack you, just
smack me right back.
Da: Yosemite Sam, I quite like.
He's just so fucked. Yeah, Tazmanian Devil I quite like as well. I relate to
Yosemite Sam.
C: How about you?
N: (shyly) I don't know. (to Gemma) You're one of the...what is
it...Power...Power Puff Girls.
G: Yeah maybe... Well, I've never
seen it actually.
N: What's the one... that Japanese
cartoon?
G: Pokemon!
N: No, the one before that...
G: Digimon!
N: No, it's like...
C: Monemon! (everyone laughs) Sorry.
N: Ahhh! No! Terrible!
KaitO
live photos taken at Spaceland in Silverlake, March 9th, 2002. Click to
Enlarge.
C: What's the weirdest thing that
has happened to you so far on tour? Other than the punching in the...
G: (laughing) Fisting!
C: What?!? Fisting?!? That was a
rough night!
(everyone's
laughing)
Da: Yeah, that was a surprise
actually.
G: Yeah, that'd be the fisting for
me. No, I know...Me getting my ear syringed. That was quite funny. Yeah, I got
up and couldn't hear out of my ear do Nikki, we were in the toilets, and she
syringed it and it went (makes a pouring motion with her hand out of her ear).
C: Bwah!!! What came out?
G: (laughing) The...the fish burrito. (laughs)
N: We stayed in Olympia and this
girl from a band had this MASSIVE dog and he's got his own bed. We were worried
about Dave sleepwalking,...because he does...and so we couldn't find him
anywhere and finally we found him in the dog's bed.
Di: He snuggled up to the dog and I
think the dog got upset and slept in HIS bed. And somehow, by the morning...his
trousers were gone. (everyone laughs) The dog was back and smiling nicely.
G: And Dave was back in his
sleeping bag and the dog was walking funny the next day.
Da: I've only sleptwalked the first
3 nights of the tour, nut now I've seemed to have calmed down. I've always
sleptwalked,...but only on tour when I'm with these... They drive me mad.
C: They find you like two blocks
away every morning.
G: We find his wet shoes where he's
pissed in them.
(more
laughter)
C: Um,...I have the most serious
question here... Everyone somber? Have you ever held a monkey?
Da: There's a seaside resort where
we live used to let you have your picture taken with a monkey. I've got this
great picture...me with blonde curly hair and my older sister was holding this
little monkey in a little coat.
G: I spank the monkey. (everyone laughs)
C: You know I never hear that when
I ask that question.
Di: I did hold a monkey once, but
nothing happened. We just sort of looked at each other and went our separate
ways. It was a wild monkey. They got monkeys on Gibraltar. So I just sort of
sat next to one. You go up to the top and it's really steep.
G: I think Dieta was a monkey in a
past life.
Di: Baboons are nasty.
C: Are you afraid of the coming
time when computers and robots take all the music jobs away from bands.
Di: (roboticly) NO...I AM NOT AFRAID.
Da: I think its coming full circle.
People are starting rock bands again. They've become important again. You work
with technology now. You can have a small studio, but use technology to expand
that.
KaitO
live photos taken at Sea Level Records in Echo Park, March 10th, 2002. Click to
Enlarge.
C: Were you good kids or bad kids
growing up?
G: I was really good.
N: SHE was a bully at school!
G: Yeah, but generally...when I
was little I was really good and then then I did sort of, almost a bit of a
bully, but then I went the other way and now I'm just lovely.
C: (In a serious Montel Williams
impersonation) You
bullied them to get into this band, didn't you.
G: (sighs) ...yeah.
Di: I was good. It upsets me when I
think of all those missed chances for mischief.
N: I was good, but I was kinda
misunderstood so I was treated bad. I was just the weird one, you know?
C: Noooooo.
Di: I find that so hard to believe.
N: No, I was quite good. Back in
jr. school and I skived off school and went downtown and I once told the
lollipop lady that I was going to the dentist and things like that. I was
probably about 7 or 8. No, that's about it.
G: I never skived off school.
Never once.
C: Education is the number one
priority.
G: Look at us now.
C: Where is the best place to go
on holiday?
Da: Africa...Kenya.
N: Fresno.
Di: I don't know. I don't like one
particular place. I like to see a whole stretch.
G: I don't go on holiday very
much, but America is pretty good.
C: Well, we're open for business if
you ever want to come by. Um, peas and carrots or broccoli and mashed potatoes?
G: Just mashed potatoes (laughs).
Di: It's a hard choice, but I think
most times would be broccoli and mashed potatoes. But if the peas and carrots
are steamed...just for a few minutes...
N: Broccoli and potatoes
Da: Peas and carrots...Carrots make
you see in the dark and peas you can flick at people.
G: Or spit them at people (laughs).
Da: Mashed potatoes you can sculpt
into different shapes.
C: What are...or WERE...as I know
that you may not have jobs after you get off your tour, you day jobs?
Da: I'm an engineer making bits for
gas takers or "fill tankers" as we call them in England. Please keep
me on. (Everyone
laughs)
N: I'm a graphics technician.
Di: I'm a structural engineer.
G: Oh, I'm just a student so I
don't have a job.
KaitO taken at Sea Level Records in Echo Park, March 10th, 2002. Click to
Enlarge.
C: What's the biggest lesson your
parents ever taught you?
(silence)
C: Assuming that you have
parents...
Da: Treat others how you treat
yourself.
G: I don't know. They've told me
lots of great things. Just do...be hap-py,...but that's not really a lesson is
it?
Di: Mine always said that as well,
"Treat others how you want to be treated" which I think is a good one.
They were very good parents...if they're reading this. And it's probably all in
there, but I can't put it into words.
G: They didn't teach me to hold my
knife and fork the right way round. They told me everything apart from that.
C: What is this "knife"
and "fork" you speak of? In America we just...
Di: Shove it in there.
C: (laughs) yeah.
N: I forgot what the question was.
C: Oh, I'm sorry. It was "What
do you think of trofts?" (everyone laughs) No, it was what lesson your parents taught you.
N: Can you come back to me on that
one?
Da: Always wear a clean pair of
underpants in case you get hit by a car.
C: I think that was a HINT to the
rest of the band.
Di: I'll remember that.
C: Can you guys draw something for
our readers? (They do, but I'm trying to find them still. I'll post them when
I do.)
C: When can we expect the next
full length KaitO
album?
Da: September maybe.
(The
band tells Dave that they saw a raccoon running outside the door and he runs
outside to chase the phantom raccoon)
Da: I've tried to see a raccoon all
this bloody time!
K: Do they have raccoons in
Silverlake...or Echo Park?
C: No, we got skunks. OH! We're
already at the end...which makes me very sad. But do you have any final words
of wisdom for our no-fi readers?
Da: Anytime you see a KaitO record in a shop,...buy it.
G:
If you ever see
Dave on the street, punch him.
Da: Hug me then punch me...then buy
me a drink. Be happy.
Di: Always leave the audience
wanting more.
G: Wash your hands after you've
been to the toilet.
C: What's this "washing"
you speak of?
I want to thank KaitO for doing this interview with me and special thanks to their tour
manager Ashad for helping to make the time for the interview. Also thanks to Kelly for taking pictures of the band and for just being cool. Thanks all around
for everyone!!!
