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LAist Interview: The Pity Party
photo by Timothy Norris
Local duo The Pity Party is playing the second show of their month-long Monday residency at Spaceland tonight. Much has been made about drummer/keyboardist/singer Heisenflei and her triple-threat instrumentation. But even if she weren’t an octopus, Heisenflei and guitarist/singer Maurice-Richard would still be stirring up L.A. with their smartly sparse songwriting and quirky melodies. We asked Heisenflei, who also runs The Little Knittery in Atwater Village, a few questions before the show. Continue on to read more about The Pity Party unplugged, the progress of their full-length album and their morbid fear of handshakes.
What items do you need to throw the perfect pity party?
1. American citizenship
2. Design Within Reach catalogue
3. a plate of cheese
How's it going working on the full-length album? Are you the type of band that has so many songs you don't know what to do with them, or is each one a painstaking crawl?
P A I N S T A K I N G C R A W L. We have a third. He is called Stevehimself. He functions as part of our brain. He has been producing the full-length with us at Moonshine Studios. There is not yet, at time of this printing, a release date. The full-length will have many different flavors. Variety is the spice of life. Mrs. Dash is the spice of popcorn.
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What instrument would you add if one of you had one more arm?
Jew's harp.
What would "The Pity Party Unplugged" be like?
Surprisingly alt. country, I think. Lots of chummy anecdotes thrown in as well.
Why did you pick the particular bands that are playing the residency with you?
Because they are good looking. Especially Film School, The
Happy Hollows, Rademacher, Karin Tatoyan, Twilight Sleep, The Human
Value, Light FM, Meho Plaza, The Rolling Blackouts, and Ladies and
Gents.
Fill in the blanks:
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1) Rocking is to knitting as CABBAGE is to GENETIC MATERIAL.
2) HANDSHAKES are the best part about being an L.A. band; HANDSHAKES are the worst part.
3) "DRONEBOTS AND PEONS FOR EONS AND EONS" is the best lyric we've ever written, "THE LEVER THAT STARTS THE KILLING MACHINE" is the worst.
4) UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND CONTINUAL FORGIVENESS for 2008.
"Love Lies" -- The Pity Party
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
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