Love Me Nots ***New Interview***

Rockin' out of Phoenix, AZ the Love Me Nots, are a punk band not to be missed. They have released four albums and have played a ton of shows throughout the US and Europe. Their singer also has an inspiring story. I got Nicole to tell their story...

How did the band start?

Guitarist Michael Johnny Walker and drummer Jay Lien were playing in a band in Phoenix that wasn’t gigging very often at the time and Michael wanted to start a side project. He heard my old band on myspace and came to a show to recruit me and then hand-picked our bass player too. Luckily everyone agreed to do it.

How did you come up with the name?

One morning after a late-night show I had knots in my hair – my hair tends to fly around a lot at shows – and Michael called them “love me knots.” The name stuck. We didn’t think the band was really going to turn into anything serious at that point.

Who would you say are your influences are?

Originally, The Seeds, The White Stripes, The Dead Kennedys, The Animals, X, The Detroit Cobras, April March. But in the past year we’ve been listening to Blood Red Shoes, The Black Keys, Beach House, Mark Ronson, and all kinds of other stuff. It all kind of bleeds into the sound.

What is the punk scene like in Arizona?

Getting better all the time. There are a ton of great bands here right now.

In 2010 you were diagnosed with breast cancer. As a cancer survivor myself (ALL, same as Tim Yo of MRR), what type of influence does that have on your music?

The biggest influence it has had so far is that it forced us to take six months off instead of racing into the studio with our last record. Those six months, while I was recovering, turned out to be the best thing we’ve ever done for our songwriting. But other than that, I’ve been really lucky that my surgeries were successful and I was able to get back to recording and touring without any major problems. I try not to think about it too much.

Describe the song writing process…

Usually Michael comes up with a guitar riff or I come up with a piano line or a lyric and we just start playing along with each other until something comes of it. Once we have an initial structure for a song, we present it to the band and they figure out their parts and help edit the lyrics and arrangements. The songs change a lot as we record them in our rehearsal space over time.

Your first album was 'In Black and White', tell us about the album…

That first album was recorded just a month after the band’s first show. It’s the most classic garage-sounding record of all of them. All the songs were written pretty much before the band even had its first rehearsal.

How does the ‘Detroit' album differed?

That record was written while we were touring a lot and the result is an album of songs that had a chance to be tested on live audiences all over the U.S. It’s grittier and darker than the first record, definitely. We recorded it over a freezing week in Detroit, the band wasn’t really getting along all that great at the time, and there was a lot of angst and tequila flowing in the studio. Turned out to be a great record.

You then released 'Upsidedown Insideout', tell us about the album…

A whole new rhythm section plays on this record. We recorded it in Phoenix, at (our future drummer) Bob Hoag’s studio. Jim Diamond, our producer, came out here from Detroit. So the whole experience was pretty different than the first two records. It came out sounding pretty polished and bright. We were having a great time touring with the new lineup, even in Europe for the first time, and I think the record reflects those good feelings.

How does your current album 'Demon and the Devotee' differ from all the previous?

Jay Lien came back to drum for us on this new record, so it sounds a little more like our first two records in some ways. You can always tell when Jay is behind the kit. But he and Kyle (bass) also helped write and arrange this record. For the first time, we worked together on lyrics, arrangements and production with the whole band. The result is this record that has taken us to a whole new level of songwriting; four heads are better than two.

Where have you toured?

All over the U.S. (except the Southeast – one of these days we’ll get there), France, Germany, Holland, and Denmark. This summer we’ll be back in France and we’re going to Switzerland for the first time.

Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?

The New York Dolls, The Bellrays, The Ettes, The Lords of Altamont, Mary Weiss, Throw Rag, Andre Williams. This summer we’re playing with the Jim Jones Revue in France.

Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?

It was a big deal to play with The Ettes, for us. I wish it happened more often after that. But we feel like we’re just getting started. We’d love to play with the Black Keys or the Dead Weather someday.

Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?

La Boule Noire in Paris.

What do you see is the future of The Love Me Nots?

We have no idea. We just want to keep writing and recording and touring as much as everyone will let us. The immediate goal is to get a dedicated band website and a new music video going.

 How can people contact the band?‬

Go to www.thelovemenots.com or email our label at atomicagogorecords@gmail.com. We’re also on facebook and myspace and reverbnation. Or better yet, come to a show and say hello in person.