In the summer of 2012, drummer Brandon Seymour and guitarist Bobby Maloy, two guys with a common musical vision (if you will), created a garage band. They named their project in honor of the most likable things in the world -- after cute kitties and chubby babies, of course -- Pretty Girls.
The Boca-based indie duo became a solid trio with singer, bassist, and pretty girl Kyla Bostick. Maloy formerly played in punk-ska outfit R!M, and Seymour still gets funky with HVY CRM, PG, and Misfits tribute band Horror Business. Though this is Bostick's first band, Seymour says, "I think she's doing a great job." And when you hear their tracks, you know what he means. There's noting like adding a bad babe's vocals to dirty rock 'n' roll to make your head bounce with your butt.
We spoke with Seymour about his distaste for dubstep, love of cheesy '80s tunes, the perks of having a lady singer, and actual lookers.
New Times: You guys are very busy. What's it like playing so many gigs these days, and who are some bands you really feel connected with?
Brandon Seymour: I love it. We keep saying we're gonna take it easy, but it's just too much fun playing out like we do. As far as other bands go, we have some "personal ties" to some, like I used to play in bands with the guys from Dr. Martino, and some others have been friends since back in middle school. Recently, the Riot Act and the Tremends really blew me away.
What are some things you most enjoy about the scene and things you think need improvement?
I grew up in South Florida, so aside from hearsay, this is only "scene" I'm really familiar with. I think there's definitely a lot of really great bands out there, and that makes it worth it too. It's cool not being limited to Boca Raton. There just really isn't much of a local presence here. So being able to drive either 30 miles north or south and tap into a whole new scene is pretty cool in itself. We're kind of partial to Miami. They're just really cool people.
What are the perks, musically, of having a female singer? What does it add to your sound?
That was sort of what Bobby and I wanted going into this. We wanted to have a sound that was very garage and untamed, yet have kind of girl group, pop style vocals to contrast with the grittiness. Similar to the Kills or Sleigh Bells. Kind of like if Mazzy Star joined Black Flag to score a Tarantino film.
What are your least and most favorite trends in music right now?
Least: dubstep. I can't stand it. Also, the whole "folk band" thing is getting a little old too. Just really oversaturated.
Most: I like how a lot of indie bands are starting to revive that retro feel. Tame Impala is a good example. There was a stint back in the early 2000s with the Vines and the Hives, etc., but that was short-lived.
What are other things you like to do besides make music?
Since we all work full-time, the band kind of eats up the majority of our free time. But an ideal night, if we're not playing, would probably include tacos, whiskey, and playing terrible '80s songs on the jukebox.
What are some of these terrible '80s songs you speak of?
"I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls. "Your Love" by The Outfield. "Only in My Dreams" by Debbie Gibson. "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes. There's a lot really [laughs]. Don't judge.
Can you maybe tell me about stuff you have coming up? Where you guys wanna go with this whole band thing?
Well we want to release our EP asap. I'm hoping by September. After that, we want to look into bigger opportunities, like SXSW and opening for national acts. Once the EP is done, the main goal is to promote it and see how well it's received. As for spreading our sound, we'd like to start digitally. Instead of taking a considerable amount of time off from work to tour.
What are some national acts you'd want to play with?
Surfer Blood would be cool. I went to high school with them, and they're kind of local heroes, so it would be neat to join them for some dates. Yeah Yeah Yeahs would also be pretty awesome. Really any band that has a sound that we fit into. It's never fun playing a show in front of a bunch of people who aren't into your style of music.
Is there a song lyric, or a song by you guys or anyone else, that best defines Pretty Girls?
We're not really a lyrics-driven band, but I'd say "Denim" so far, from what's actually recorded. It sounds tacky, but I think a lot of times, these projects are constantly evolving, so what might define you at one point, may not at another.
OK, can you name some actual pretty girls?
I'm gonna say Rachel McAdams, Keira Knightley, Miley Cyrus, and that chick who plays Sloane on Newsroom -- we're getting married; she just doesn't know it yet. And Pretty Girls definitely has a band crush on Liz Tracy.
Aw, shucks.
Pretty Girls with Killbillies, the Sweet Chariots, and Los Bastardos Magnificos. August 3, Propaganda, 6 S. J St., Lake Worth. Show is $5. Visit propagandalw.com or prettygirlsband.com.
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