Mika Miko Interview

Here is an interview I did with the all-girl LA punk-rock band Mika Miko for the June 2007 issue of Vice Magazine. They ruled muchly.

Mika Miko

When I’m sitting all alone in my room and I’ve got bored of beating off I dream of this perfect band that mixes the rawness of The Germs and The Wipers, the couldn’t-give-a-shit anger of Black Flag and Reagan Youth but sort of with the dancey bits of Liquid Liquid or ESG. Like punk-funk if that wasn’t a disgusting word that no-one can ever use again. Oh, and all the band members are super-cool hot chicks that you want to hang out and party with all the time and maybe make out with sometimes but it wouldn’t be weird cos they are all just, y’know, into skating and stuff and don’t really care. And no-one else knows about them. Holy shit my dream has come true!

I’ve heard you guys play at a lot of house party’s. Is this because LA is really boring and everyone goes home from the bars early and doesn’t smoke and stuff?

Jessie: We used to play a bunch of all ages shows at The Smell cos when we started we were like 15, 16, 17. We do a few house parties but they keep getting shutdown by the police and stuff.
Katelyn: And we kept getting injured.

Injured?

Jenna: Yeah, we are the most injury prone band in the history of the universe, between us we have had cracked skulls from PA’s falling down, cracked knees from car crashes and broken ankles and wrists from skateboarding. That’s why we only ever get to practice for like 5 minutes and when we do we get idiots like you on the phone.

Sorry, I won’t be long. The LA Weekly mentioned you along with The Like as being responsible for making the LA live scene interesting again, you don’t seem anything like The Like to me.

Katelyn: I know nothing about them. But we did once do coke with them in the toilets at this club on Sunset though.

Really?

Michelle: No, but we were at a party in Hollywood once and Jennifer smacked Dave Navarro. I was right there, he was walking around topless and she just smacked him, all I can remember was that his fucking nipple rings jiggled, hahaha.

That really is a haunting image. You name sounds weird to say. Where did that come from?

Jennifer: We have never told anyone the truth behind our name so you should feel pretty special. Basically we were all at my aunts funeral and afterwards my babysitters mum was saying that she used to be in this punk band called Mico and Nico. For some reason under the circumstances we found that hilarious so we just decided to change it a bit and steal it in homage.

I prefer the Dave Navarro story. Do you ever get strange reactions from audiences for being an all-girl punk-rock band? Do they expect you to be Rrriot Girls or something?

Jenna: Only in New Mecico where we stopped for a gas and this girl was like: ‘wow you’re a chick band, I’ve never seen a chick band before’. That was weird.
Katelyn: Whenever we play north Carolina it is a pretty weird scene. Those kids have nothing to do so they have to party double-hard to make up for it. It’s not their fault though. They can’t help where they are from.

Mika Miko have a new EP entitled ‘666’ out now on Post Present Medium. Their previous LP entitled ‘C.Y.S.L.A.B.F.’ is also available now on Kill Rock Stars.