Kinky Girls From Big Cities/1$t: Conversations About Nothing

Interviews

Aug 8

Jacob Taff removed streaming services from the equation all together, releasing rock records solely via a self-coded website and 7” vinyls. The Los Angeles born producer, songwriter, and musician garnered not only a cult following but also an online community for his band Kinky Girls From Big Cities (aka 1$t). While in California, Jacob showed us around all the spots that have made him who he is, and of course, sat down with us for a conversation about nothing.

Who is 1$t / Kinky Girls from Big Cities/ Jacob Taff?

We’re a four-piece band outta Los Angeles making music and playing locally. When I started it, I intentionally wanted it to sound like a rap name, but we're obviously not, lol.

What is the magic behind beer from a green bottle?

Hahaha, Peroni, Trumer Pils, Heineken, Grolsch, St Pauli Girl, Stella, Becks, Yuengling, Dos Equis XX, etc. It’s got a good look rather than a bunch of red solo cups on the counters and furniture…

Your website is one of my favorite corners on the internet. What inspired the layout and putting out music with download links opposed to promoting streaming?

Old MySpace and good band forums were a big inspiration. Someone told us that there are tens of thousands of tracks coming up on streaming per day. It seems impossible to get your music heard when the platforms are so overwatered. The site is a way for us to find the right people who get what we're going for here… Also, most of our domain/email list providers decided to drop us over the domain sounding like a p%rn site.

Follow up: Where did you get your coding skills?

The coding was a learn-as-you-go thing… the hardest part was the chat room; the easiest was the radio, actually.

Kinkygirlsfrombigcities flexi discs are coveted. Any plans for a full vinyl?

Yes, in the near future a full record 12”

Thoughts on buskers?

We never get the opportunity, but I guess it would be class to see us at the Hollywood Walk playing songs. I even thought of maybe having the band playing out of the trunk of a moving car… nobody walks in LA… Busking in LA is lacking compared to NYC/English/Euro cities. I’ve seen kids do full band sets in Tompkins, but not ever in LA.

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Where did the Swiss flag get lost? (and retrieved?)

It was a 1940s Red Cross medic flag that got snagged at a show. Needed a historically accurate replacement with that nice cream patina. We wanted a flag to wave every show, and the medic flag seemed non-problematic.

Favorite place to frequent in Laurel Canyon?

The canyon country store at night has a lot of passersby going to the restaurant below, but the best is just a bodega beer enjoyed on the patio there.

Most frequently used pedal in your rotation? Same question but for amps?

I guess just a bit of delay from a Boss pedal on some songs and the TC electronics tuner. The gain would come from the amp... We play Master Volume Marshalls JMP 2104 and the Vox AC30. If there aren’t good amps, we’ll be using top boost in a can, which is good for sounding like AC30 gain in a pedal.