01.16.03
Announcing: Katy Otto, The Heck's Kitchen Interview. I met Katy in the now defunct Feminist Book Club (which devolved into the Feminist Booze Club before expiring), and I happened to catch her very rockin' band Del Cielo at that Mirah house concert a few weeks ago. Ms. Otto was kind enough to take time to meet us in Heck's Kitchen.

HK: Welcome, Katy Otto. You are a very busy woman-about-DC. Would you please list for the audience your current major endeavors?

Katy: I am a busy lady! Hehe. Right now I am involved in several projects that I am proud of and excited by. I co-run an independent record label, Exotic Fever Records, with two of my best friends, Sara Klemm and Bonnie Schlegel. I play in a band with two of my other best friends, Basla Andolsun and Andrea Lisi, called Del Cielo. We just released our first full-length CD on Eyeball Records so we are very excited about that. I help co-organize the annual Visions in Feminism conference, which is a grassroots, affordable feminist event in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I also work at The Empower Program as the Director of Grants and Community Outreach. Empower is a gender violence prevention program that works with youth and I have been here for four years - two as an intern and two on staff.

HK: Wow. You are putting we underachievers to shame! So, where are you from? How did you get here?

Katy: I was born in Oxford, England. My dad was attending grad school but got distracted by his first-born baby girl and dropped out. I had a father in the foreign service, so I lived in Germany for two years as well, but spent most of my time in the DC metropolitan area. I love DC. Now I live in Riverdale, Maryland - cheap rents, great neighbors and we can have band practice there, all ten minutes from DC!

HK: Hm, a rare DC almost-native. Do you think Bush going to totally screw the women? What's the best thing about running an indie record label? What's the best thing about being in Del Cielo? Do you write sad, sad songs?

Katy: Bush screws with women constantly. Look at his international policy surrounding reproductive rights, and aid to countries that provide family planning services. I am so disgusted by the woman from the Independent Women's Forum (bunk-ass conservative "women's" group) that was appointed as the head of the Violence Against Women office - she basically doesn't even believe date rape exists! I love my record label because it's basically the best thing ever for a girl who is a super fan. That's me - always at the front at shows, singing along to bands I love. So now I get to put my organizing skills into effect and help those same bands of friends that I love get their music out there. Del Cielo is amazing because it is so, so powerful to engage in creative projects full-on with other women. I am floored by the musicianship and general human courage of my bandmates. That band brings me more joy that I can say. We do sometimes write really sad songs - but also we write really happy songs, really angry songs, really cocky and really pointed songs. The songs are as diverse as the things we deal with in our lives. I like music to put on mix tapes too - and sad songs definitely fall in that category for me.

HK: You don't seem at all lazy or complacent or disillusioned. Do you think that's Normal? Do you believe the good guys stand a chance? What the hell is wrong with the Left?

Katy: Hmm sometimes I feel disillusioned, but usually it just means I am tired or need a hug!!! The good guys totally stand a chance. I've dated enough bad guys to know that GOOD GUYS RULE (and good ladies too). What is wrong with the Left? Not enough people with a good sense of humor in it. And not enough people ready to stand up and tell people when they are wrong.

HK: Please plug your upcoming events here:

Katy: January 24th, my band is playing the Organized Resistance Conference - it is with Gina Young, Majority Rule, I Farm and Blacken the Skies at American University in the Tavern at 7pm. Empower is holding a conference entitled WomenSpeak June 6th that is definitely going to be worth checking out! Tina Fey from Saturday Night Live will be presenting there.

HK: Thanks, Katy. Please keep us posted on all your important happenings! Parting thoughts?

Katy: Thanks so much for taking time to talk to me, and please everyone use the Exotic Fever website as a resource and tool to start your own projects!