The Pope Interviews Nomy Lamm

Posted in: INTERVIEWS by popejohnpaul12 on September 2nd, 2008

nomy The Pope Interviews Nomy Lamm fantastic weapon

Whenever Nomy Lamm isn’t making music, she says she’s playing Guitar Hero. Onstage at the El Rio, she said, “I’m really good at Guitar Hero and I almost brought that instead.” Nomy has taken up a lot space on my Ipod lately, her music is anarchistic, witty, self indulgent, riot grrl, political, jewish, she takes on and claims controversial topics, shes awesome, fantastic, ect. She’s been a Punk Planet columnist, a performer with Sister Spit, a co-writer of rock opera The Transfused, and Ms. Magazine’s Woman of the Year. When I saw her at the El Rio, she was performing as part of a benefit to raise money for a documentary film being made titled “America’s Most Unwanted.” The film offers a positive glimpse into the lives of foster children that have successfully navigated through the loop holes in the system that tries to oppress them. Shani, the filmmaker said, “We all have sad stories, I want to shine the spotlight on queer foster kids that have risen above without the parental guidance so many people receive.” The event showcased burlesque acts; Twilight Vixen Revue, Vixen Noir and Penny Whistle. Musicians Joshua Klipp and Divine Feud also played.

Before the show I had a chance to sit down and have a beer with Nomy:

Pope: You recently moved to SF right?
Nomy: Yep.
Pope: Cool. Where are you playing/hanging out?
Nomy: I’m playing a lot of shows all over the and I’m apart of a lot of events happening. I recently played a Riot Grrrl nostalgia event and next weekend I’m going to perform at Sins Invalid at the Brava Theater. The show celebrates disabled people and their sexualities.
Pope: Anything else? Anywhere you like to hang out?
Nomy: Well I like the Smack Dab event Kirk Read puts on, and I love Dolores Park. I’ve been going there a lot and recently I saw this eight year old kid name Luciano Pizzichini play in the park. When I saw people setting up speakers I was like “Oh FUCK THIS IS GONNA SUCK” but then he got up there and was really great. He played a lot of guitar solos and was a really good guitar player. I also have been taking a class called “White Mindfullness” at the East Bay Meditation Center.
Pope: Cool. What music projects are you currently involved with?
Nomy: Well in January I got a loop peddle so basically I’m creating a whole band by myself, and I’m making slide shows because I like to have slide shows onstage with me. Except today I won’t have a slide show because it’s an outside event and it’s too bright for a slide show. Triclotic (side project she has been apart of) is on hiatus but in the long run we’ll do it again. They’re great. It’s just not working right now because I’m in SF and everyone else is in Olympia.
Pope: What albums have you been listening to the most lately?
Nomy: Um I don’t really play albums anymore but the artists I’ve been paying the most attention to are Lole y Manuel, Black Mountain, The Klezmaniacs doing Woody Guthry covers, and Huff This! from New York, they’re awesome!
Pope: Anything else?
Nomy: Melody [Nomy’s girlfriend has an autoharp and we recently made a song about a pigeon with a broken foot and a broken wing. We live in the Tenderloin and the pigeon always hangs out at the stoop near our house. Melody took him a blanket and some food. We call him Pidgy Widgy. And I’m working on a Yom Kippur zine to reclaim Yom Kippur for Jews of color and that will have a website soon but its not quite up yet.