By Brittney Barrett  |  Send to Friend

Not too long ago, Little Joy's glockenspiel-wielding Binki Shapiro was jamming by her lonesome in her Los Angeles bedroom. Now, less than a year after being plucked from obscurity by friend and psych-folk idol Devendra Banhart, Shapiro can count herself among the indie-rock elite. While attributing Shapiro's rapid rock and roll rise to her friendship with Barnhart and sheer luck or her status as girlfriend of fellow band mate and Strokes drummer, Fabrizio Moretti -- a listen through of her band, Little Joy's self-titled debut quells such suspicions. The trio, comprised of Shapiro, Moretti who plays guitar and is the primary song writer and Rodrigo Amarante have carved their own calypso- infused niche and judging by the waves of critical acclaim rolling in, it's working for them. Beyond what's instantly appealing about the music; the languid, quixotic melodies, the spattering of Portuguese and the draw of Moretti in between Strokes albums is something more. There's a sense of earnest and inimitable intimacy that comes across in the music that intrigues and leaves us wanting to know more. And now we do.

two.one.five: What instruments do you play?

Binki: I play Keyboard, the guitar and glockenspiel

two.one.five: What instruments did you play on the album?

Binki: Pretty much just the keyboard and the glockenspiel.

two.one.five: What did you do music-wise before joining Little Joy?

Binki: I just pretty much did music by myself in my room with my computer before this. I was pretty private about it. I did stuff by myself with my guitar and when I met fab he had started playing guitar and showed me songs he had written and was working on. He made me wanna show him what I had done and get past that insecurity of other people judging me.

two.one.five: Is Little Joy sort of a one time side project or are you guys going to continue to play and make music even with the Strokes Tour in '09?

Binki: Yeah I think we're all going play it by ear, but I think we all recognize there's a lot of work ahead of us. We're going to try to squeeze in some Little Joy time. I'll continue to do music on my own and go back and forth and throw our ideas around but hopefully we'll be able to keep trucking. I hope that we all find the time to make it work. I can't imagine just doing it me and Rodrigo -- Fab wants to be involved.

two.one.five: Have you guys written any new songs while you've been on tour?

Binki: Yeah we've written a couple. And one of them that we sort of figured out before we left and we've actually been playing it at some of our shows. We've been trying to get as much done in as much time as we have together.

two.one.five: What's it called?

Binki: It' still unnamed. It doesn't really have a name anymore. Fab had been working on it when he was in Brazil visiting his family and then we were jamming it for a while before we went on tour and it became what it is right now. But who knows once we actually sit down with it.

two.one.five: What other female vocalists have you been compared to? We personally think you sound like Moe Tucker. Maybe a little Zoe Deschanel.

Binki: Definitely those a lot. Moe tucker, Nico, Cat power.

two.one.five: Which of those do you think is the most legitimate comparison?

Binki: I think that there are traits of things. I understand my voice is sometimes a bit deep. So I get Nico. It's simple without a lot of frills so I get the Moe Tucker. I'm a girl in a similar age group to when they were singing. Bodies are a funny thing. I hear those comparisons and I'm certainly flattered. I'm not offended in any way. Those people are people I sort of admire. You look at yourself in the mirror and you see something totally different that what other people see.

two.one.five: What's it like being on tour with your boyfriend? You guys have an interesting dynamic where it's the two of your and then Rodrigo and you're singing love songs…

 

Binki: I mean it's great. You know. I've never been on stage performing music before and I don't know what it would be like to have it any other way. It's really nice. Two people that I love- - Fab and Rodrigo give me a smirk or a wink and it makes everything feel like 'oh it's just us doing our thing'. And it's fine. It can get complicated sometimes. Spending that much time with your boyfriend, but for the most part it's great. It's great not to have to have a conversation where you're hundreds of miles away from your loved one and you try to be on the same page, when you're not because you're in different places. I'm really grateful that we're doing this thing together and sharing this experience. Exploring all these places.

two.one.five: Did Devendra Banhart play a major role for Little Joy?

Binki: He was renting a place from my sister. A very incestual group we all have over here. A cozy, little cabiny house. It looked like summer camp- - and they recorded the Megapuss album and as he was finishing up and we all went over and added little things. It was like a recording party. Devendra had had a lot to do with our recording process - - just being there and getting us all to know each other. He really encouraged us along the way and was a big supporter of our music. We all owe a lot to him. Was that the question?

two.one.five: Do you guys still live together in Echo Park?

We don't. We all sort of house hop because we're not in one place for too long. We'll be in LA and New York and Brazil…we all just make due. Fab and I have a little place in LA and Rodrigo will stay with us sometimes or stay with Devendra. Our meeting place is usually Devendra's place, where we get together and throw ideas around, work on some music, drink some beers….

 

Guest Illustrator Damien Weinkratz's mother is very proud of him. See more of his work here: http://www.space1026.com/space.php?action=bio&id=43

If you'd like to illustrate a Play By Ear contact abigail@215mag.com