I hardly recognized Timmy Sunshine (organ, vocals) of The Comettes. He had a fresh new ‘do, having cut off his shoulder-length locks a couple of weeks before.
I’ve had my eye on this band for a while. I first heard them on KEXP in December 2012. Not only do I love a chick on drums (who doesn’t?), but I loved hearing Timmy’s voice echo through my car. The songs are well-composed and dynamic, more so than the ’60s psychedelic surf rock they are often described as. Not that that’s inaccurate — I just think these three have more to offer you.
Their self-titled 6-track EP and short set at Barboza left me wanting more, more, more. To me, The Comettes are the biggest tease on Capitol Hill. I sat down with Timmy, Jettie Wilce (drums) and Sager Small (guitar) at Cafe Vita to play another round of twenty questions after their Sunday Barboza CHBP performance.
Favorite frontman of all time?
Timmy Sunshine: John Lennon.
Wayne’s World or Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure?
Sager Small: Wayne’s World.
Favorite karaoke song?
Jettie Wilce: Oh shit. I’ve never done karaoke.
Me: Never?!
Jettie: Well, I guess I would have to say “Dancing in the Dark.” Yeaaaah!
First concert you ever attended?
Timmy: I went to an Anti-Flag punk rock show here in Seattle. I was probably a freshman. The first big show I went to? Dashboard Confessional and Brand New. (Laughs)
Best concert you ever attended?
Sager: I saw The Zombies when I was younger in Sandpoint, Idaho. The Zombies are awesome. And The Sonics! I saw them on Halloween a few years ago and they were pretty great.
Pizza or Seattle dog?
Jettie: Pizza.
Whiskey or vodka?
Timmy: Whiskey! Bulleit Rye. Or Fernet! That’s like my favorite.
Favorite concert venue in Seattle ?
Sager: Tractor Tavern or Triple Door. Those are both awesome. But Tractor for sure. We’ve played at both of those.
Favorite brunch spot?
Jettie: Hattie’s Hat.
SPIN or Rolling Stone?
Timmy: SPIN.
Nirvana or Sound Garden?
Sager: Pass.
Me: Neither?!
Sager: I dunno! I guess Nirvana because I live here. I’m not a grunge dweeb. If it was The Sonics or the Ventures…then them.
Britney or Christina?
Jettie: (Long pause)
Me: I get the most pauses on this one! People take this question very seriously.
Jettie: Christina. Her voice is so rockin’.
Sager: Latina chicks are the best. My soft spot.
Favorite breakfast cereal?
Timmy: Lucky Charms! I haven’t had Lucky Charms in like 10 years so….
Inside joke or tidbit from touring with The Lumineers?
Sager: I was in Argentina.
Jettie: Yeah, we actually had a stand-in guitarist that practiced with Tim and I for two nights. We just went for it!
Timmy: He came to our space here at CryBaby Studios and played for like two hours and then we hit the road for the Midwest right after that. In our first show that we played at The Riviera in Chicago —
Jettie: We almost missed it.
Timmy: We showed up ten minutes before the doors opened.
Me: No soundcheck or anything?
Timmy: Basically a two minute soundcheck.
Jettie. Nothing! We just threw everything on the stage. The times had somehow been mixed up. We were in like eight-lane traffic trying to get into the heart of Chicago.
Timmy: There were just people lined around and around…
Jettie: They invited us after our first show and —
Timmy: I used to play folk music and I met them when we played a show together. Their lead singer Wesley was a big fan of my music and reached out and contacted me once they hit the big time.
Jettie: The second night after our first show he came into our dressing room and was like, “soooo….you guys should come out and play “The Weight” with us.”
Timmy: Which is their last song.
Jettie: And we were like, “Cool! Alright!” So we went out that night, as well as the next two nights, and performed that with them.
Best cure for a hangover?
Sager: Kombucha.
Timmy: More sleep.
Cats or dogs?
Jettie: Cats.
Favorite song to perform live?
Timmy: Of our songs? “Deserts” for sure.
Mudhoney just played at the Space Needle. If there were no limitations, where would like to play?
Jettie: White Sands in Mexico.
Sager: I want to perform on top of that statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro.
Me: Have you been there?
Sager: Nope! But that’d be dope. I’d be on one hand of Jesus, Timmy on the other.
Jettie: And I’m on the nose. (Laughs)
Best CHBP Memory?
Jettie: This is my first time.
Sager: I saw Band of Horses a couple of years ago when they were really big and released their first record.
Timmy: I saw The Lumineers last year. We also stood on the outside and saw The Oh Sees.
Me: Stood on the outside of the fence?
Timmy: Oh yeah! We didn’t buy passes, so we just peered through it. But the sound was great! (Laughs)
What would you like to preserve, moving forward, as a band?
Timmy: Never stop going. It’s always hard to be an artist.
Jettie: Be yo self! (Laughs)
Timmy: To make music that we enjoy — not that we think will sell. And also just to play music that we like and that makes us happy. Yeah. Music that will make us happy.
