Photo By: Conner Lyons
While on their way down from Canada to Boston for their show at Brighton Music Hall tonight, Chastity Belt answered a few questions Allston Pudding had about their new album I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone and their subsequent tour. It’s hard to believe the band’s first release Fuck Chastity Belt came out over five years ago and despite the things that have changed since 2012 the band continues to not take themselves too seriously. Lead singer Julia Shapiro does not contest her well-documented love of reality TV and penchant for a certain casual family-friendly restaurant chain. However, I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone is serious, or at least a darker take on early adulthood introspection than Time To Go Home, their light-hearted 2015 release. Shapiro’s lyrics cut deep with songs about self-doubt and uncertainty tainted with mid-twenties melancholy when you realize you are grown but don’t know who you want to be yet.
Allston Pudding: How is tour life treating you? Any highlights so far?
Chastity Belt: We haven’t been on the road that long, but [seeing] our friends Luke and Nicole in Chicago, they are nuts! Specifically Nicole’s story about dressing up as a juggalo and going to an ICP show alone.
AP: Are there any new cities you are playing that you haven’t yet played?
CB: Montreal, Nashville, Asheville, Iowa City. Really looking forward to Asheville and Nashville.
AP: Has the band dynamic changed at all since your last album?
CB: Annie lives in LA now. We’re still friends.
AP: This new record was recorded in the Pacific Northwest, was it important to you to record it near where you started/live or was it just coincidental?
CB: It was convenient. We chose Jackpot! because our friend who produced it, Matthew Simms, had met Larry Crane and recommended it. I knew about Jackpot! from being a huge Elliott Smith fan so that was exciting.
AP: Favorite restaurant you’ve been to on the road?
CB: Olive Garden.
AP: Coolest venue you’ve played?
CB: Jumbo’s in Detroit.
AP: Grossest motel/Airbnb/house you crashed at?
CB: We stayed in this airbnb in San Diego that had black spray paint all over the place. In the morning exactly at checkout time a couple people came and were racing around to clean and get us out of there. It felt like something sketchy was going on there.
AP: Do you still enjoy playing the older music? The new album seems to have a bit of a darker more somber tone to it.
CB: We’re more excited about playing new songs at the moment, but we still enjoy playing the old ones.
AP: Any bands you would love to play with or collaborate with?
CB: Nickelback or Coldplay.
AP: Do you listen to more music or podcasts on tour? What are you listening to these days?
CB: This tour we’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks. We’ve been listening to a murder podcast called Up and Vanished, and also David Sedaris’ new book (Theft By Finding).
AP: I read in an interview that you wouldn’t mind Chastity Belt’s music ending up in a movie or tv show, what tv shows do wish Chastity Belt could feature in?
CB: Catfish!! And a live performance on The Bachelor please.
Chastity Belt play Brighton Music Hall tonight with Lilith and Sneaks. Doors at 7:00 PM, 18+, advance tickets: $15.