In the mid 2000s, Go Betty Go seemed to be on everyone’s radar. The all female pop/punk LA based band was wowing audiences and critics alike with their music and live show. Then in 2006, lead singer Nicolette Vilar left the band and bassist Michelle Rangel followed suit in 2007. The band continued on with replacements, but after a few more years of performing, they disbanded in 2010. In 2012, Go Betty Go’s original lineup shocked everyone when they announced that they were getting back together for a show. You can say the all the stars aligned or it was fate or maybe just pure luck, but that led us to the first new music from the lineup in ten years. I sat down recently with drummer Aixa Vilar and guitarist Betty Cisneros and they schooled me on all things Go Betty Go.
You were disbanded for a couple of years and then, out of what seemed like nowhere, we all heard that you were getting back together again. Was there a catalyst that brought you all together again?
Aixa Vilar: Betty’s friend Dora called her and told her that she had booked the band to perform.
Betty Cisneros: She’s a promoter and she had invited me to one of her shows in Hollywood. She had been wanting us to play and we weren’t even talking to each other or on the best of terms at that point. I remember telling her that it just wasn’t going to happen and she told me that she was just going to book us anyway and to just figure it out. Well, she did book us and I spoke to Aixa who then spoke to Nicolette and then she spoke to Michelle and everything fell into place nicely and we ended up making a record. Yeah, I guess you could say it all kind of worked out.
Was it difficult or awkward getting back together given that you weren’t on the best of terms? Was there any apprehension?
Betty: I think if I would have had to call the others girls then yes. I was on good terms with Aixa at the time and she’s the one who had to talk to her sister, but she didn’t have any problems with her.
Aixa: It wasn’t awkward at all and actually, it was really super easy. I’m cool with my sis and Betty, but I hadn’t talked with Michelle in quite a while. I was a little nervous talking to my sis and I felt like I was putting her on the spot. I remember telling her that I don’t think she would ever expect me to ask her this, but what would she think about coming back and doing a show. This was just three weeks before the actual show and she said sure. I remember feeling a little hesitant because we hadn’t played with this lineup in seven years and I knew I didn’t want to stress her out about it. I think we all had the bug to get back together and play and it took Betty’s friend to cause that spark.
Do you notice much of a difference now within the band as opposed to seven years ago?
Aixa: I think we’ve all done a lot of growing up and experiencing life outside of the band. When we were doing this full time before, we were 100% invested in the band and we didn’t give ourselves a chance to live and enjoy other things in life. Now, it’s a great combo because we’ve all had great life experiences with and without the band. We also don’t have all the pressure from outside labels and management. We’re having fun this time and one of the reasons Nikki left to begin with was because of a lot of pressure that was on us. We were so busy and we didn’t give ourselves a break. If we learned anything it’s that we should have given ourselves more time and given ourselves a break before it overwhelmed us. Then, things that should have been resolved better kept getting swept under the rug and we never really addressed the problems that were stirring up amongst ourselves, thus it blew up in our faces.
GO BETTY GO – It Haunts You Now (Official Video)
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Betty: We do approach things differently now because of how our immaturity level was back then. We’ve learned a lot since then; at least we’d like to think so.
Aixa: Also, from a creative point, it’s a sigh of relief not having to answer to so many people.
Betty: Oh absolutely; it’s all what we decide and there’s no pressure. We make all of our decisions and there was no pressure when we were making this record. We’d be hanging out in a room and having dinner and we’d come up with a verse and it all came so naturally.
So, I’m guessing that lack of pressure probably transferred over into the recording process as well?
Aixa: We’d go to someone’s house, catch-up and make sure everyone was well fed so that no one was in a foul mood and then we would practice and come up with ideas. Actually, it’s always been that way and the four of us would finish it together. I always look at our songs as puzzle pieces and when we all finish putting them all together; we have a pretty portrait with flowers to look at afterwards.
I also noticed that you went back to Ted Hutt to handle production duties on the album.
Aixa: Yeah, he did our other two records and Nikki kept in touch with him. We couldn’t imagine anyone else doing our record, but he has been super busy producing other artists since he last worked with us. He just brings out the best in us and we were so nervous to ask him to do our new record. I mean, why would he want to work with us again? He’s been producing bigger bands and getting Grammy nominations. We asked him and he told us that he would have been offended if we wouldn’t have asked him. We were so excited when he said that and then our schedules just happen to work out perfectly.
You went the Pledgemusic route for this release, which many bands are starting to turn to. How did you find out about it?
Aixa: Our friends the Dollyrots have used it before and they’re the ones who told us that we really should do it because it works and that the fans are really excited to be involved. We gave it a shot and they were 100% right. It ended up being very successful and we’d definitely do it again.
Betty: I’ll admit that I was one of the ones who were confused about it. I didn’t know why we would ask our peeps for money, so it was a bit awkward for me. I would have never considered it before, but it’s a really neat idea and now we get to make new music again.
I knew there was a Dollyrots connection there somewhere, but I didn’t know how.
Aixa: We’ve known them since they started playing in LA many years ago when we all started out as bands on the same bill and we all became really good friends. I’ve actually been drumming with them too; they’re amazing people too. They’re definitely experts at the Pledgemusic thing.
Betty: They are so great with staying in touch with their fans and keeping them entertained.
I’ve been a fan of theirs for several years now and I totally agree with you. They really have mastered the use of social media to bridge the distance between them and their fans.
Aixa: Social media is a great tool, but it can be tough for some bands to grasp hold to it. We’re all about performing and writing music, that sometimes we lose track of it. I love it and I love to connect with the fans. I try to put myself in the shoes of the fan and I would love to directly communicate with a band. I’d probably think it was fake at first and that it wasn’t really them (laughs).
I know you’ve done the Warped tour in the past and it’s a shame that you’re not doing any dates this summer, especially with the new album out.
Aixa: We did a few dates last summer and we would definitely it again, but I guess it depends on if they’re looking for us. It’s a hard ass tour because it’s hot and the distance between shows can be really long, but it’s great exposure. Things are a lot different on the tour now than they were ten years ago. Kevin’s smart and he adapts to what people are buying; it’s not so much punk anymore. There’s a lot of electronic and it’s more eclectic and there’s so much going on.
Betty: We’ll need to get a turntable to be able to blend in now (laughs).
We’ll have to keep our eyes on those Warped dates just in case something works out. Do you have anything in the works that you share with the readers?
Aixa: We have a bunch of stuff going on in California and we’re going to hit up the East coast this year as well, which is very exciting. We haven’t been there in ten years and we need to get back. We have to get back to those places that we haven’t been to in a very long time. To try and keep that balance between the band and our personal lives, we’re going to fly out to some of these regions and do three or four shows and then fly back home.
Betty: As for things going on other than shows, we have to start writing for the new record.
Aixa: One of the reasons that we put out an EP and not a full length was to test the waters. Do these people even care that we’re back and wanting to make new music and buy this? Well, the people responded and there definitely is interest in the band and it’s freaking fantastic.
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