Where Traveler Los Angeles, April 2020

BEATBOXER AND LATE LATE SHOW BANDLEADER REGGIE WATTS ON L.A.’S ALTERNATIVE MUSIC SCENE

IN THE LOOP

by Vicki Arkoff

Exploring L.A.’s underground scene with music and mischief maker Reggie Watts

ELLA DEGEA/CBS © 2019 CBS BROADCASTING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; DANA BOULOS. OPPOSITE: JAKOB LAYMAN

KNOWN FOR HIS FREE-FORM WORK AS THE BANDLEADER for The Late Late Show With James Corden and the IFC show Comedy Bang! Bang!, Reggie Watts is a mind-blowing, postpost-modern digital musician, beatboxer and absurdist comedian, joyfully zigzagging between projects throughout L.A.’s underground music and improv scenes. Watts’ only tools are his nimble voice, a mic, a keyboard and a looping machine. One night he’s performing post-punk and metal with his band Karen, and the next he’s riffing onstage with L.A.’s coolest absurdist comics or recording techno-dance sessions with Wajatta, his electronic duo with John Tejada. Their second album, Don’t Let Get You Down, just dropped, as did Watts App, Reggie’s own digital network. Watts App’s first series is Underground Pop Show, showcasing L.A.’s coolest up-and-coming bands.

You moved to Los Angeles from New York when you got the Late Late Show gig. What’s your take on L.A.? I’m very fortunate to live in L.A. There’s a community of artists here creating post-punk, industrial and darker rock ’n’ roll that feels like it’s drawing from a pure source. L.A. is an exciting place right now. It’s very inspirational to me. I feel I can accomplish a lot here.

Which L.A. neighborhood makes you feel most at home? I’m renting a midcentury-modern house in Silver Lake. It’s pretty chill, filled with what I love: old, organic, beautifully designed things mixed with high-tech things that are kind of hidden. Sometimes I find things at the Silver Lake swap meet with my friend Melissa Scaduto.

Supervinyl

JAKOB LAYMAN

Favorite Eastside hangouts? I go to this coffee shop called Roo, run by an awesome bunch of Australians. Another great place is Honey Hi, run by two amazing, enterprising women serving healthy food and really good coffee.Also run by knowledgeable women, California Caregivers Alliance is an incredible dispensary. Some dispensaries are so Apple Store clinicalthat they just make you feel sad. CCA has a cool vibe and makes you feelwelcome, like you belong.

Where are your favorite local venues to play and hear alternative music? I go to Non Plus Ultra 3 quite a bit, and The Echo and Echoplex and HVW8 Gallery. I’m a child of the’80s, so I’m always looking for that spirit of danger that came from counterculture punk rock music of that era. It’s been my dream to find out where that spirit’s still residing.

Where do you hunt for vinyl and cassettes? Cosmic Vinyl has a really good selection. And Supervinyl is a gorgeous shop that plays pristine vinyl on a $10,000 1970s McIntosh record player with a $5,000 cartridge. It’s a place that totally respects music and the purity of vinyl. There’s another vinyl place, Jacknife, that also has a ton of cassette tapes. I have a Walkman and love to just throw in a tape as a memory thing. I like to have all the mediums.

Where do you go to catch L.A.’s best absurdist comedians? The Satellite Lounge and The Virgil. There’s a huge scene of incredibly insightful, absurdly creative human beings in L.A. JohnnyPemberton, Whitmer Thomas, Hannah Einbinder, John Early, Kate Berlantand Brent Weinbach—their minds are insane. Go see “Hot Tub” with KurtBraunohler and Kristen Schaal, and any of the shows run by DJ Douggpoundor Neil Hamburger. And at UCB there’s a great group of young women,Titty Committee, doing sketch character stuff.

How do you keep things fresh every night for The Late Late Show? I’m only there for a moment, and I don’t plan anything. It’s not out of laziness; it’s to keep myself excited about what’s going on in the show. I don’t want to know what the monologue is, or what the jokes are or who the guests are. Everything I do is improvised. I can’t really do it any other way. Life isn’t as fun if you get bogged down with the details.

DETAILS California Caregivers Alliance 2815 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 201, L.A., 213.353.0100 / Cosmic Vinyl 2149 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 213.568.3113, cosmicvinyl.com / The Echo + Echoplex 1822 Sunset Blvd.; 1154 Glendale Blvd., L.A., 213.413.8200, spacelandpresents.com / Honey Hi 1620 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A., 213.221.7810, honeyhi.co / HVW8 Art + Design Gallery 661 N. Spaulding Ave., L.A., 323.655.4898, hvw8.com / Jacknife Records & Tapes 3149 Glendale Blvd., L.A., 323.661.4533, jackniferecordsandtapes.com / Non Plus Ultra 3 654 Gibbons St., L.A., nonplusultra.us / Roo Coffee 1523 Griffith Park Blvd., L.A., roouniverse.com / The Satellite 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., L.A., thesatellitela.com / Silverlake Flea 2007 Reservoir St., L.A., 323.467.0623, silverlakeshop.com / Supervinyl 900 N. Sycamore Ave., L.A., 323.688.2222, supervinylusa.com / UCB 5919 Franklin Ave., L.A.; 5419 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A., 323.908.8702, ucbtheatre.com / The Virgil 4519 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., 323.660.4540, thevirgil.com