01Profile
A Natalie Hoffmann Photo
Natalie Hoffmann
Vocals/guitar/synth — Memphis, TN
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Natalie Hoffmann - vocals/guitar/synth player for Nots, currently residing in Memphis, TN.
Describe your style in three words?
classic, sometimes tacky.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I had a good surprise at SXSW a few years ago - after a long day that seemed to be spent only trying to park and move the van, I ended up at Hotel Vegas with a bunch of friends and a band I’d never heard of, Lust for Youth, got onstage and completely blew my mind. It was such a good show.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Suicide and Tago Mago - era CAN. Let’s break out the heavy hitters. We’ll play a 7-minute opening set.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
DIY has certainly had the most influence on me. I grew up in a town with almost nothing going on in terms of art and music. There was one DIY venue in the college town close to where I grew up and I remember seeing a single zine on the table in there and having my entire perspective changed. It had weird art and reviews of bands I had never heard of and some bad poetry. I saw people just putting stuff together where there was nothing before, art shows, concerts, fashion and it gave me this idea that I could just do whatever, and there weren’t any established rules or a really specific scene I had to try and make my way into. And in my small town, there really was no music scene other than the people just doing what they wanted. That stayed with me as I rapidly discovered the much bigger DIY punk scene in Memphis and it was truly exciting. I’ll post a Memphis song that I loved as soon as I heard it.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Oh wow, what an overwhelming question. So many directions to go. What does this hour involve? Where are we? I’m going to go with one of my favourite authors, Ursula K Le Guin. I’d love to talk alternate worlds with her.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
King George in Cologne, Germany. It’s a small, red neon-adorned dive bar with decade-themed hostel rooms upstairs. It’s a beautiful place and the people who work there and come to the shows treat us like they’ve known us for years, which is always really wonderful when you’re so far from home. And it does remind me of some of my favourite Memphis haunts.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I’m going to go with two electronic music pioneers - Delia Derbyshire and Suzanne Ciani. Lucky for us they’re both slowly gaining the recognition they deserve. Their sounds and recordings from the late '60s and '70s are constantly inspiring to me. Suzanne Ciani’s 'Buchla Concerts 1975 (Live)' is one of my most listened to albums, and 'An Electric Storm' by White Noise is a deeply psychedelic and just all around surprising album.
Nots released their third album '3' through Upset The Rhythm in Europe on 10th May 2019 and it is available to buy here: upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com.
In November 2015 Nots performed alongside The Wytches, Hooton Tennis Club & Britain as part or our SubcultureLive series of gigs at The Garage, London. Read more about that at here.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Your Woman' by White Town. I remember being absolutely obsessed with that song. I remember hearing it at the skating rink and in the car and falling in love. Whatta hook. Primo '90s one hit wonder.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Hooo boy. I’m gonna be real and pick a wonderfully moody one to capture that time, from a band that I probably would have loved back then, was I the least bit aware of good, strange punk music. 'Diary of a Young Man' by Television Personalities.
One record you would keep forever?
'Primitive Guitars' by Phil Manzanera. So much variety on this one and I’ve already used up my CAN allowance on this interview. I tried to really think on this-what record would I actually not tire of in the future? This one has the future written all over it.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
“Looking real bored is what you pay me for, La Dolce Vita.
Looking real bored’s as hard as scrubbing floors, La Dolce Vita.
I’m overpaid but still, I’ll ask for more. La Dolce Vita.
Baby, after all, you’ve got to help the poor, La Dolce Vita...
...Life isn’t much, but there’s nothing else to do, La Dolce Vita.”
'La Dolce Vita' by Sparks. This entire song is a complete lyrical (and sonic) inspiration, but this half of the second verse especially gets me - and the last lyric that’s repeated in the outro of the song.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'The Devil’s Dancers' by Oppenheimer Analysis. This song is an arpeggiating dream and the chorus is “we’re the devil’s dancers swinging all the answers, dance with us, dance with us” How do you deny that??
A song you wished you had written?
Let’s go with a classic. 'French Disko' by Stereolab. Everything is put together so incredibly in this song. And it sits on such a good line of being too much. I love that line.
Best song to turn up loud?
I’m gonna pick two that pair together well, 'Identity' by X-Ray Spex and 'Fire' by Lizzie Mercier Descloux. And to be fair, I listen to everything too loud. But! These both feel really good to blast.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'One More Time' by Salty Miller. I love yacht rock. LOVE IT. Especially the stuff that didn’t get famous at the time and has this weird outside-the-yacht-vibe. The freaky recording style, the unabashed sh*tty martini-drunk lyrics about love lost amid the somehow simultaneously chillest and busiest bass/keys you’ve ever heard. Oh! And those hooks. Don’t even get me started on the endless hooks.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
So this for when you’ve exited the last bar of the night that you shouldn’t have gone to and shouldn’t have let you in. Your bleary eyes squint as the sun is coming up and most of the endorphins have worn off but you’re with some of your favourite people and you’re doing those weird drunk lanky armed side hugs. You dance around with some warm, spilling Miller High Life that you stuck in your jacket on the way to your falling apart car and you crank up Robyn Hitchcock’s 'Madonna of the Wasps' and everything in that moment is just lovely.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Bad Advice' by Hash Redactor.
'Some Like it Hot' by The World.
'Starry Night' by Peggy Gou.
'1000 Spektakli' by Belgrado.
'Drug Culture' by Trampoline Team.
'Stray Dogs' by Golden Pelicans.
'Longlegger' by Perverts Again.
'Primitive World' by Giorgio Murderer.
'Chose Sauvage' by Ventre de Biche.
'Only Human' by Cold Showers.
'La Vallée D'or' by Marie Davidson.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Natalie Hoffmann - vocals/guitar/synth player for Nots, currently residing in Memphis, TN.
Describe your style in three words?
classic, sometimes tacky.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I had a good surprise at SXSW a few years ago - after a long day that seemed to be spent only trying to park and move the van, I ended up at Hotel Vegas with a bunch of friends and a band I’d never heard of, Lust for Youth, got onstage and completely blew my mind. It was such a good show.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Suicide and Tago Mago - era CAN. Let’s break out the heavy hitters. We’ll play a 7-minute opening set.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
DIY has certainly had the most influence on me. I grew up in a town with almost nothing going on in terms of art and music. There was one DIY venue in the college town close to where I grew up and I remember seeing a single zine on the table in there and having my entire perspective changed. It had weird art and reviews of bands I had never heard of and some bad poetry. I saw people just putting stuff together where there was nothing before, art shows, concerts, fashion and it gave me this idea that I could just do whatever, and there weren’t any established rules or a really specific scene I had to try and make my way into. And in my small town, there really was no music scene other than the people just doing what they wanted. That stayed with me as I rapidly discovered the much bigger DIY punk scene in Memphis and it was truly exciting. I’ll post a Memphis song that I loved as soon as I heard it.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Oh wow, what an overwhelming question. So many directions to go. What does this hour involve? Where are we? I’m going to go with one of my favourite authors, Ursula K Le Guin. I’d love to talk alternate worlds with her.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
King George in Cologne, Germany. It’s a small, red neon-adorned dive bar with decade-themed hostel rooms upstairs. It’s a beautiful place and the people who work there and come to the shows treat us like they’ve known us for years, which is always really wonderful when you’re so far from home. And it does remind me of some of my favourite Memphis haunts.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I’m going to go with two electronic music pioneers - Delia Derbyshire and Suzanne Ciani. Lucky for us they’re both slowly gaining the recognition they deserve. Their sounds and recordings from the late '60s and '70s are constantly inspiring to me. Suzanne Ciani’s 'Buchla Concerts 1975 (Live)' is one of my most listened to albums, and 'An Electric Storm' by White Noise is a deeply psychedelic and just all around surprising album.
Nots released their third album '3' through Upset The Rhythm in Europe on 10th May 2019 and it is available to buy here: upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com.
In November 2015 Nots performed alongside The Wytches, Hooton Tennis Club & Britain as part or our SubcultureLive series of gigs at The Garage, London. Read more about that at here.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Your Woman' by White Town. I remember being absolutely obsessed with that song. I remember hearing it at the skating rink and in the car and falling in love. Whatta hook. Primo '90s one hit wonder.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Hooo boy. I’m gonna be real and pick a wonderfully moody one to capture that time, from a band that I probably would have loved back then, was I the least bit aware of good, strange punk music. 'Diary of a Young Man' by Television Personalities.
One record you would keep forever?
'Primitive Guitars' by Phil Manzanera. So much variety on this one and I’ve already used up my CAN allowance on this interview. I tried to really think on this-what record would I actually not tire of in the future? This one has the future written all over it.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
“Looking real bored is what you pay me for, La Dolce Vita.
Looking real bored’s as hard as scrubbing floors, La Dolce Vita.
I’m overpaid but still, I’ll ask for more. La Dolce Vita.
Baby, after all, you’ve got to help the poor, La Dolce Vita...
...Life isn’t much, but there’s nothing else to do, La Dolce Vita.”
'La Dolce Vita' by Sparks. This entire song is a complete lyrical (and sonic) inspiration, but this half of the second verse especially gets me - and the last lyric that’s repeated in the outro of the song.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'The Devil’s Dancers' by Oppenheimer Analysis. This song is an arpeggiating dream and the chorus is “we’re the devil’s dancers swinging all the answers, dance with us, dance with us” How do you deny that??
A song you wished you had written?
Let’s go with a classic. 'French Disko' by Stereolab. Everything is put together so incredibly in this song. And it sits on such a good line of being too much. I love that line.
Best song to turn up loud?
I’m gonna pick two that pair together well, 'Identity' by X-Ray Spex and 'Fire' by Lizzie Mercier Descloux. And to be fair, I listen to everything too loud. But! These both feel really good to blast.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'One More Time' by Salty Miller. I love yacht rock. LOVE IT. Especially the stuff that didn’t get famous at the time and has this weird outside-the-yacht-vibe. The freaky recording style, the unabashed sh*tty martini-drunk lyrics about love lost amid the somehow simultaneously chillest and busiest bass/keys you’ve ever heard. Oh! And those hooks. Don’t even get me started on the endless hooks.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
So this for when you’ve exited the last bar of the night that you shouldn’t have gone to and shouldn’t have let you in. Your bleary eyes squint as the sun is coming up and most of the endorphins have worn off but you’re with some of your favourite people and you’re doing those weird drunk lanky armed side hugs. You dance around with some warm, spilling Miller High Life that you stuck in your jacket on the way to your falling apart car and you crank up Robyn Hitchcock’s 'Madonna of the Wasps' and everything in that moment is just lovely.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Bad Advice' by Hash Redactor.
'Some Like it Hot' by The World.
'Starry Night' by Peggy Gou.
'1000 Spektakli' by Belgrado.
'Drug Culture' by Trampoline Team.
'Stray Dogs' by Golden Pelicans.
'Longlegger' by Perverts Again.
'Primitive World' by Giorgio Murderer.
'Chose Sauvage' by Ventre de Biche.
'Only Human' by Cold Showers.
'La Vallée D'or' by Marie Davidson.
NOTS | Floating Hand (2019)
NOTS | Inherently Low - live (2015)
NOTS | Shelf Life - live (2015)
NOTS | Reactor (2015)
X5
NOTS live at The Garage, London for SubcultureLive (2015)