BA of the Week: Randy Walker aka, Carletta Sue Kay
Every week we feature a different person from the community shedding a little light on their life of brokeitude. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about the human spirit — probably not.
Wanna be a Broke-Ass of the Week? Holler at us here and we’ll send you the questionnaire.
Randy Walker, who grew up in the meth strewn ghost towns of “Eastern” California is singer-songwriter for the band Carletta Sue Kay who just released their debut lp “Incongruent” (Kitten Charmer Records). Feted in the NY Times and Vogue Italia, derided by Seattle’s The Stranger (“worst album cover”), and asked personally by Magnetic Fields front man singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt to sing on the latest Magnetic Fields record, celebrates their first release with a week of shows in SF:
TONIGHT: Thursday, May 17th at Amoeba SF. 6pm. FREE
Friday May 18th at Café du Nord with The Avengers and Erase Errata
And an intimate show on May 26th at The Lost Church with Lilac.
Name: Randy Walker, a.k.a. Carletta Sue Kay
Age: 47
Occupation: Rare book wielding Chanteuse.
What neighborhood do you live in?: The Lower Haight
Best money saving tip: Don’t go out! Stay home and watch Law & Order re-runs, laugh at the shitty acting, the insulting writing, and the long since forgotten superior casting choices, drink cheap jugs of Malbec.
What do you refuse to spend money on?: Lipstick (I rely on the kindness of girlfriends and strangers.)
Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: A $2.50 can of Diet Coke at Taqueria San Jose and a signed limited edition of Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.
How’d that feel?: Fucked and Fabulous!
Favorite cheap eat: My buds Troy and Tomomi do this INCREDIBLE pop-up tamale shop at their house in the Lower Haight called Twisted Tamales. They are super fantastic people and they come up with killer, cross cultural variations on the tamale.
Favorite dive bar: The Attic (3336 24th Street) especially when my handsome boyfriend/future husband Kyle Gibson is working.
Best deal you’ve ever gotten: Damien Hirst Multiple circa 1996.
Favorite free thing to do: Checking out the many fascinating and historic buildings of San Francisco. Including the so-called Old Russian Embassy (1198 Fulton Street). My pal Matt is making a documentary called The House of Legends about the infamous, gorgeous 123 year old Victorian mansion that inspired Tom Wolfe, Janis Joplin, Ken Kesey, Anton LaVey, Bobby Beausoleil, and Kenneth Anger.
If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: A diamond studded muzzle for my boyfriend.
Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: Love is a very strong word.
Do you own my book?: I thought this was MY interview!
Best hangover cure: Sleep it off!
Are you a hipster?: I’m me. A 47-year old flaming homosexual man obsessed with all things Sondheim, the music of Mark Eitzel, The S.F. Symphony, especially when conducted by the hilarious and extremely animated MTT, Rock Star Energy Drink and peanut butter. I shop for my on-stage persona Carletta Sue Kay, looking for dresses that will fit my ever increasing largesse, rummaging Thrift Stores and Vintage Shops alike. (Plug for Vacation! My pal Kristin’s fabulous new shop on 651 Larkin Street). If the things that I do could be called hip by myself or by others, it is of no interest to me. I do what I enjoy. If others share in that enthusiasm then the more the merrier I always say. If they do not, they can go buy the latest Best Coast record, make me wait for a table at Mission Chinese or just fuck off!
