Indie Lo Presti

San Diego singer/songwriter Danielle Lo Presti has written and recorded music for VH1, the Lifetime Network, Clear Channel, and the 1996 movie The Nutty Professor. In 2000 she went guerilla-style and founded her own indie label, Say It Records, which has released three CDs from Danielle Lo Presti and the Masses: Dear Mr. Penis Head, 22 Mountains, and Outloud.

TRICKIEST PROBLEM PLAYING LIVE?

"Sometimes getting a decent mix, sometimes getting folks to come to a gig in a new city, sometimes getting folks to move beyond just enjoying the show to the actions we love to see: buying CDs and signing the e-mail list."

BEST GIG?

"San Diego Indie Music Fest '04. Opening for David Byrne was great -- people were receptive, lined up to buy CDs -- but they wouldn't let us use the whole band because Byrne used all of Humphrey's inputs but four, not just for his band but for the nearly naked marching band from San Francisco he had join him onstage for 'Burning Down the House.' "

WORST GIG?

"A 'Take Back the Night' gig at University of Redlands that was so cold we couldn't feel our hands or any other part of our bodies. The audience was so bundled you could hardly tell they were people. It was freezing, the sound sucked, and there was hardly anyone there. No, no...there's a much worse one: New Year's Eve about five or so years ago in Santa Barbara, playing for a room full of trillionaires. Had never worked for this bandleader before, knew no one on the bandstand. He calls 'Respect' at midnight, Oprah comes out with Steadman, along with everyone else in the room, and it was a complete train wreck. Bass player didn't know the changes -- to 'Respect,' one of the most overplayed covers in the history of man! Leader's trying to shout them across the stage to the guy, the rest of the band's trying to hang on, Oprah's a foot away from me in this teeny place, and all I can think is no matter what I do right now, nothing is going to keep me from being associated as part of this band that sounds like absolute poo-poo."

ANY OTHER BRUSH WITH THE FAMOUS?

"I've sung for Steven Spielberg, Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, David Foster...then there's studying music theory with my (then) friend Eric Bishop, now Jamie Foxx, in college, and his very many brushes that made any real studying challenging."

EARLIEST MEMORY?

"Dancing with my mom to Stevie Wonder and Barry White in the living room of our little house in Clairemont."

ALL-TIME FAVORITE CDs?

1. Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life

2. Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Peace Beyond Passion

3. Michael Franti and Spearhead, Stay Human

4. Rachelle Ferrell, Individuality

5. Kevin Gilbert, Thud

PROM NIGHT?

"Danced and made out passionately with Scott till the last possible moment. He was so yummy."

FAVORITE SAN DIEGO HANGOUT?

"Anywhere I can find to walk at dusk, without cars and as few people as possible."

IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE ELSE...

"President of the U.S., so I could stop this war, immediately."