The charming indie-pop duo Gal Pals, made up of Lauren Marie Mikus and Jillian Talley, are having a big year. After the Los-Angeles-by-way-of-Austin band released their sparkly debut, Velvet Rut, in February, they played SXSW as part of the Burger Records Caravan. They’ve also performed a bunch of hipper-than-thou festivals around Los Angeles, including Make Music Pasadena, Viva Pomona and Echo Park Rising. Of course, they’re also going to be part of Burger-a-Go-Go on September 4 and 5. The Burger Records-curated, all-female festival will be headlined by the Kathleen Hanna-led Julie Ruin and the Kim Gordon-led Glitterbust.

Mikus talks to Myspace about why they moved to Los Angeles, their fashion icons, and why they love their young fans.

Hometown: We are both Texans. Lauren grew up in Houston and Jill in the Dallas area.  We met from Austin, which is our chosen “hometown."  

Homebase: Los Angeles

How did you two meet?

We met seven years ago working at a vintage store. We became friends first, then band mates a few years later.

Did you guys have an epiphany — a eureka moment when you knew you wanted to make music for a living?

I think anyone who does this has always wanted to be able to be creative for a living.  We keep working so we can see that moment actually come true!

Why are you called Gal Pals?

It sort of just happened! And we like the way it looks on the page.  

What’s Velvet Rut’s biggest influence or inspiration for being?

Living in Austin, working on something with a friend that goes beyond just partying and figuring how we wanted to live our lives and be creatively productive. We always wanted to make something that would last and sort of contribute to the source that feed us as music lovers for so many years.

Why did you move from Austin to LA?

Austin is a wonderful place and we will always love it. We were ready for new experiences as people and wanted to play in new places and conquer new territories.    

Does living in LA influence your sound now?

Moving across the country provided great fodder for songwriting in our next record. It's great to meet new bands and get inspired to keep going!

How important is it that your music is considered political — you know, feminist, smart, etc.?

Our music doesn't have a particular political agenda, but we do hope to present songs that are relatable and hopefully encouraging in some way.

I’ve seen you compared to other girl bands like the Donnas and Vivian Girls. Do you like those comparisons?

We are always happy to be included in the general dialogue of all the other great girl bands out there right now. In general, though, we'd rather have listeners make their own opinions by listening to the record!

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Dolly Mixture — a great ‘80s band from London, and Susan, our sister band in LA, whom we do get to collaborate with at times.

Describe previous bands you were in before.

Jill was in a garagey poppy punk band called Cowabunga Babes. I was in a band called The Midnight Hours, which was more like ‘60s country influenced rock and roll.

Do you have day jobs in LA?

We both work in film.

Does that help you make music for the band, or creatively, in general?

We've met people through work that have helped us get shows or just become encouraging to the band. The schedule can make rehearsing hard at times but we always push through.

Who are your fashion icons?

Thelma and Louise, Francoise Hardy, our friends.

How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard of you?

Harmonious pop gold.

What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done for you?

We have signed a few autographs for younger kids that were wholeheartedly inspired and happy to have seen us for the first time. Their bravery to come up to a stranger and their genuine excitement to see people doing something they know they can do too is always such a good reminder of what makes this worth it.