Reader Question: How did the Kostars come to be, and how did you end up collaborating with Ween?
A reader called @nizamark asked how we hooked up with Ween so we decided to write all about the beloved LJ side-project, Kostars and the album 'Klassics with a K"
Jill: Kostars was a 1995 side project consisting of Vivian Trimble (Luscious Jackson keyboardist 1992-97) and me. It was and remains very popular among our fans and those who enjoy the combination of ’60s French pop, Bobbie Gentry, and Astrud Gilberto influences.
Kate: Kostars released one album and one single on the Beastie Boys-run label, Grand Royal Records. Here’s the original press release:
Grand Royal presents the Kostars debut album. “Klassics With a K,” a vibrant and sultry collection of summertime sing-alongs to be released this winter (Feb. 1996). Kostars is a side project of Luscious Jackson members Jill Cunniff and Vivian Trimble, who needed an additional outlet for the transistor radio hits they were writing.
The Kostars started during a headlining tour in May, 1995. While waiting to play a show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they headed into the woods with two acoustic guitars, and the rest is herstory. By the end of the tour, they had written an album’s worth of songs inspired by such greats as Bobbie Gentry, Astrud Gilberto, Nancy Sinatra, and Joni Mitchell, and decided to record it all as soon as they got home to New York City. They tried to capture that lonely, slow town, nothin’ goin’ on around here feeling that seems to accompany the touring life. By that time, the band had traversed much of the country, and the girls had perfected their romantic fixation with small-town dreamers, schemers, and castaways that would become the subject matter of their songs.
A lot of sweat went into Klassics (literally! — it was one hot summer in the city). The Kostars album was recorded and mixed in 25 days at the Meat and Potatoes Studio, a 16-track home studio put together in the Luscious Jackson rehearsal room. The album was engineered by Josephine Wiggs of The Breeders and Ladies Who Lunch, and marks her first full-length engineering project. Much of the accompaniment was written on the spot as an experiment in spontaneous human combustion, and Josephine’s patience and super mellow vibe aided the process immensely. The drums were played by Luscious Jackson member Kate Schellenbach, and Gabby from LJ also came and lent a guitar lead. Other friends, including Dean and Gene from the musical group Ween, stopped by to contribute licks and tracks.
So, when the cold winds are blowin’, and it just won’t stop snowin’, wrap yourself in these sunny freewheelin’ tunes. They’ll set your hotpants on fire.
If you’ve never heard this album, check it out here:
Jill: Luscious Jackson was on a US tour in support of our 1994 album Natural Ingredients. It was on a languorous Southern arm when Viv and I started strumming away on songs. Viv had just learned to play some chords on the guitar, her first instrument being the piano. Viv loved the acoustic guitar and its ease and portability. She quickly gravitated to major 7th chords, which we both loved for their melancholic 1960s soundtrack vibe.
Viv taking advantage of the inevitable time waiting for the tour bus at a hotel
Kate: There’s so much downtime on tour, it’s great to have a portable hobby. Everyone had their ‘things’ to keep them sane. I brought a basketball and roller blades.
Jill: As we sat outside our touring RV, usually at a venue parking lot or a Waffle House, perhaps feeling the pull of Bobbie Gentry’s album “Ode to Billie Joe” (a favorite), Viv and I started knocking out songs. It was so easy and fun, the album kind of appeared on its own. We always said the songs came out of the breeze.
Jill and Vivian writing songs riverside during the Southern leg of Luscious Jackson’s US tour in ‘95. Photo by Kate
Jill: Kate, I can’t believe you had this riverside songwriting photo! Never saw that.
Kate: I always think of this photo as the actual birth of Kostars!
Jill: I have beautiful memories of making this quick hit of a record. When we had enough songs for a record, we approached our label, Grand Royal, who liked the demos and gave us a small recording budget. We recorded the album at Kate’s loft on 14th Street. Josephine Wiggs of The Breeders agreed to produce. Kate played drums. The whole thing took a few weeks to record. It was light and fun the whole time with lots of laughing and silliness.
Josephine Wiggs (The Breeders) at the 16-track mixing board in the LJ rehearsal room.
Kate working the TASCAM 4-track machine we recorded the first Kostars song on (French Kiss).
Kate: I was Josephine’s assistant engineer and drummer for the project, which was a lot of fun. We had fun playing around with old drum machines and lo-fi recording techniques. The first song we recorded was the demo for ‘French Kiss’ on a 4-track. Grand Royal liked it enough to green-light a full-length album. The demo version made it onto the album, but the rest was recorded on 16 tracks. I love love love this record so much, and it still stands up!!
WEEN! Collaborating with Gene & Dean
While we were recording, our publicist, Shelby Meade, suggested asking Ween to do a cameo (she always had ideas for collaborations and excitement. Still does!). They agreed and came to the studio from Pennsylvania. I had hung out with Ween a few times in NYC after their gigs (we were huge Ween fans), so the cameo was a big honor. Gene Ween sang the high falsetto on Viv’s song “Don’t Know Why.” Dean Ween played guitar on the song. Another easy session! The record was blessed with Ween.
The photo shoots and video for ‘Red Umbrella.’
We did a photo shoot with Danny Clinch, our favorite photographer. That’s what made the front and back cover shots. We went for late 1960’s gals with cheeky glamour. The shoot captured the mood of the record.
We also did an earlier shoot for the HEY COWBOY 45 with photographer Kevin Hatt and stylist Simone Colina (who is also known as Fondu).
‘Red Umbrella’ Video directed by Lance Acord:
Jill: We had been given a small budget by Grand Royal to make a video for the single, “Red Umbrella.” Mike Diamond (Beastie Boy and label president) connected us with director Lance Acord. I always say about Mike: “never a bad connection”, meaning he always brought in top-notch creative people. Lance was of this ilk. He was a photographer first and foremost. He did the cinematography for videos by Björk and Fat Boy Slim, and later shot multiple Spike Jonze movies and Sofia Coppola’s “Lost In Translation”. He came to a Kostars gig at Westbeth in NYC, and got a sense of the vision. Soon, Tulum, Mexico, was chosen as the location, and he was to film the video on Super 8. We flew to Cancun, rented a car, and drove down to Tulum. I believe we had stylist Rima Acord with us, otherwise where did all those fabulous 1960s tropical clothes come from? We also had makeup artist Sandrine Van Slee with us. She was so fantastic that we ended up bringing her on for the ‘Naked Eye’ video. I remember the visual transformation well. It really brought us into the moment to have our “costumes”. The video ended up being a lovely beach confection full of monkeys, and Viv really got a chance to shine. Viv’s family says Kostars was her favorite project she ever did.
Jake Fogelnest & SQUiRT TV
Jill: Kostars performed on a TV show called SQUiRT TV with a teenage Jake Fogelnest, who hosted the show in his home while his mom was at work. I think it was on MTV. Very charming show and host. Hi Jake, if you’re reading this! Viv is rocking the toy Casio with great panache.
This Casio KA-20 got around, not only with Kostars but with LJ as well. It had a surprisingly lush organ sound for what was basically a kid’s keyboard.
Kostars on tour!
Jill: When the album came out, it became an underground sensation, and we did a quick tour. For the live shows, Josephine played drums, and Sarah Cox joined on bass. The song “Jolene on the Freeway” was played frequently on KCRW. We did a packed Kostars concert in Los Angeles. We also played in other cities.
Here’s a live Kostars performance and interview from on KCRW:
Sarah Cox, Vivian, Jill, and Josephine Wiggs posing in front of the Spaceland (R.I.P.) marquee in Los Angeles. They apparently ran out of consonants.
Sarah Cox and Josephine Woggs warming up for a Kostars show backstage at Irving Plaza, NYC
Kostars influence on Luscious Jackson
Jill: I can’t believe how much happened between 1994 and 96. Touring Natural Ingredients with Luscious Jackson, writing, recording, and touring Kostars, then writing and recording Luscious Jackson’s ‘Fever In, Fever Out.’ How did we squeeze all of that in?
It can also be said that Kostars was a stepping stone record. We had a meeting at Capitol Records where the president said, “That Kostars record is really good. The songwriting tells me you guys are ready to work with a major producer on your next album.” The label reached out to producer Daniel Lanois, who was a fan of In Search of Manny (LJ 1992). He said yes to producing our next album, Fever In, Fever Out.
Kate: I think after writing and recording the Kostars record, we realized our best creative and recording output was happening in our home studio (in my apartment), and ‘Fever in Fever Out’ co-producer, Daniel Lanois, agreed when he joined us for a rehearsal and experienced the vibe in person. A majority of that record was recorded there.
And that’s another post!
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I loved this record. Given Kate’s involvement and gaby appearing , why was a new band created ? Was the fear that the different sound could distract from the LJ brand ?
I remember going to see Kostars at the Mercury Lounge - awesome show! Great post. Thank you!
I loved this record. Given Kate’s involvement and gaby appearing , why was a new band created ? Was the fear that the different sound could distract from the LJ brand ?