Interview: Frankie Cosmos
Frankie Cosmos is an up and coming, New York-based indie rock band fronted by Greta Kline. We caught up with her this last week to ask about her writing process, increasing exposure in the press, and her spirit animal.
What’s your favorite Frank O’Hara poem?
I don’t know if he’s my favorite poet but I love the poem [Lana Turner has collapsed!]
Do you help write for Porches?
Not really..sometimes Aaron and I share or steal ideas from each other, but usually the songs (melody and lyrics) are already written by the time we bring them to our bands. We’ve written a couple songs together, but we both mostly write on our own.
What’s your favorite song you’ve written?
Whatever the most recent song I’m working on is!
Do you have a writing process for your songs?
It’s different every time…so no. But there are a few processes that I keep going back to.
Where do you find inspiration?
Art, relationships, work, stories.
What are some of your favorite albums right now?
Stuff that just came out: Rivergazer’s Random Nostalgia, and Adult Mom’s Sometimes Bad Happens! I always listen to Hi Fi Snock Uptown by Michael Hurley (or any of his albums). Love Is Overtaking Me (the Arthur Russell comp).
Do you have any crazy show/festival stories?
Not really…there are certain shows that are just really special, but not too many crazy stories.
How did it feel to be included on Rolling Stone’s Breakout Rock acts of 2014?
Insane…can’t even really comprehend that. It feels good!
Do you feel like your feature on Vogue’s summer playlist expanded your initial fan base?
I don’t really know the statistics of where my fans are coming from, but I’m pretty sure Vogue reached a new audience for us!
When did you start making music?
I’ve been playing music since I was about 6 years old, but I started trying to write songs around 5th grade.
While researching you, I discovered that your parents are Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. How did you cultivate a successful music career completely independent of your parent’s success? Was that why you decided to perform under a different name?
I don’t know if I’ve cultivated a successful music career yet… I make songs. It’s cool that people I don’t know want to listen to my songs! But I’m not *famous*. Me making music just has nothing to do with my parents. I decided to perform under a different name just for fun.
Do you feel that your prior exposure to your parent’s fame has benefited you in your ability to handle your quick rise to fame in the music industry?
Definitely not. Again, I’m not really a famous musician at this point…but even the little amount of recognition for my band has been a huge learning experience for me, in terms of how to handle it. My parents did a really good job sheltering me from that world when I was a kid…I was never in the spotlight really. So now as an adult I’m learning how to interact with fans.
Who is your musical role model?
Joanna Newsom! And Aaron Maine.
Fill in the blank:
- My favorite thing about summer is…dressing for heat!
- I would love it if I could play a show with…DC Schneider in Germany 🙂
- My main musical influences are…my friends
- My favorite pizza topping is…plain, with garlic powder!
- If I was an animal I would be a DOG… Because…I feel like I have a dog spirit
- The last book I read was…The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
- The last band I saw live was…Hospitality
- If time stood still…I would snuggle down with my honey and watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- I can’t remember the last time I … pooped my pants
- I did it all for the …cookie
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Interview by: Kate Chambers