Behind the Glitterverse: The Spook-tacular Making of Psycho Killer!

In the Glitterverse, great minds think alike.

Such was the curious case of Kingston & GreyStarr’s homage to Talking Heads’ 1977 Mega Hit, “Psycho Killer”. 

Explains GreyStarr: 

"I have loved that song my whole life…it’s so quirky, weird and different. When I presented the idea to Kingston to cover it, she paused, looked at me and said ‘You have no idea…for decades I’ve been singing a harmony on that song that isn’t there…it’s been haunting me!’”

“In the original, David Byrne’s voice is not layered with harmonies. Kingston was so excited to sing this mystery harmony, which kicked off the process of adding our own spin to this iconic piece."

Kingston confirms it was rock and roll telepathy - years in the making. 

"I think it was a foreshadowing of what was to come…I love the Talking Heads too, especially Psycho Killer's unapologetic originality. The way it always feels a little off kilter is genius.  Because of our mutual love of it, we added it to our live set - and it developed into something we wanted to record for our first EP."

When it came to the visual concept, for the music video, Kingston’s vision was straightforward: 

Kingston:

"Just think "Blade Runner"! I’m so obsessed with the (original) film! The light-defused atmosphere created with muted neons, decaying glitter and layers upon layers of haze.  I asked if we could we create a universe drawing from "Blade Runner" (unicorn references and all). GreyStarr was immediately on board."

GreyStarr:

"The space we had decided to use was a wide open floor in an industrial building that houses the recording studio (The Freakshop) of our dear friend Bob Pantella (of Monster Magnet).  We chose it as it was a blank canvas...a perfect candidate for Operation Blade Runner! What we didn’t realize were all the hidden gems we would find…"

And as the space came together, so did the dream team. Kingston & GreyStarr brought director Nick Wolf (HowlPeak Productions) on board to help shape the landscape. 

Kingston: 

“Nick went above and beyond for us. He brought a brilliant crew and utilized all sorts of effects (both on-set and in post-production) to create our visual playing field. They were phenomenal. 

"Nick’s so creative he started exploring the space…it’s an old industrial building…there are decaying hallways, and Nick’s favorite find…the freight elevator (featured in the music video)… 

He said, "You have to come up in the freight elevator, it’s a must."

"Projectors throwing imagery onto the walls that the band walked down…neon tubes used as uplighting…and haze for days!…how he positioned everything created this completely different universe…an atmosphere you can taste."

GreyStarr:

"And from a collaborative standpoint…between how the set was dressed…he costuming, the props…we were all involved in creating them and designing them. I think you can feel that…it feels like us…the Glitterverse."

Developing the concept…

Kingston:

"Instead of going literal with our visual interpretation of the song, we decided to loosen up the concept making it a little more ambiguous…weaving through the video, there is some kind of cosmic game going on…one is never sure whether we are opponents, or in on it together…Are we the psycho killer? Are we planning on becoming psycho killers?…There’s this underlying game being played."

GreyStarr:

“I had a mission to find the perfect chess board…(which she would later dip in hand mixed glitter to fully pull it into the Kingston & GreyStarr world)..."

"…I went on a treasure hunt to a renowned flea market in the middle of New Jersey…there huddled in between the antiques is a seller of chess boards (aptly named Gentleman Jim’s Endgame)…winding through the labyrinth-like aisles of chess boards, one caught my eye…are you f*%$ng kidding me? I had just found THE one…pink and black marble, complete with unicorn pieces…and the heaviest thing I had ever lifted!"

This was the missing piece…literally!

With the space locked in and creative team in place - it was now time to awaken the finishing touches of the Glitterverse through costumes and choreography. 

GreyStarr: 

"Have you ever seen Merlin? It just reminded me of a cape that a wizard would wear.  When I ordered it, I didn’t realize it was so dramatic…there’s just so much fabric!  Very hard to dance in…"

Kingston: 

“But you made it work! We had a choreographer on set with us. And between the two of you, you incorporated the cape into how you moved.”

In addition to bringing the Glitterverse to  life on screen, “Psycho Killer”  serves as a cultural time stamp. Shot shortly after the lifting of the Covid quarantine - the music video set doubled as a reunion of sorts. Music clubs and live band performances had been on what felt like an indefinite pause - making the filming even more special. 

Kingston:

“I feel like the creation of the video was this very beautiful community that came together. We hadn’t seen each other in a really long time because of the lockdown. We released our EP Covered in Glitter during the pandemic. Since it had been so long, the vibes were so good in general…these people that loved and respected each other being able to be in the same space again. Then you add Nick and his team’s creativity to the mix…the people we brought with us, the crew and the whole thing. It was a very hopeful moment, I felt. Just raw abandoned creativity!"

"We love pulling out Psycho Killer on Halloween. The song is timeless, so to have created a version of it feels really cool. People resonate with it. They love our interpretation (we do too)."

"Psycho Killer" is available on all streaming platforms, and on Kingston & GreyStarr’s debut EP Covered in Glitter. Make sure to catch the full length music video on Youtube. 

Keep your eyes peeled this Halloween season on Youtube shorts! We will take you even deeper into the Bladerunner inspired music video! Until then…..

Friend of the Gob: DJ Crystal Blu

How many musicians does it take to change a light bulb?

One sec - we gotta check the group text and figure out our schedules! 

By the time our music hits the streaming sites - prints that first CD - or vinyl (stay tuned), a great deal of coordination goes into it…

And when it’s time to take it to the stage - to perform this music - we return to the text thread and do it all over again! 

Taking the band from studio to a live setting is a whole other journey- and we could not be more grateful to DJ Crystal Blu for helping us bring the music of Kingston & GreyStarr to NYC! 

Off the heels of a super successful debut together at Berlin NYC- we’re excited to announce we’re teaming up with DJ Crystal Blu once again, but this time with an all female fronted lineup at The Mercury Lounge on September 5th! With Sleepy Kitty and How Tragic. 

Crystal is not only the DJ for the event, but the promoter- the glue that holds it together. We recently caught up with Crystal to learn more about the secret sauce behind her events. The ingredients are shockingly simple: a love for music and a desire to share it. 

“I’ve loved music since a young age…I used to work years ago for Little Steven’s Underground Garage…I was a new music scout there, so I was always listening to new talents and going to shows since the 80’s.  It’s just been my thing, my passion.” Crystal explains. 

Crystal’s tenure at Little Steven’s lasted for 11 years, eventually expanding into the festival circuit. 

“I recently got involved in the Mile of Music festival the last three years…I talked to Kingston & GreyStarr who were referred by a friend…I listened to them and thought they might want to try out…it’s in Appleton Wisconsin, it was around the holidays so it was hard to get everything together in time.  But then I heard their rendition of ‘Don’t Change’ by INXS and thought ‘Wait a minute… I think WE should work together’. 

It came naturally with Kingston & GreyStarr - hearing them and thinking “well, I love spinning New Wave and I love spinning 60s Garage, I have all those records”. 

That intital conversation led to a fully curated evening at Berlin NYC -  alongside  fellow indie bands The Ritualists and Dirty Lover.

DJ Crystal Blu spearheaded the event as a promoter, while DJing between sets… making for a cohesive night of curated music to a packed audience. 

“It was a great crowd. All the bands were really good…brought their fans…just a really well received night, so it was exciting for all of us.” 

Crystal took us back to her early days of record collecting - her first vinyl was Cheap Trick- Live at Budokan. 

First 45? “Go all the Way” by The Raspberries. 

“I’ve been collecting records for a long time.. I used to work at Beauty Bar (Friday Happy Hours) for a lot of years before the pandemic, Otto’s Shrunken Head… one of my favorite things was doing South by Southwest for Little Steven’s Festival…. that was really exciting… but now I’m doing more one offs and partnering with bands. Doing Showcases. It’s been working out well. 

And while Femme Fatale may be a new venture, it does hold roots in Crystal’s past promotion efforts with “Chicks and Broads” a Little Steven’s Underground Garage showcase featuring female fronted acts,  hosted by Genya Raven. 

And like most New York City creatives, Crystal is a true multi-hypanete: blending her passion for music as a promoter, DJ and rock photographer (having photographed Blondie, Kiss and Rod Stewart to name a few) - with her career as a  rock and roll hair stylist.  

I moved here to work at Bumble and Bumble  which is a big salon… I loved it for a long time…. 17 years… then I went to some smaller salons. Since the pandemic I’ve become more freelance which allows me to do all these great music things which is my other big passion. I wanted to work with Sleepy Kitty - I cut the drummers hair! 

And her advice for someone just coming to New York? 

“Start going out and seeing the bands you love. Meet the bands, the people who work there…it’s a natural progression once you submerge yourself into the scene. When people have the same goal in mind- just loving music - you may want to eventually promote it if that’s your cup of tea. 

And how to ace that first gig?  Communication. 

“Keeping in touch with the bands, keeping them informed of what they need. Motivating them to promote themselves. Getting their merch together- and expressing support. Whatever they need help with and being there for them. And just believing in them.

As for the Mercury Lounge show on September 5th: 

“It’s going to be a great evening of music- strong female rockers. Come out and hear some new music and have a great time. I believe in all these bands and I think it’s a great launching pad for things to come in the future”

We couldn’t agree more. And that lightbulb we mentioned? Sure one or two musicians could change it, but it’s so much more fun when others come join the party. So we’ll see you on September 5th! 

Come early to catch the whole crew: Kingston & GreyStarr, Sleepy Kitty, How Tragic and of course, DJ Crystal Blu! 

Beyond the Glitterverse…Michael Hutchence - Danny Saber - and the international vault of lost recordings

Beyond the Glitterverse- we do get a little serious from time to time. 

There’s a time to put on shiny stage boots- and a time to kick them off and reflect. 

A time to crank the guitars to eleven - and a time to turn them down - and listen to those who came before us.

 A time to take the stage, and a time to offer our support behind the scenes - so others can shine. 

We know Kingston & GreyStarr - but In a parallel universe, there’s Amy & Barbara- two multi-hypenate creators involved in a variety of passion projects. 

Today we’re diving into Barbara’s latest labor of love-assisting with the launch of the newly produced lost Michael Hutchence recordings- recovered from vaults and bunkers around the world. These songs are now fully fleshed out and available on vinyl (limited edition), thanks to the efforts of Michael’s long time friend and collaborator- producer Danny Saber. 

In an excerpt from “The Last (True) Rockstar” Saber describes the process of unearthing these recordings, which would eventually launch the vinyl release of “One Way” and “Save My Life”. 

Barbara tapped into her past life from her time at Tommy Hilfiger, where she launched numerous products including Beyonce's first fragrance, True Star.

“I got involved in the Michael Hutchence project when Danny Saber reached out to Christopher the Minister, my fiancé… they’ve known each other for a while. Danny called Christopher to help him release these very special recordings…and I often help him with his music projects. I got invited along for the ride to do the things that I do which is marketing and product development.”  

The release of “One Way” and “Save My Life” have struck an international chord: a  wealth of artistic tributes have flooded in from fans around the world. Poems, drawings, paintings and articles by those Michael’s music touched can be seen on Saber’s Youtube Channel BossSonics (Saber’s label) - and can be found on the community page.  

The release of these recordings are very much a full circle moment…Kingston & GreyStarr’s  very first release was a cover of INXS' “Don’t Change”.

Do you have a Michael Hutchence tribute you would like to share? Feel free to send it over to Boss Sonics on Facebook. Vinyl releases of “One Way” and “Save my Life” are available on (original Black version - limited edition) and Deko Entertainment (Red Version- available for pre-order).