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Theo and the Skyscrapers
Former lead singer of the Lunachicks, the iconic, all-female, punk band from New York City, is back on the road with both a new album and a new band. Theo Kogan has put together Theo and the Skyscrapers, her first real band since the feminist punkers broke up. Their self-titled debut was released on March 28 along with a DVD.
After the Lunachick's demise, Kogan went solo for a while before hooking up with Sean Pierce, former co-frontman for the Toilet Boys. The two collaborated on an album's worth of songs that were released as Kogan's solo record in 2002. The duo brought in visual artist Rob Roth to help put together their live shows, which employed live dancers, psychedelic video projections, over the top costumes and special lighting set-ups. The DVD that was recently released incorporated video footage from these shows.
A year later, in late 2003, missing playing with a full band, the duo decided to bring in a drummer and bass player. As Kogan and Pierce are exceptionally tall, with Pearce standing at 6'6", the concept for Theo and the Skyscrapers was born.
"We just decided that we wanted everybody to be giant," Kogan said. "It makes me look very petite."
After playing with a variety of bass players and drummers, the final line-up of Theo and the Skyscrapers was established a year ago in May, with Chris Kling coming in on drums and Dimitry Makhonsky joining as the bass player.
Then they decided to record an album with the full band. "It was really quite spontaneous. We recorded at a friend's house and our own house," Kogan said. "It wasn't like at a studio, where we would spend weeks at a studio. These days, with Protools, anybody can make an album." The leisure of recording an album on their own pace was fruitful for them. Originally, they had nine songs for the record and at the last minute they were able to record a couple of songs before the album got pressed.
The band worked together to write all the songs on the album. Pierce wrote most of the chords, but Kogan would write the lyrics and the melodies. Sometimes the band would stumble upon a gem while jamming at practice. And sometimes, the drummer would even come in with a beat as inspiration.
"That reminds me of a drummer joke. Why did the drummer get kicked out of the band?" Kogan asked. "Because he had an idea!" She then turned the jokes on her own kind. "Why did the singer keep knocking on the door?" she asked. "Because she didn't know when to come in!" All jokes aside, the band's songwriting process was all inclusive.
While she's happy with her new band, as the only female in an all male band, the table's are turned for Kogan, who was used to performing with all girls. "I loved being in the Lunachicks. They're still my oldest and best friends. And there are some things I miss, especially getting ready for shows," she said. "Obviously, being on stage now is different. I'm with different people. But I enjoy being the only girl and feel incredibly supported by the boys on stage. It's fun for me."
Kogan's songwriting has also matured over the years. "I'm not singing about farts anymore," she laughed. "I'm constantly growing and changing, and I think people can see that." She also feels that the sound of Theo and the Skyscrapers is very different from the Lunachicks.
While the Lunachicks were an abrasive punk band, the Skyscrapers are a bit more melodic, with "a little more of a dance feel to [their sound] and some metal," Kogan said. "I'd call us disco metal."
Also, while the Lunachicks were an incredibly liberal, overtly political band, while this remains the person Kogan is, it has yet to come through in any of their songs. They are writing an anti-war song to be played at an anti-war show in the fall. Kogan also is vocal about her personal politics, often speaking out on many issues, especially the issue of abortion. "We want people to fight for Roe vs. Wade," she said.
The band has also been utilizing the internet and technology to their full advantage. They currently have more than 8,000 friends and fans on Myspace. "[It's] an incredible phenomenon," Kogan said. "It's so useful to bands. People on there are coming out of the woodwork." She adds that another great thing for bands is Protools, which they used on their own album, and the D14 tool.
Theo and the Skyscrapers have booked a national tour for May and June. That will be followed up by a tour in England, Europe, Japan, and, if Kogan has anything to do with it, Australia. "I went to Australia with the Lunachicks and loved it," she said. "But really, we're just working pretty hard."
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