Last year, I did a quick interview with one of my favorite bands from Jacksonville, FL, Lucky Costello.
Lucky Costello performing at the legendary Freebird Live in Jacksonville Beach, FL
1. Whenever I tell people that I’m going to shoot a Lucky show, the first thing they ask is “What kind of music do they play?” You guys have such a unique sound that I don’t know how to answer that question. How would you describe your sound?
Gerry: We play electro rock fusion, which is a mix of pre planned songs and spontaneous improv sections. We have composed material that’s influenced by classic rock, prog, world music, jazz, hip hop, blues, post rock, classical… really anything we grew up listening to. In between those tracks we step out into uncharted waters, freestyle sessions that draw from different styles of electronic music. Each show ends up being a completely unique dance marathon.
Wil: It’s a mix of a lot of different genres, but what we mainly focus on achieving is dance music. Our music is like a DJ set but with real musicians that can change things at real time. Most of the time we are playing improv, but we are given a certain theme or genre to work within its bounds. There’s no real genre to put our music in, since it is constantly moving about. But more than anything you can pinpoint it as fun. I’m upbeat and so is my music.
2. How did you guys meet and how long have you been playing together?
Adam: My friend Trip popped up out of nowhere and told me that he had some friends who were playing music and needed a drummer. He picked me up and managed to get my drum kit into the car and we made our way to a party that Gerry was throwing. I met Wil at the party and we all jammed for a while and had a blast. Wil and I continued to jam at my place for a fews months and developed many ideas to work with which Gerry used as a launchpad for each jam that we had. Lucky Costello was born.
Wil: I had been waiting to start a band ever since I was a kid, and I kept on joining different bands but never getting a chance to really jam out. It was mostly for someone else’s project. I had also tried several times to start a band on my own and it always seemed so forced, I was always telling the other musicians what to do and it never came together right. This band started slowly, it just kind of melted into this, and then we put a name on it and started doing it professionally.
3. What’s the creative process like for the band? Do you all get together and create songs together, or do you each come up with your own ideas and go from there, do aliens implant the songs into your heads while you sleep?
Gerry: Usually Wil or I will come into the band room with something we’ve been working on independently. It’s generally just a piece of a larger idea with a vague description; we play it over and over and make adjustments. By the time we’re putting the ideas together into a proper song there’s been a ton of input from each of us.
Wil: None of our songs are ever really done. They are constantly changing, but yeah what Gerry said is pretty much it. And we try to use as many alien influences as possible.
4. As far as I know, the only album you have out is a live recording that you give away at shows. Are there any plans for a studio album?
Gerry: Yes, it’s been talked about. We just need money from our sponsors.
Wil: We’re sponsored by Red Bull and Newports. Just kidding, they’re sponsored by us. (laughs) We’re planning on releasing a studio album sometime later this year.
5. Can you give us some insight into what’s in store for the future? Any tour plans?
Gerry: New songs, new cities, bigger production. We’re really excited about the direction the music is heading and we’ve been experimenting with some new visual elements to keep the audience fully immersed in the experience.
Wil: And figuring out how to make a LED keytar is also definitely happening.
Thank you, Lucky, for sitting down and answering a few questions. I look forward to seeing your next show. It looks like things are getting bigger and better all the time for you guys.
