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…..
