Hello Kitty
Part Two - Life in a Band
The diversity of Kitty's many influences comes through in The Kowalskis' music. Their first album "All Hopped Up on Goofballs" features fourteen songs. The majority of which are credited to Lindsey Anderson, Kitty's given name. Kitty says her ballad "Kiss Me One More Time" is the song she is most proud of. Kitty writes most songs alone, "I wake up with a song in my head and I have to get it out." Her songs are inspired by things that irritate her. Things she wants to get off her mind. If a song is autobiographical, she exaggerates it until it becomes almost like a cartoon. She makes her personal stuff funny.
She writes what comes to her, she has no drive to write the break out song or a killer single although she sometimes wonders how something so good can flow so easily from her and why "no one else has written it yet." The tunes come first, melody leads to song structure and eventually to the lyrics. She is trying to incorporate the creativity of the entire band; hoping songwriting will become more of a band function. Kitty Kowalski may be the only musician who isn't obsessed with publishing royalties and control.
The Kowalskis are now on the road which Kitty enjoys especially since the response has been good. With each show the crowds are getting bigger and the fans they meet "get it." Kitty notes that the fans outside of New York are a little less conscious of the scene and more focused on the music. Crowds outside of the New York area will go crazy and get into the music while in New York "a head bob is a big thing."
Kitty finds that touring in support of a record helps you keep fans and make money. There needs to be something to sell besides t-shirts to bring in money. For The Kowalskis, touring is a break-even proposition. They take in enough on the road to cover expenses and not much more. The pay off is in the thrill not the money.
Kitty's definition of success is not what most people think of when they think of success in the music industry, it isn't about arena tours and million selling records. She is more excited about a positive response from fans, e-mails from people who see the show and really loved it are a big boost to her work. She would like to reach the level of success that allows her to quit her day job. Getting away form a desk is more important than awards because it will allow her to concentrate on her music and that's what it's all about.