Calico Cooper on her music, stage performances and the best advice received from her father Alice Cooper

Words: Anastasia Agurbash / anastasia_agurbash

How does it feel to share a stage with Rolling Stones and to have Alice Cooper as your father? Please, meet Calico Cooper / calicocooper. She will answer all the questions, and yes, she will rock your world.

Calico Cooper is a singer, performer, vocalist and member of Beasto Blanco - the rock band with an apocalyptic, electrifying image and extravagant on-stage performances. She shared her thoughts on virtual concerts, being a woman in rock music and finding time to do literally everything.

You are involved in so many activities and projects – how do you manage to find time for everything?

Someone just told me that most people don’t do 30 things in a day. I just looked at them blankly haha. I absolutely love feeling the rush of being busy. I think especially now with being stuck at home.... It gives me extra time to go “I have this idea, and it's totally impossible, it would take an army, so let’s start tonight!” It also helps when you really love what you are doing, it doesn’t seem like work. I actually think that’s a bumper sticker I saw somewhere.

In one of your interviews you said: there is nothing like to be on stage” – can you share your most memorable experience?

Sharing the stage with the Rolling Stones was pretty surreal. There were almost 100,000 people at The Churchill Downs in Kentucky. The rush of that many people screaming at you is right out of a dream. Or a Nightmare I guess... depending on who you are and how you feel about being on stage. But on a more intimate level, I was on stage with Beasto Blanco and I looked down and a group of girls were dressed as my character. It got me right in the
feelings.

Tell us about your music and your creative process – how do you come up with songs, visuals and how do you coordinate everything within your band?

Everyone in the band has a very specific role. But nobody is RESTRICTED to that role. That's what makes it work. Chuck and Brother Latham will write a song, I'll get the demo and start letting my mind loose. Anything goes. I don’t stop myself or say “no that won’t work”. I get a lot of my ideas when I go out to the desert and drive. Just drive. It's weird, almost every time I come out of the car hours later going, “WHERE IN THE HELL IN MY BRAIN WAS THAT IDEA LIVING?!”

Why did you pick Rock as a genre?

It’s in my blood. I understand it. I love it. So I know what I love, and want to create more of that. I used to love listening to records when I was a kid and I’d daydream about how I would direct the video. Or what I would do on stage if I were up there. I also had an unprecedented education by touring with my dad for 12 years. He taught me that anything you can think up, you can make come to life on stage or screen. I'm currently loving listening to genres outside of Rock, and making it bend into Beasto. Adding classical, electronic, heavy blues... we all share the same heartbeat. Making music that moves people. Why not mix them?

In your band Beasto Blanco you are the only female member – how is it to work with men, especially in the rock music scene? Are there any fun stories or memories that you can share?

Well, if we are talking about special treatment, nobody gets any. We are the epitome of a team. We load in together, do interviews together, sleep on the bus together... it takes every one of us to get it done. The guys are just respectful enough to be gentlemen, and just disrespectful enough to be real friends. I often forget I'm the only girl tone honest. Except for one time, we were playing a club and in a creepy quiet moment some guy yelled “SHOW YOUR TITS!” My band just stood scary still for a moment. And started to take off their instruments. I just thought “Oh no.... This is gonna turn into a brawl.” They were ready to throw down. But before they could the whole crowd turned on the guy and dragged him outside. I hope he healed well.

Also, has working with men changed your views or perspective on any subject/life matter?

I have worked with amazing men and men that need kicks in the face with a golf shoe. But I think that transcends men...it’s just people. There are people out there that can't stand the thought of you succeeding. The trick is to identify them quickly, and when they get in your way...go around them. I think Coco Chanel said it best. “I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all.”

What is your take on virtual concerts?

We just did a virtual concert that changed my mind on virtual concerts. I thought they were a good placeholder for the real thing before, but my band just did one in a soundstage that had LED screens all around seven the floor! I was able to do things we could not do live, so we have a new found respect for them. I miss people, I miss singing live, I miss the noise and the sweat and the screaming. We will get back there, but in the meantime go see your favorite bands virtual concerts, because we have to keep the industry alive.

In your music videos and performances, you always have a very expressive make-up and character; what inspires you and how do you decide on your looks?

It's a mix between sci-fi art like HR Gieger, and artists like Frank Frazetta. Maybe a little Magic The Gathering sprinkled in. I'm deep into the sci-fi genre. Movies, games etc. I had a kid come up to me after a show once and say “You look like Sindel from Mortal Kombat...” I told him he had a good eye, but if he told anyone my secret, I'd finish him. He got the joke, Thank God.

How is it to grow up with Alice Cooper as your father?

I always answer that with the fact that I never knew any different. Things that may seem surreal to other kids were normal to me. I used to be fascinated with my friends whose dads were firemen and teachers and bus drivers and chefs. I thought it was so cool. In my teens, I got it a little bit more. Watching other people react to him, fans, crowds at concerts. But I REALLY got it when I started listening to his music on my own, without being pushed, and I wanted to be a part of that. To tell stories on that scale became a burning passion. I've been able to do it on stage, screen, and beyond now. I'm lucky to have someone who still to this day pushes me further and encourages me to keep going. Also, he makes a mean breakfast.

What is the greatest advice he gave you?

If you fall on stage, just keep falling over and over again and the audience will think it's part of the show. I've done it. He was right.

You have appeared in a few tv-shows, do you want to continue your acting career?

ABSOLUTELY. I was an actor before I was a musician. I bring a ton of that acting into what I'm doing with Beasto. Bottomline is that I love telling stories. I love playing people I don’t identify with. I crave telling their stories. Film and stage are two different mediums performance wise. One is very intimate and asks you to be relatable, and the other demands you to be larger than life. I am obsessed with both. I'll keep doing both till I die.

Name your favorite distress activity (an activity or ritual that helps you when you are stressed out)

I start cooking. The second I feel an anxiety attack coming on I start to cook. Really complicated stuff too. I think the reason is, you have to follow super specific directions. Everything is precise and your mind can’t wander. Things are on fire and there are knives... you gotta be really focused and present. Now let's be clear, I suck at it. But that’s right where I go. Also playing Mortal Kombat really helps when you want to punch someone in the face and you can't. In my humble opinion.

What are your plans for the near future? Do you have any tours, concerts or new music coming up? If so, tell us everything about it!

Beasto Blanco has a live Halloween stream coming up with all the bells and whistles. Keep an eye out on our socials for the air date! We are also in the studio writing our next record with some MEGA cool artists and collaborations. You can listen to our music on Apple music, Spotify, and keep up with us on Instagram. We are always up to something gnarly. Mostly give our last record “WE ARE” a listen and comment. We wanna know you. Cuz at the end of the day, we are all beasts!