On March 1st, Minneapolis band the Florists released a new album, Prayer Starter. The album is full of bouncy, thoughtful, aggressive guitar-laden indie tracks. The lead single’s chorus tells you to “bury you heart in the center of a basement;” a lyric that is both funny and dark. When matched up with a catchy melody, no surprise it was the lead single. “Churches” really took me by surprise. Did Bandcamp just glitch to a different artist? Nope–it’s a kick ass hip hop collaboration with Gonkama Johnson and Roscoe Flowers. The ultra-meta lyrics of “Sleeper Hit” contemplate the requisite self-involvement required of artists. Drawing it in broad strokes to a point verging on caricature.
We had a conversation with the Florists’ guitarist/bassist/drummer/vocalist Jo Kellen. Contrary to what that list of instruments may lead you to believe, Jo isn’t the only member of The Florists: the band “round robins” instruments with Jared Hemming and Luke Michaels. Kellen also collaborates with other artists, exploring their creativity with multiple projects. Truly fertile music scenes can produce web-like relationships between bands, like choosing a lovely extended family. We were curious, so we talked to Kellen about what it takes to build those relationships and stay creatively charged.
When did you first perform something you created?
It was a truly terrible acoustic folk/rap song called “Revenge of the Plural Noun.” My friend Tyler and I booked a gig at a coffee shop and played for two hours. We had never played a show before. I was 14. You weren’t there if you weren’t my relative.
What groups are you currently working with?
The Florists
Products
Prathloons
Solo Work/Serious Glee (my multimedia band with puppets and live projections)
Fight
Supreme Fuck
Why work with multiple groups?
I have a lot of ideas, and there are a lot of talented people I admire.
How do you maintain those creative relationships through inevitable fallow periods?
I make a point to clarify the intention of every group. Do we want to take a professional approach and work on a future-focused schedule? Do we like to get drunk and chat for most of rehearsal? If we’re honest about what we want out of the thing, then the conflicts are easier to manage. Being in so many groups challenges my communication skills and ends up improving my personal life. Bands are relationships, too!
What is most important when collaborating or deciding whether to collaborate?
Do we appreciate each other’s approach? If I’m not interested in their artistic ambitions, it probably isn’t a good idea. You can only discover this by jamming. That can be awkward, but it is so worth it! I’ve jammed with folks who work in totally different genres and have different taste than I do. Seems like it could be a disaster (sometimes it is) but often produces exciting and unique results. Taking the risk of reaching out is almost as exciting as making something at all. When it pays off, it feels like a revelation.
How do you personally stay energized/inspired?
I practice a lot and force myself to listen to things I wouldn’t normally check out. I’m motivated by surprise! If I can predict what the project will become, I’m not interested in it. Music doesn’t consume my entire life, either. I am passionate about teaching young children and spend a lot of time learning about education. I work with local politics and try to engage with non-artists as often as possible. I spent eight years in art school, and that is more than enough. I feel like I’m dedicating my twenties to detangling all of those institutional knots. Some of my most inspiring moments have happened while doing taxes or something equally uninteresting or uncreative.
Have you ever felt reticent to reveal something about yourself through your work?
Hahaha—when I was eighteen, I produced a solo show that was all about my turbulent childhood and invited my entire family. I portrayed them in front of them. Vulnerability is one of my core interests as an artist. I’m constantly fixated on every detail that imbues our interpersonal relationships. In which ways do we choose to reveal our vulnerability? Which methods make us feel good? Which methods inadvertently reflect our political lives? I have done an album about coming out as a non-binary trans person, “Prayer Starter” is about all of my personal failures in my early 20s—sometimes it feels like I’m running out of personal struggles to explore.
One regret I have is putting out No Costume with the Florists. That’s the record about my coming out story. Interviewers and audiences really pigeonholed me as an authoritative voice for trans folks or decided my experiences gave them permission to talk freely about me and how I identify. Identity is a fluid and ever-growing experience and putting out that record taught me that most people willfully misunderstand this to confirm their assumptions about others.
You made the trek down to SXSW with two bands, playing with both of them. What was that experience like?
Extremely fucking awesome. I love every member of the Florists and Products and we got to have a huge hang. We stayed with the sweetest friends and played great shows. Awesome food. Cool artists. No complaints from me.
Had you toured with multiple bands at once before/will you do it again?
I have and loved it. It’s so fun to see another band you respect every night. I’ll do it again without a doubt.
What’s next? What are you excited about?
This year you can expect a Products record, solo record, and some more theatre/performance work. Maybe another Florists record if we can get our shit together? I’m excited to begin integrating more choreography, puppetry, and projection design into my work. Always thinking about how to introduce interdisciplinary art to the live show. Expect many moving parts.
What in life is making you happy right now?
Teaching. The curiosity of children. My partner Claire. My friends and bandmates. Tried these tasty corn chips that really remind me of elote.
We will definitely be keeping an eye out for what’s next from Jo Kellen! In the meantime, we can jam out to the Florists’ latest, Prayer Starter:
Jo Kellen Facebook
The Florists Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Products Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram