Ghost Bitch, like most suburban-bred “American” girls, has followed the traditional Britney Spears to Rowland S. Howard trajectory. It’s her ability to traverse these seemingly incompatible musical spheres while maintaining a reverence for both that lies at the heart of Ghost Bitch’s charm: equal parts bouncing beats and the harrowing expressway to oblivion; a bubblegum Stooges.
The Ghost Bitch story begins in Silver Spring, MD (just outside of the District of Columbia) where Stasia Kowaleski wandered the streets. Yes, her first concert was Britney Spears; Stasia’s mother accompanied her and pointed out there were def times when Britney was lip-syncing to her own music. To Stasia it didn’t matter, “I really liked her clothes and her attitude, the dancing and her weird voice.”
The first time Stasia sang in front of other people it was karaoke to a Spice Girls song at one of her mother’s work events. “She was shocked because I was so shy. I just loved music, I loved performing and singing, that was more important than that people were watching.” Totally.
Stasia spent two and a half years at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute studying visual art, sculpture. Her interest was in readymades, Duchamp, using trash, stuff found on the street. Her approach to music is more personal and emotional. That’s where the Rowland S. Howard comes in: “I watched this German movie and it had a Birthday Party song in it, a long Rowland S. Howard riff at the beginning that was strange and mesmerizing. I never realized how magical the guitar could be and there were so many possibilities.”
Stasia found the music and art scene in New York stifling, “I was disillusioned by the art scene in NY because I felt the artists were motivated by money and careerism. I didn’t feel a sense of community and was overwhelmed by the isolation and chaos of NY.” She was ready for the big leagues and headed for the West Coast. “Olympia seemed the polar opposite of New York, I definitely found community here. I was particularly impressed you could start a band and play a show the next week.”
Stasia played in several combos in Olymp. “I’ve certainly learned a lot more since I started playing in bands. I always thought (perhaps wrongly) if I knew too much technical stuff it would be a hindrance to my creativity.” Ghost Bitch is just Stasia making all the crucial soundz. “I write by myself, I cement things and, for better or worse, take up so much sonic space there’s not a whole lot of room for other people.”
The first two self-released Ghost Bitch tapes were recorded with Capt. Tripps Ballsington at High Command Studio. The third she recorded herself and has worked with other Olymp studio pioneers, like Bryce Aguirre. For the new Ghost Bitch album Blood and Honey [KLP282] it was back to Capt. Tripps. “I really appreciate his approach to recording. He doesn’t impose anything on me or have an agenda.” At High Command it is absolute heavy chains, plus sonic jewellery. The results are Blood and Honey, expressing the purist of Ghost Bitch sympathies. It’s not all screech and confusion.
Ghost Bitch will be touring the East Coast in early spring 2022, around the time of Blood and Honey’s release date. Keep an eye peeled for Ghost Bitch. For many, it will be a dream inside a nightmare.
Watch the video for ‘Scar’ – BELOW:
Find Ghost Bitch at BandCamp
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