Dj BuddyBeaverhausen: Halloween is coming, as we all well know. Tell us about your decision to do Monster Mash for the season.
Larry Costa: What a great song Monster Mash is. As we know, most of the material I record is based during the Hollywood Heyday of the 1950’s and 60’s. I am known for singing Christmas songs but I have not recorded any other holiday type songs. I do have a wild sense of humor and when I set out to find a new holiday song to sing, I suddenly remembered Monster Mash from the 60’s. Originally, it was released as a straightforward creepy Halloween song, but I performed it as a comedic number that works for today's audience. I remember singing this song as a youngster with my brother and we would mimic the scary voice in the song. I bring some of that back to life in my new rendition of this Holiday classic.
DBB: Last Q&A we did, you said you started your showbiz career playing the Devil. Any other horror or Halloween-oriented work on your resume?
LC: Oh my God! Yes! There is a fabulous film called Apex Rising directed by famed director Jim Terriaca to be released early 2015. I play a government official from the white house that must find the antidote to turn zombies into human. Something like that. I don’t want to spoil it. I can tell you that in one scene I am in an airplane overlooking Long Island and taking matters into my own hands. The film is already being compared to the great horror flicks that become instant classics. There is another film in which I am the lead called THE SICKNESS. I play a character named Larry Costa who is a washed up singer and has to answer clues.
DBB: I'm sure you've heard Streisand's Partners and Gaga/Bennett Duets. What do you think of each? LC: I think it's a wonderful thing to have these types of performances. We are bridging the gap of listeners and merging fans from 50 decades of entertainment into one big barrelful of love for this type of music. Twenty-year-olds are listening to music that their grandparents listened to and love it. My dream is to record a duet with one of the greats like Streisand or Bennett. I did, however; sing with a surprise guest on a TV show pilot that has yet to be released. I cannot tell you which one of the American treasures I sang with due to contract restrictions until the show is released but I can tell you that I recently began communications with Vic Damone, Will something come of this? Only time will tell. Here is a fun tidbit about Streisand, I am the owner of the world’s only collection of Barbra Streisand Wigs that includes over 30 items from her movies, and performances. The wigs are going to auction the first week of December and I am donating a portion of the proceeds to my favorite cancer research charity.
DBB:I understand you have not one, but two new albums. Can you tell us something about each?
LC: Albums are a tricky thing these days and a lot of artists are releasing single songs rather than albums because of the way music is sold these days as single downloads, so albums are becoming a thing of the past. The first album is called CROONER. It is being produced by in Oklahoma City of all places and will be distributed globally through Sony Distribution. This album will have a collection of jazz and ballads from the American Songbook. I am also working with JR Music in Florida and will produce original songs written for me for theme compilation albums. These albums will comprise different works intended for use in television and film and will become part of a music library as well as the Larry Costa catalog. Recently, I have been selected to provide my music to Emerge Media in the UK to stream music to hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and any place music will be heard.
DBB: Were these worked on simultaneously?
LC: Yes! I am working on all of these projects at the same time. I am learning new songs never released before while perfecting cover songs at the same time. I love to be busy. The process to create just one song is difficult; writing, re-writing, editing, scoring, re-scoring, singing, re-singing… it's a creation of something that will never change once its finalized and recorded, it must be as close to excellence as I can get it.
DBB: What do you look for in choosing your material?
LC: Song selection is the hardest part of creating an album, the songs should flow from one to the next and have the same thought behind the lyrics that blend together so that there is 30 to 40 minutes of continuous bliss. The problem with song selection is that after three months of brain wracking and finalizing the selection list, I usually remember a song I had heard or the writer comes up with a hit that must be included and then the process starts all over again. I always need to step back once the songs are chosen and try not to hear any other music until the album is done.
DBB:Where can we see you “LIVE” this social season? Will you be dancing the Monster Mash for us through the month?
LC: I have live gigs lined up until April 2015, I enjoy working in private affairs as well as commercial venues in front of an audience. The private shows are so much fun. I will be singing at masquerade balls this month with a Great Gatsby theme and a private gala event at a membership Golf Club on Long Island. Christmas is my favorite holiday and to be able to sing Christmas songs at Lincoln Center this year is a dream come true.
DBB: Favorite horror flicks?
LC: Well, I love the horror flick I am in, heheh! There is a fabulous film called Apex Rising directed by famed director Jim Terriaca to be released early 2015. In it, I play a government official from the white house that must find the antidote to turn zombies into humans… or something like that.... I don’t want to spoil it. But I can tell you that in one scene I am in an airplane overlooking Long Island and taking matters into my own hands. The film is already being compared to the great horror flicks that become instant classics. There is another film in which I am the lead called THE SICKNESS. In it, I play a character named Larry Costa that is a washed up singer and has to make a deal with the devil or the angel, I won’t tell you his choice. Oh, and on a side note, I recently became friends with a gentleman that goes by the name of Doc. He was one of the featured zombies in the original classic horror film, Night of the Living Dead.
DBB: How's Larry Ravioli doing?
LC: I love Larry Ravioli, it’s such a fun and innocent movie that reminds me of the TV sitcom shows from the late 60’s that endure the test of time. I was talking with Netflix about a possible web series on Larry Ravioli, but these type of things take years sometimes to actually come to fruition. So, on Larry Ravioli, its time to begin working on the sequel, LARRY RAVIOLI MEETS THE GHOST, which will be based on an old Abbott And Costello film, HOLD THAT GHOST. I can't wait!
DBB: Thanks again, Larry! Any last shout-outs to your fans?
LC: I talk to the fans all the time, usually on Facebook or my YouTube channel, LarryCostaTV. We have conversations and I answer all their questions, and they are my friends. I sometimes meet up with fans for a quick meet and greet, recently I met up with Raymond, Joanne, Jackie, and Jose, but unfortunately, I was unable to meet one of my best supporters, Rebecca when she visited NYC from Vancouver as I was working on a gig. I was actually upset that I could not say hello.
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