Photo credit: Koury Angelo

Mondo Cozmo, the enigmatic musical force, aka Josh Ostrander, released It’s PRINCIPLE!, a varied, grizzled, intense, sincere, and intricate rock album produced by Mark Rankin (Queens of the Stone Age, Adele) via Last Gang Records.

Cozmo also announced his upcoming fall US tour with dates including New York’s Brooklyn Made, Philadelphia’s Underground Arts, Chicago’s Schubas Tavern, Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar and more.

Tickets on sale now, available HERE.

“My wife was the singer of a band called ‘Apocalipstick’ (a brilliant name), which inspired the line ‘She was a singer in a punk band when she came for me,'” Mondo stated, adding, “She lived in the lower east side of Manhattan. I would take the train up from Philly and stay with her in those early days. I didn’t care for the city – it was dirty and intimidating and I’m too polite to engage properly with all of it. There’s a poem in one of my dumb books by David Henderson depicting a funeral procession for a dead playwright. In the second verse he wrote ‘They scatter your ashes all over the lower east side.’ She underlined this passage in red and wrote ‘scatter me on the lower east side.’ So I added in the 2nd verse – ‘I remember when you said scatter me across the streets, on the low east of mansions and time machines.’ This thinking led me to add the ‘everybody dies on the killing floor’ line in the chorus.”

Tell us about “Killing Floor.” What’s the story behind the song?

I wrote this song for my wife. It’s a very Los Angeles song to me. It’s brooding and triumphant but at the same time small and personal. It’s a song that took 20 years to write. The patience with how the song builds and the production is a high water mark for me. I’ve been thrilled with the reception from everybody, it’s terrifying nowadays to release a 5 minute slow burn.

What’s the story of the record? How does the “Killing Floor” fit within it?

I think the overall theme of the album for me was ‘time’ and ‘loss’. Putting pen to paper became my way of confronting somethings I would, for the most part, keep to myself.

Your lyrics are very esoteric and evocative. What inspires them?

Time, age. I like where I’m at with my writing. Feels age appropriate and I can see growth from where I was.

Who are some of your favorite lyricists?

I love David Berman from the Silver Jews. I think he was a great talent with an incredibly singular voice. Obviously Dylan and Springsteen are huge inspirations for me.

How did you come up with the name Mondo Cozmo?

My dog’s name was Cozmo, when I was tasked with naming the band I was watching a movie called ‘Mondo Trasho’ with Cozmo on the couch.

What’s your favorite song on the record and why?

It changes daily actually. One day its ‘Killing Floor’ the next is ‘It’s PRINCIPLE!’. Right now I’m really digging ‘Sundown in the Age of Fear’

This seems to be a new beginning for you. What’s next for you?

Thank you very much. We hit the road this October for a headlining tour. I’m excited to bring these new songs with us.