The Past Year of Fredo Disco and The Adventure Ahead
By Mickayla Whitt
Graphic by Emily Lantzy
The newly made five-piece band Fredo Disco released their debut album Very Cool Music for Very Cool People this year, along with the release of some old demos. The group embarked on a tour with Tiny Moving Parts this fall, and during a hometown show in Chicago, I had the chance to sit down with frontman Fredo Fosco and talk about how this year has been for them and what is on the horizon.
FF: Alright, let’s do this! Sup! How’re you doing?
You know how I’m doing!
Soaking wet from all of the rain.
Yep, that’s how it is. There’s a huge puddle by the stage from everyone coming in.
Awesome, that’ll be an interesting pit.
Oh for sure! So this is your second full-blown tour; what type of emotions are surrounding that? Is it longer than the Hot Mulligan tour you guys previously did this year?
Yep! Second full tour and the second one of the year. It’s one day longer but two shows less, so it’s more time on the road but we have more off days, which is nice. We did 38 days and 33 shows last time, and this is 39 days and 31 shows.
Yeah, I did nine dates of the last tour!
Yeah you did! It was the last week with like only one off day. I remembered we got to play a Disco Inc. show in Connecticut that you guys couldn’t make it to!
Yeah, we had some car troubles.
Yeah, I remember that! So basically, we did the last 13 days of that tour with no off days, which sucked. But I didn’t lose my voice, which is good.
Let’s hope it doesn’t happen anytime on this tour. Especially since you guys are playing some new songs! Two, specifically — what’s that like?
It’s fun, it’s fun. We’ve been teasing it for a while now and some people kind of know the lyrics, so it’s cool to see those people because you can just tell.
I know parts of “Harmony Korine” but not “Never Tell U” since you guys didn’t play it at the American Football house show.
You’re right we didn’t play “Never Tell U,” but I will tell you it’s out there somewhere if you look hard enough.
Oh no! You’re going to have me doing research when I get home, I guess.
Oh it’s been there, you just gotta look.
So going along with the newer stuff, you guys have also been playing older stuff!
Yeah we’re playing some older stuff! We played two last time and four this time.
What’s it like seeing people who know the older stuff?
It’s funny, because I think more people actually know the older stuff better than the newer stuff, because School Spirit was more popular of a project than Very Cool is music-wise. And then what’s really funny is the people who know Disco Inc. It’s always funny to see people who know that. A lot more people knew it than I thought they would.
I'm trying to think of what else there is, but I can't access notes while recording.
Yeah, you can just swipe up or double tap the home button!
Oh wow, I learn something new everyday. I didn't didn't know that! I actually had to ask this question — least favorite and favorite song to play?
Ah, least favorite is “Somebody Else” or “Prom, Post Prom, Etc.” I hate “Prom,” which is why we're not playing it on this tour. The second that I start singing, the only time that I don't sing is the break between the chorus and the second verse. Other than that, it's like vocals the entire time, and then “Somebody Else” is the same as that.
Favorite song?
Favorite song to play is probably “Ghost of Mariano's.” It’s really fun and I love that song, and I really like “Harmony Korine” and “Never Tell U.” I really like playing new songs; everyone seems to like those and it gives me a lot of hope!
Were there any songs that you really wanted to play on this tour but that didn't quite make the cut on the setlist?
Yeah, we really wanted to do “Life!,” but that just didn't work out. We were going to cover a Cars song, but those just didn't really make the time cut. We were also going to try to do “Temporary Tattoo” full band, and we tried it out, but it just didn't really work. We might add another song to the set for the rest of the tour. We're going to work on that.
You guys just recently became a 5-piece as Michael just joined the band! How’s that working?
It's going very smoothly. Very, very well — it's going way better! Like two nights ago, I broke three strings. I broke one on the main and two on the backup, and having Michael be there to play just completely covered us so that there wasn't even a problem. That was a huge thing we had last time where if I break a string, the whole song is fucked because then all you have is bass, and it doesn't work that way; adding him is way better. 100% a good decision.
Are there any songs you regret writing and releasing?
Okay, so there's not one song in particular, but all the old shit for sure. The old shit is really personal. There’s a lot of shit that I just said a lot of shit. I don’t know if I would be so honest. It’s weird, you know what I mean? Because now I don’t want to write like that because it feels weird. I did it for so long and nobody was really listening, I was just pumping out stuff. There’s not one specific song.
You just dropped the orange tapes, which is just a giant collection of old demos, right?
Yeah! I’m thinking about making a pressing of it on vinyl, actually. It’s 86 songs. So like, everything that was on Soundcloud and then just odd stuff that I had stored away.
What’s it like having them all on Spotify and Apple Music now as opposed to Soundcloud?
It’s awesome. It’s really cool having fans that have never even heard about them. They’ve always been out there, but now it’s just easier for them to see it, which is really cool. Soundcloud is dead, so I just put them on Spotify.
Do people still use Soundcloud?
No! They don’t pay anything either, so there’s like no reason for artists to put things on Soundcloud, because it’s just a dead platform. They don’t pay anything. Spotify is the sauce. Apple Music is the sauce too. Any streaming service!
Is there a song you wish got more recognition?
Probably “Greens.” We put four songs out on prerelease and I wish we didn’t do that.
Do you have any big plans for 2020 you can talk about? Or is it just smaller stuff in the works?
Yes.
Just yes?
Gotta keep some surprises!
Fair enough! Okay so here’s an interesting one, weirdest show experience?
Portland, Oregon — we played a sex dungeon. It had like fuzzy swings on the side of the stage with weird couches all over the place. And then after that, we had a dude with lots of weed that we didn’t know and people on drugs asking us for money.
In Oregon? Of all places?
Oh, it’s really cool but really crazy. Some of the people there are really weird.
Okay, one more fun one just to fuel the running joke — what’s the first thing you’re going to buy when you’re rich from your Bitcoin investments?
Purple Saturn SUV. Easy.
It looks like this year has been super eventful for Fredo Disco, and 2020 will be even bigger and better. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming music and go check out the new single “Never Tell U” out now!