COSMO JARVIS
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The Patch
Friday, December 28
It's apt that Cosmo Jarvis's mum named him Harrison after actor Harrison Ford.
The self-described folk-punk muso likes to do things differently and at 22 wants to be an actor.
He's already produced a few short films and has received many hits on YouTube, most notably for his film clip to the single Love This, which features Jarvis in a devil suit.
"That was a bad decision," Jarvis says of donning the devil suit, though it's uncertain whether he truly regrets it. After all, he is a jovial kind of guy.
Jarvis has written, starred in and directed a feature film and is planning to make another in 2013.
"Making a screenplay is a hell of a lot more detailed than making a song," he says.
On his third album, Think Bigger, Jarvis produced, shot and starred in all the accompanying videos.
"I thought I might as well do it all - it's cheaper than getting someone else to do it," he says.
The maverick musician was born in the US, but soon moved to the UK with his mother.
"My parents weren't musicians but were very into their music," he says.
Much of his creativity and eclectic style may stem from years of listening to the likes of Talking Heads, Frank Zappa and Tom Waite.
Not one for commercialism, Jarvis says he wants to experiment with heavier rock and punk.
"I really like juxtaposing relatable stuff into easy-listening melodies," he says. "Nobody likes people who take themselves too seriously."
Jarvis's last two albums, Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch and Is the World Strange Or Am I Strange stand as good examples of his many musical styles and unpredictability.
Performing live was a challenge, he says, because many of his songs are multi-tracked in the studio.
"But I don't care any more that it doesn't sound the same as on the album," he says. "I try and make the live performances different and independent of all others."