Best described as an interactive dance-party duo, the Minnesota-based group Koo Koo captivate through their catchy beats and lighthearted lyrics that delight audiences of all ages.

Comprising Bryan Atchison and Neil Olstad, Koo Koo visited the MPR booth at the Minnesota State Fair to debut a new song — appropriately enough, a song that spotlights a uniquely Minnesotan interjection, “Ope.”

Use the audio player above to listen to the session recorded live at the MPR booth. You can also find a transcript of the interview portion a bit further down this page.

Interview Transcript

Jessica Paxton: Let's hear it for Koo Koo. Let's hear it one more time for Koo Koo! Or as I'd like to say right now, "meow!"

Bryan Atchison: Oh, Jessica, I like your shoes. You guys, this Jessica, everybody say hello!

Neil Olstad: Bryan needs to introduce everybody.

Bryan Atchison: Oh, yeah, sorry, you're the host, so I why'd I do that?

Neil Olstad: Bryan needs to introduce the person whose show it is.

Bryan Atchison: It just shows why we have a "Ope" song. It's just, we're just baked in insecurities. You know what I mean? Just gotta throw them out on the table. 

Neil Olstad: It's happening here live on the radio. 

Jessica Paxton: We are indeed live. I gotta say, first of all, I'm coconuts for Koo Koo.

Bryan Atchison: That's a pun! That's a pun!

Neil Olstad: Family show, family show. Jessica.

Jessica Paxton: I know, so we're really thrilled to have you guys here today. I want to go back to talking about "Ope," because, you know, Minnesota, we have a state bird, we have a state flag, we have a state muffin, we have a state tree. I think now we might have a state song. Am I right?

Bryan Atchison: (to audience) Please say yes!

Neil Olstad: I know they would have said yes if we weren't standing here. I know that. I know that.

Bryan Atchison: Don't tell Atmosphere.

Neil Olstad: Don't tell Atmosphere. There's lots of great Minnesota bands, but not very many, like, Minnesota songs.

Bryan Atchison: You know, we're trying to do, Jessica? We're trying to make sure that every band in Minnesota has their own Minnesota song. We're trying to lead the charge.

Jessica Paxton: You're leading the charge. I love it. I love it.

Neil Olstad: It doesn't need to be about the whole state. Just pick one little thing and make a song about it.

Bryan Atchison: Yeah, just about like, you know, Apple Valley.

Neil Olstad: Yeah, someone make the Apple Valley song. You don't even have to be from there. Just do it.

Bryan Atchison: "Remember when we had a $2 theater?" That's what it's gonna be.

Neil Olstad: South metro references. South-of-the-river folks get it.

Bryan Atchison: Sorry, guys. Sorry, Elk River.

Neil Olstad: Sorry, guys.

Jessica Paxton: Well, I have to say, I love how that's one, because I actually was jotting down things like "you betcha" and "hotdish" and "fer sure," and "Oh fer cute."

Bryan Atchison: "Oh fer cute"? I've never seen that before. That's nice.

Jessica Paxton: "Uff-da."

Neil Olstad: There's a lot, and a lot of people say, "No, that's all of the Midwest." But we can just claim it, you know what I mean? It's OK. You can sometimes, you can just claim things.

Bryan Atchison: Is "scooch"? Is "scooch" a Midwestern word?

Jessica Paxton: Totes. Scooch.

Neil Olstad: Yeah, we like "scooch."

Jessica Paxton: Especially if you say it like "scoooooch."

Bryan Atchison: My mom says, "catsup," in like, C-A-T-S-U-P, and that's actually how I thought it was spelled until, like, ninth grade.

Jessica Paxton: No.

Neil Olstad: Also one I always needle Bryan for that he says a lot is, "skedaddle." Do you guys say "skedaddle"? I don't know if that's Midwest, but that's a word that I don't think lots of people say, like, "Let's skedaddle." Like, "Let's get out of here."

Bryan Atchison: Jessica, I know that you're supposed to be asking us questions, but my life doesn't work like that. So...

Jessica Paxton: Ask me whatever you want.

Bryan Atchison: OK, I was driving on 94 to visit the in-laws in Wisconsin, and there was a sign that said, "Wisconsin nice." And I was like, "I don't think that's a thing. I don't think that's real."

Neil Olstad: Don't let them take that. Do not let them take that from us.

Jessica Paxton: That is not a thing.

Bryan Atchison: Don't let them do it.

Neil Olstad: OK? We can't tell you what we want you to do about that, but just don't let it happen, OK?

Bryan Atchison: Yeah, just say, "You get House on the Rock, and that's it."

Neil Olstad: That's all you get.

Jessica Paxton: That's it. So I just gotta say, these guys have had a big, big year. You've got the new song, "Ope," which is out today and now streaming everywhere. We're so lucky to have a live performance on the day of its release. You guys have a new show, Oh Yeah Heck Yeah.

Bryan Atchison: Yeah, that's our TV show. Thank you. We're filming season 2. 

Jessica Paxton: You've been collaborating with bands like the Shackletons, like, doing all kinds of cool stuff, and I understand you have a big thing coming up at First Ave in December.

Bryan Atchison: Oh, we can, we can promo that here?

Jessica Paxton: You can totally promo that right now!

Bryan Atchison: OK, we have, we're putting on a kids band festival at First Avenue and Seventh Street Entry, there's going to be six bands, but it's not going to be a long festival, because those stink. So it's doors are at 11 a.m. and it will be wrapped by 2 p.m. guys, that's it.

Neil Olstad: When you pitch to families, you have to just start with time constraints.

Bryan Atchison: Start with time.

Neil Olstad: Start there!

Bryan Atchison: And that there will be free snacks.

Neil Olstad: OK, yeah.

Bryan Atchison: So it's at First Ave and Seventh Street Entry. It's December 28 and tickets are going on sale September 5.

Jessica Paxton: September 5. You heard it right here, folks.

Neil Olstad: Let's sell it out. It's gonna be a good time. Two stages, lots of bands.

Bryan Atchison: Jessica, you're gonna like this. Guess one of the bands? Lewis and Dan and the Invisible Band.

Jessica Paxton: No way, from Northfield, Minnesota! 

Neil Olstad: More south talk.

Bryan Atchison: I'm sweating so much, right?

Neil Olstad: Northfield, yeah, from down there.

Jessica Paxton: OK, have you guys tried the official state fair lip balm yet?

Neil Olstad: No. What's in it?

Jessica Paxton: This year's flavor Norway pine.

Neil Olstad: Ohhhh.

Bryan Atchison: I always have thought about rubbing pine needles on my lips.

Neil Olstad: Yeah. Now finally. Did you try it?

Jessica Paxton: Not yet, but I do have a thing for lip balm. So, yeah. So what are some of your favorite fair traditions?

Neil Olstad: Oh, well, we just went and talked to some cows. We just went and talked to some cows right now, I haven't done that very traditionally, but that was crazy. I didn't know you could get that close to those cows.

Bryan Atchison: My dad's a 4H'er, and so he showed a cow in the Cattle Building when he was a kid, so he always ate at the Foot Long Hot Dog building on the corner. So we would always come in there before the Miracle of Birth was there, and we did, we did the 25-cent milk, foot long hot dog, chill in the Coliseum, see some cows, see some pigs, and then we just lived up on Machinery Hill. That's it, that's the life.

Jessica Paxton: Amazing. So, so everybody talks about Pronto Pup or Corn Dog. I want to know Pronto Pup or Pickle Dog?

Bryan Atchison: Oh, I'll take it one further. I don't do either of those. I eat the new, it's been three years coming, Daryl's Vegan Corn Dogs is rockin'!

Neil Olstad: I like a Pronto Pup. I'm not big into pickles.

Bryan Atchison: What's a pickle dog? It is like a pickle on a bun?

Jessica Paxton: It's like pickle sushi, I think they call. It's like pastrami and cream cheese and kind of all rolled into one salty, savory stick.

Bryan Atchison: I will eat anything pickled. I did try my first pickled egg out of a jar that was sitting behind a bar, and I was very nervous about my health and my lifestyle after that, but everything worked out. 

Neil Olstad: You're still here!

Jessica Paxton: Still here.

Neil Olstad: Bryan ate the egg!

Jessica Paxton: Well, we are really, really thrilled to have you guys here. We are so thankful to be able to premiere this new song, "Ope." Again, we're broadcasting live from the Minnesota State Fair on The Current!

Neil Olstad: Hurray to the fair!

Bryan Atchison: Thanks, Jessica.

Songs Performed

“Ope”
”Cat Party”

Credits

Guests – Koo Koo
Host – Jessica Paxton
Producer – Derrick Stevens
Digital Producer – Luke Taylor

External Link

Koo Koo – official site