In 1989, Koster formed Miss America with Liza Wakeman, Alan Edwards, Paul Wells and Keith Block. After legal threats from Miss America, they became Chocolate USA. Chocolate USA released two albums on Bar/None before disbanding to follow other projects.
Koster was a founding member of Major Organ and the Adding Machine. He appeared in the Major Organ and the Adding Machine film which was shown on the Holiday Surprise tour and was later released with an expanded edition of the 2001 album in 2009.[3]
In 2023, Koster started a new band, also called Orbiting Human Circus. They released their debut album, Quartet Plus Two, on November 17. The album featured contributions from Robbie Cucchiaro and Thomas Hughes, Koster's bandmates in The Music Tapes.
Personal life
Koster's father is noted flamenco guitarist Dennis Koster.[7]
Koster is close friends with Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-creator John Cameron Mitchell, having contributed to early readings of the production and featured the character of Hedwig in some early tours with The Music Tapes. Mitchell is a cast member on Koster's Orbiting Human Circus podcast.[9]
Sexual assault allegations
On July 9, 2024, Koster was accused by fellow Elephant 6 musician Nesey Gallons of grooming and sexual assault. Gallons alleged that the grooming began via email contact when Gallons was fifteen years old and turned physical in April 2001 when Gallons was sixteen. Gallons further alleges that Koster sexually assaulted them twice in the summer of 2005.[10][11]
In his own statement on Instagram, Koster confirms the relationship transpired but denies Gallons' other allegations, writing that Gallons and her spouse have been trying to coerce him into entering into a romantic relationship with them. “I have been the victim of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse by Nesey Gallons for many years,” he writes. "When the relationship began I was 28 and Nesey was 16, just before her 17th birthday," Koster continued. "Though this put her over Georgia's legal age of consent when our relationship began, it was wrong to allow the relationship to happen at all and I've apologized to Nesey many times for that. I should have been more responsible about the age gap, but I deny all the other accusations she's made." Koster wrote in his statement, "Anyone who knows me now or knew me then understands that I always try with all my heart to approach people with empathy and love, including Nesey, and over the last few years I've been working hard to build a friendship and to listen to her and acknowledge the pain that she feels. My efforts have been met with increasingly disturbing behavior on the part of both Nesey and (spouse Paul Gallons), including thousands of threatening and manipulative messages, which are meant to punish me for not agreeing to what they want."[12]
^The Orbiting Human Circus (February 7, 2017). Season One, Bonus Episode (your questions) (Video). YouTube. Event occurs at 19:55. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
^The Orbiting Human Circus (May 14, 2018). (Of the Air): Firstly! (Podcast). WNYC Studios. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
