Tom Goss – Territories

By starrymag | December 9, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) Mid-Tempo electro groove pop. Territories has the rhythm of electronic pop music with the heart of a singer-songwriter.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Early on I was obsessed with songwriters (Dave Matthews, David Gray, Ben Folds, Jason Mraz), but more recently I have been inspired by producers (Ryan Tedder, Martin Garrix, Benny Blanco) and bands tackling ambitious sonic landscapes (M83, AWOLNATION, Snow Patrol).

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Berlin.”

A) After my husband and I opened our relationship I was curious about, and open to, exploring new experiences. About a year into the experiment I was invited to Berlin for the weekend. The idea scared and excited me. Ultimately, I accepted the invitation and hopped on a plane for a 48-hour, whirlwind adventure in Berlin. Before the weekend was over, I had fallen in love. My world was officially turned on its head.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) There is a longing in the song that connects to the human experience as a whole. We’ve all been in over our head. We’ve all searched for answers that are unattainable. We’ve all felt emotions that we didn’t expect. Emotions that send us careening down a path we otherwise would never have chosen to walk.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) Nathaniël Siri and I (the video’s director) worked closely to tell this delicate story. We wanted to give the viewer insight they wouldn’t have by simply listening to the song. The sexually charged party helps the viewer connect with my emotional journey. You see the discomfort, the fear, the intrigue and the acceptance. I am whisked away from the fear by my lover, a caretaker of sorts. Someone more comfortable with the landscape, willing to take me somewhere much safer. Within that fear and chaos, we find a love beautiful and innocent.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

A) For “Berlin” I wrote the lyrics while falling in love in Berlin. I had no idea what the chord structure or melody would sound like. I just knew I was experiencing something profound and had to put it to paper. At one point, while making love, I remember stopping, grabbing a pen and writing the bridge: “our naked bones, our fragile souls, like moth to a flame. They can’t help but collide, they can’t help but imbibe, the truth only seen through the eyes of a lover.” I traditionally have written music first, but for Territories I almost always wrote lyrics first.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music? 

A) Depends on the song, to be honest. I spent a lot of time at home, producing demos before anyone heard the songs. Many production elements from those demos made it on the record. That said, Ian Carmichael is the true genius behind the production of this record. There were times when I sent him a keyboard track and vocal, nothing else. I simply didn’t know how to bring the song to life (“Zedel” in particular), but he did. There were other times when he didn’t like my demos and went in a totally different direction (“Regretting,” “Siem Reap”). The beauty of this record doesn’t exist without Ian. I have a hand in everything I create, but ultimately I work with people smarter and more talented than I am to help each project reach its full potential.

Q) Your upcoming album Territories is deeply personal to you and very raw emotionally. What song was the most cathartic for you to pen?

A) Probably “Be Somebody.” When I wrote “Be Somebody” I was writing a very different record. I was so broken. I was just trying to find my way. “Be Somebody” pulled me out if it, gave me perspective and brought me back into my mission of creating hopeful, positive music, regardless of the trials at hand. I threw away all the songs I had written before then and started fresh. I still cry when I hear that song.

Q) What songs off Territories album are you looking forward to performing live?

A) “Zedel” is my favorite to perform live! There is a moment where I start smashing the keyboard, then rip the mic off its stand and start singing and dancing like a weirdo. It’s so satisfying, it’s so unexpected. I’m telling the audience, “Look, it’s me, Tom. You’ve not seen me like this before, but this is most certainly me. I may not be normal, but I am right.”

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to the album as a whole?

A) I hope to help listeners question what they know. I hope that listeners listen to this record and see that there are many ways to love and be in relationship. I hope listeners listen to this and judge their perceived failures less, love themselves more and shine more brightly than ever before.

Q) How do you plan to celebrate the album’s release?

A) I’ve been touring around the country for a month now. I just got back home. I’ll be off to Belgium for some European shows in a week or so and then taking a couple weeks off for the holidays. During that time, I’ll be finishing up a couple new music videos and gearing up for more touring.

Q) What can fans expect from a live Tom Goss performance?

A) Honesty, vulnerability, passion and authenticity. OK, and maybe some dancing. [smiles]

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

A) I love LA and DC because they are the cities that made me. I was in DC for ten years before LA. I wouldn’t be the man or musician I am without that. I feel the same about LA, it has made me who I am. Outside of hometown shows I’d have to say Seattle, Chicago, Jacksonville, NYC and Minneapolis. I don’t know why, but I love the energy of the folks in those cities. They’re open, uninhibited, smart, funny and ready for a good time.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) The list is long but probably Childish Gambino. He’s brilliant in a way that the world hasn’t seen in a long time. I’d like to peek inside his brain. I’ve no doubt I’d be changed forever.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) I’ve been a little obsessed with Lizzo. I love what she’s saying. I love how unapologetically she’s saying it. I love her energy, her voice and her spirit. We need more Lizzo in this world.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) It’s more important than anything. I write music to connect with people, I write music to share my story and I write music to hopefully help make the world a better place. None of that is possible without people to connect to.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you. I couldn’t do any of this without you.