Exclusive Matt Costa - Interview

16 March 2006

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With his thoughtful, heartfelt lyrics and rolling, country infused melodies, California's own, Matt Costa is the newest star to be born from Americas emerging folk inspired indie scene.A keen skater until an accident which involved a broken leg and almost 18 months of rehabilitation put an end to that, Matt decided to go back to his first love, music. And while the skating industry may have lost an up and coming talent, where Matt probably would have made a lot more wedge, music gained a genuine singer/song-writer brimming with heart and soul.Helped along the way by No Doubt guitarist, Tom Dumont, who took Matt under his wing after listening to his early demos, Dumont went on to help with the release of Matt's 2003 self-titled EP, and produce Matt's 14-track-strong, debut album, 'Songs We Sing.' With a beautiful album on the shelves, a new single 'Cold December' on the airwaves and a current European tour supporting Brit nominee Jack Johnson, Matt is doing more than making musical waves in his home state, so naturally, its only a matter of time before he does the same here.

Hi Matt, tell us a little about yourself?

Matt I'm 23; (laughing) and I feel like I'm on a dating hotline! Yeah, I write songs and I'm on tour with Jack Johnson right now in Cardiff.

Are you enjoying the tour?

Matt Yeah, It's been really fun. I've had a good response so it's good.

So with you, ALO and Jack on tour is it like one big happy family?

Matt Were like one big happy family, like a travelling circus!

Do you have any interesting stories to tell us about the tour?

Matt I do actually. When I was in Dublin I ran into Donovan Lietch (major influence to Matt's music) at the hotel. I got really star struck and super weird because I wanted to talk to him and I just told him how much he meant to me.

Did he give you any words of wisdom?

Matt He gave me his email address to get in touch. But he was super nice and it was great to meet him.

If you keep in touch maybe one day you could collaborate?

Matt Yeah, that would be a dream!

Is it true before music, you were on your way to becoming a pro-skater?

Matt Yeah I was. I had a few sponsors but nothing too crazy. I had a couple of clothing sponsors one of them was TSA and a couple of other random sponsors. I wasn't pro or anything so they would just give me free stuff and hope that I'd wear it.

Do you still get on your board much?

Matt Occasionally but I have to be careful that I don't break something, like my arm, because if I do I can't play.

What was your best trick?

Matt I don't know, like, even if I named it, there are too many, too many tricks I like to do.

When did you realise you wanted to be a musician?

Matt I don't know, (laughing) maybe like, last year? I never really considered myself a musician. I was just drawn to it. When I was a little kid I used to play piano and in school I played the trumpet. I got a guitar when I was twelve and I always played music and enjoyed it. Even when I started writing songs I just did it because I liked to and I could do it alright. But when people started liking it and it started catching on and people where helping me get shows and recordings and things like that, I started pushing myself to write more and get into it. Last year when I started going on tour and put out the record on a major label then I guess I had to consider myself a full blown musician. I guess that's what everyone expects out of me so that's what I gotta do.

But you're enjoying it right?

Matt Definitely Yeah. I wouldn't choose anything else because I like it and it comes natural to me.

Who are your musical influences?

Matt Well Donovan is and, there are so many bands that I like, they influence me because I hear things and I think I just want to go and write a song. I like Belle and Sebastian, The Shins, Dinosaur Jnr and all the great old time classics like, Mississippi John Hurt and The Carter Family. All those greats.

Tell us about your new album 'Songs We Sing'?

Matt Well there are fourteen songs on it here in the UK; it's kind of a collection of all the songs I've been working on for the past two or so years. Every song is about something that I was going through each month, whether it was a book I'd read that month or some kind of problem I was having, big or small, or an imaginary place I wanted to go to at that time. So each song is like a little snap shot of that place.

Tom Dumont of No Doubt, gave you your first break, do you guys still work together?

Matt Yeah I still work with him. It started off at the beginning with me going to his place and recording songs. That's what we still do, I go to his place and we record songs and demos, ideas, anything. He plays for me sometimes. He plays bass in my band when I need a bass player. It's good to have genuine people around, the most important thing is that people are genuine, and he is. I try to surround myself with people who are the same, likeness that I am.

Have you been to the UK before?

Matt No this is my first tour over here.

What do you think of it so far?

Matt its cold and (laughing) there are a lot of castles. Everywhere you go people have a different accent, you can be somewhere and then go two miles away and people have a different accent. Here in Cardiff, they speak Welsh and its some kind of weird language. We went to the Cardiff Castle and they showed us around there. But everywhere they've got their own things, which is interesting. I guess we have the same thing in the states. In Texas they have their accents and in California we all say dude and talk really long, like 'Heyyyyy, mannnn, howzit goinggg.'

Do you think you'll come back and do a solo tour in the UK?

Matt Probably yeah, I would imagine. Hopefully after all the people I've played in front of I'll get to come back. The response has been great.

Is there any UK artist around at the moment that you'd like to collaborate with?

Matt Ah Jeez, I don't know. I'm really bad at contemporary music. I've watched a bit of TV over here and seen a couple of the artists coming up like the Arctic Monkeys, they seem cool. I don't know that much about there music, but they seem cool. I don't know who I'd like to work with? Maybe Belle and Sebastian, that'd be great.

One of your songs 'Lullaby' features on the Curious George soundtrack...who was your favourite cartoon character as a kid?

Matt Lets see, I can't even remember last week! Do you know who He-Man was, I liked He-Man he was pretty cool. I had a He-Man bike.

Now that you've gone from an almost pro skater to touring, having an album out and a song on Curious George, have you found the transition hard to adjust to?

Matt No, I've put so much time into my song-writing, travelling and doing the shows its like, I guess if I could step back and look at it, it might be kind of weird but I'm so focused on the next thing already. I don't really sit back and think about it all. I just go, right, my work paid off and I'm proud of what I've done but your always thinking about the next thing.

So what are you plans for the rest of 2006?

Matt Just keep touring, when I've finished Europe, get back home and do some more. I've got a bunch of some really good festivals lined up in the states, like Coachella and Lollapalooza and keep promoting the record.

'Songs We Sing' is out now on Bushfire/Island Records - for more info check outMatt Costa

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