Tom
Goss is a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin,
he spent his high school and college years as a wrestler, leaving the family
sport of gymnastics for one better suited to his teenage aggression. Following
a brief stint as a teacher, he moved to Washington,
DC in 2004 to enter Catholic
seminary. It did not go as planned, and he abandoned his quest to become a
priest—but not his desire to spread a message of hope and reconciliation
through his music. Now he is winning followers across the country while still finding time to lead and raise funds for a DC nonprofit called Charlie’s Place that provides free meals, clothing and social services to the homeless. It is the perfect day job for a man who lives what he sings.
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Please tell us how you entered the music business?
Please tell us how you entered the music business?
It was something I stumbled on really. I was playing music on the side for years,
just as something that helped me process emotions and cope with whatever I was
dealing with. Eventually, as my other
career ambitions fell to the wayside it was all I had left that I was still
passionate about.
What was the
inspiration behind your album “Lost Songs and Underdogs?”
I write a lot of songs.
Not all of them fit on every project.
The songs on Lost Songs and Underdogs were songs that for one reason or
other didn’t fit the mold. Many of them
are dark, sad and intimate. I loved
these songs and would play them live on rare occasions however, they needed to
be recorded and released in a way that would tell their story most
effectively. That’s what I set out to
accomplish in Lost Songs and Underdogs.
Please share with us what
you have learned from the creation of your latest album.
Lost Songs and Underdogs was different for me because I did
everything. I’m a firm believer in
surrounding yourself with great minds to push you to create a bigger and better
project. However, sometimes, in doing
so, you compromise what your initial inspiration was. I didn’t want to do that for this
record. I wanted this record to provide
insight into my soul. I wanted it to be
intimate and honest. As a result I
didn’t let anyone listen to it until it was done, not even my husband. I played all the instruments and did all the
recording. I learned that I’m much more
well rounded as an engineer and musician that I ever believed beforehand.
What is the
process that you go through in the creation of a song?
Songwriting is very fluid to me. Usually I pick up an instrument and something
about the sound of a chord touches me.
Eventually I start to sing and then I try frantically to coral the words
into a coherent story. My writing is very
subconscious. I would never be able to
write what I do if I thought about it.
Which song on
“Lost Songs and Underdogs” has the most meaning for you and why?
They all do. This
album is a glimpse into my soul. It
holds some of the darkest nights of my life and speaks to my struggles to
become that man I am. I write about divorce,
infidelity, death, suicide, alcoholism, promiscuity, loss of innocence and
eventually – redemption and rebirth.
This is not a record that you’ll pop in and be immediately grabbed. Lost Songs and Underdogs is best listened to
in its entirety, while being present.
What has discouraged you the most about making music?
Making music is not
discouraging. It is the rest that often
is. Booking and promoting, dealing with
the back end industry stuff. It’s non-stop
work. But the highs are worth it.
A few fun questions
to get to know Tom Goss better:
If music were not
an option, what would you be doing?
Probably get more sleep : )
What are some unusual foods you really like and your favourite simple recipe is?
I eat a lot of seafood and veggies. I grew up thinking squid sauteed in it’s own
ink was normal so that might give you a sense of what I love. You can make that by getting a bunch of
un-cleaned squid. Clean it. Make sure you keep the ink, just discard the
spine and the head (but not the tentacles). Saute in oil, filberts (is a nut), and oregano then drop in the squid for a couple
minutes. Tasty times!
Please tell us
where folks can find your music?
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Thank you Tom for taking the time to speak with us!
Unashamed Faith Cafe on Facebook
Unashamed Faith Cafe on Facebook