Episode 010 - Part 1, Dan Costello

A short while back, I had the pleasure of sitting down for an in-depth conversation with longtime Boise singer-songwriter Dan Costello. The conversation was so good and so in-depth, I decided to split it into two parts.

In part one of my conversation with Dan, we talk in-depth about his approach to songwriting. Along the way, we slip into a discussion about cooking. Turns out it's the perfect metaphor for songwriting.

Dan talks about the themes he is drawn to in his writing and the artists who helped influence him along the way. He also discusses the effect marriage has had on his writing.

Dan and I talk about changes he's witnessed in the Boise musical scene, especially for younger performers and would-be performers. That seamlessly slides into a discussion about the importance of music education and the idea of music as language.

We revisit some advice Dan gave in a 2010 interview and talk about revision and the idea that it is better to write too much than to try later to add something. And we talk about Leonard Cohen's classic "Hallelujah" and its usefulness as a songwriting exercise.

Along the way, Dan performs a song he wrote for his own wedding and a song he wrote back during his days with the band Stella. Dan did not have his normal guitar with him, son the songs are performed on a carbon fiber Journey OF660 (link below).

Part two of my conversation with Dan will drop next Friday, August 3. (Note the change in schedule.) In it, we'll talk about the latest band project he's a part of and the differences for him between the solo and band performer dynamic. We'll also discuss his approach to playing guitar and his increased involvement with the Idaho Songwriters Association.

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Journey Instruments OF660


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