Interview With Slowcore/Bedroom Pop Artist Tyler Costolo
We speak to Tyler Costolo -the multifaceted musician behind Ghost Fan Club- on his upcoming EP, his musical evolution, gear insights, the challenges of navigating the music industry, thoughts on the impact of AI in the arts, and more.
Hailing from Pompano Beach, Florida, Tyler Costolo has traversed a diverse musical landscape, exploring genres ranging from folk to bedroom pop. Now, under the moniker Ghost Fan Club, he returns to his slowcore roots with an upcoming self-titled EP where he explores themes of depression, grief, and lost time, reflecting his personal journey.
Chris, Musicngear: Your upcoming EP, "Ghost Fan Club," seems to explore themes of depression, grief, and lost time. How did these personal experiences influence the sound and lyrical content of the album?
Yeah, I’d say most all the songs I make explore those topics in one way or another.
I find making music a way to vent about these struggles and maybe connect with people who feel the same. Haha, I don’t think I’ve ever said “Oh I’m in a great mood, let me write a song about it”.
The guitar parts and lyrics usually are written separately and then I kinda match things up based on what I feel works well together, with some tweaks and edits then taking place.
Transitioning from folk to bedroom pop to heavier sounds, and now returning to slowcore and bedroom pop with Ghost Fan Club, how do you navigate such diverse musical styles while maintaining your artistic identity?
I’d say that goes back to the last question. The lyrical content has remained consistent, even if the musical style has not. I think that allows me to keep up with what I want to convey overall as a musician! Just sometimes it needs to be screamed other times sung.
You mentioned your desire for actual drums in your music for the first time with Ghost Fan Club. Could you elaborate on how this addition, with drummer Tom Morris, impacted the overall sound and direction of the EP?
Yeah, previously the drumming was all programmed, sampled, etc. I think having a live drummer gives the EP a much more polished sound. I had always had trouble mixing the intricacies of real drumming, so it became an afterthought. Now, knowing I’d have an actual drummer, it made me think a little more critically of how the rhythm would impact the song overall.
Tom is really awesome and nailed what I was looking for immediately with each song and I think they feel so much more lived in with those performances.
"Shoulders" references a true story, that I almost died in childbirth from being wrapped in the umbilical cord. "Now and Then" being about looking into the future with not a ton of hope anything will change.
Could you provide some insights into the instruments and equipment you used during the recording process of your upcoming EP to achieve its distinct sound?
Sure! I have a few different guitars that were used throughout. The most common being a Fender Telecaster Custom, most commonly in the middle position between the neck humbucker and bridge single coil. Anything with a slide was a Danelectro U1. Also a Fender Squier Jazzmaster throughout. Any acoustic parts were a Seagull S6. All bass parts used a Squier Jaguar bass.
The synth/keys were an Arturia Microlab and used their library of sounds. An ebow shows up in “Now and Then.”
Mixture of parts recorded directly into the computer and using amp sims or micing up my Fender Twin Reverb (which has sadly since broken). Not a ton of effects were used, mostly just amp reverb and mixing from Ross.
"Shoulders" and "Now and Then" are the singles preceding the release of Ghost Fan Club. Could you give us some insights into these tracks and how they represent the overall vibe of the EP?
They are sort of bookends of “past and present”. "Shoulders" references a true story, that I almost died in childbirth from being wrapped in the umbilical cord. "Now and Then" being about looking into the future with not a ton of hope anything will change.
The whole EP is more or less about struggling with my place in life and whether I’ll ever truly be happy.
I have found sharing the back story of songs is a helpful tool. That was how I gained some traction with that track.
As an artist who has experimented with various labels and musical styles, what are the biggest problems you had to overcome, and what advice would you give to emerging artists trying to find their sound and navigate the music industry?
Haha I mean the eternal struggle is getting anyone else to listen. Growing an audience is definitely a difficult task!
I would tell anyone who wants to be a musician, to prioritize being nice to the people around you. Sure sometimes jerks can become popular, but eventually that act wears thin.
If you are kind to people in your community, whether in person or online, you are much better off long term. I have met so many lovely people through music, that should be the goal.
Your previous single, "Speak to Me," gained traction on TikTok. How do you approach promoting your music, especially in the age of social media, and what strategies have you found most effective?
I have found sharing the back story of songs is a helpful tool. That was how I gained some traction with that track. It’s about forgetting my mom’s voice after she died. A lot of people related to that sentiment and it’s done pretty well ever since posting an explanation.
I think in the age of social media, so much can be faked or come off fake, that if you share authentic feelings and experiences, people can find solace in that.
AI should be able to perform work tasks to allow us to have more time to create art. Instead, we’re still doing the work and AI is being used as the artists
In your musical journey, you've collaborated with different musicians and producers. Are there any artists, either established or emerging, that you would love to collaborate with in the future?
I need to be better about this!
I have friends (all of whom are infinitely more creative and talented than me) who have asked about collaborating and nothing has ever really come of that. Honestly, my roommate is an incredible musician, he can pick up an instrument he’s never played before and within minutes have something beautiful created. And yet, we’ve never really played together.
I think I find collaboration daunting - in a world where so many people are so talented, why work with me? Not a great answer to the question, haha, so I’ll say Phil Elverum.
AI-generated music is becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry. What are your thoughts on this trend? Do you see it as a valuable tool for musicians, or do you have concerns about its impact on creativity and artistic expression?
AI in the arts gives me such existential dread. I hate how it’s already being used to replace real artists.
It’s a weird situation, AI should be able to perform work tasks to allow us to have more time to create art. Instead, we’re still doing the work and AI is being used as the artists. Seems like backward progress to me.
Following the release of 'Shoulders', mark your calendars for 'Now and Then' on June 14th, followed by the release of Costolo's self-titled EP on July 5th.
Connect with Tyler Costolo
Twitter / Instagram / TikTok / Bandcamp / Spotify
About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@kinkl.com
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