Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Gober

Hi Dan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

Growing up I always had a very creative imagination. Over the course of my career I’ve learned to explore the images and sounds in my mind and use that to write songs. My songwriting journey continues to be about experimenting. With any art it takes time to hone your skills, find your voice, and your style. There are no short cuts; every artist must pass through this. When I was starting out I wrote tons of songs that I’m not thrilled about, but it helped me grow as an artist. Music is a unique sort of art, and it affects you to your core. We all relate to a song in different ways, but it’s pretty incredible the emotions that it can bring up. There’s magic in those soundwaves that make you tap your foot, give you goosebumps, cheer on with your mates or maybe bring you to tears. As a songwriter it’s my job to chase that light and put it to sound.

In the Philadelphia suburbs there was a great punk scene in the late eighties and nineties. That community taught me so much and it made me feel like I belonged to something bigger. Comradery, self-expression and the DIY approach were my lessons learned and that still hold weight with me.

In my early teens I started forming bands with school friends. I learned a few chords and was up and running, writing my own songs. When I was young my experience was that you played whatever instrument the band you were in needed. My first band needed a singer and I suppose I filled that place because I wasn’t very good at guitar yet and I was the youngest. Eventually as band members left for college it gave me more opportunities to step into other roles. Learning to play guitar and sing at the same time was a challenge at first but it helped me further my creativity. It was also my introduction to becoming a multi-instrumentalist. Everything changed one day when my band had its first recording session in a professional studio. The sonic possibilities were endless using the studio as another tool for writing and creating.

I began taking music more seriously and was fortunate my high school offered a guitar class. This was my first lesson into music theory, which really sparked for me! I would eventually continue my education at the local community college with Music Theory and Fundamentals. It was such a blast to be around other musicians learning. We had early morning sight singing classes, history, theory and lessons. There was a great sense of community and support.

Most of my twenties and thirties were spent performing. Being on stage is such an incredible experience, it is filled with such energy that nothing seems to match it. When you see someone singing along or bopping their head it’s a unique communication between artist and audience. As I got older it became harder to juggle having a live band but that also presented some different opportunities. I began writing more as a solo artist and became interested in writing music for TV and Film.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

My career as an artist has been a bumpy ride! You have to really manage your time and energy. I tend to focus on long term goals and do my best to set a path. The problem with being a solo artist is there isn’t anyone to help motivate you. You have to really commit to what you are doing with clear goals and deadlines.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I think my specialty as a songwriter would be writing in service of the song. This is a fancy way of saying less is more. Most of my writing I would consider straight up rock tunes. I definitely have plenty of artistic pieces as well. I’m proud of my body of work! I enjoy experimenting with different sounds, instruments and voices. I believe each new piece of music is its own puzzle. My favorite song is always the new one I’m working on!

I think most folks recognize me by my signature style of “Junk Rawk” music. I incorporate miscellaneous metal percussion and different textures to create a song bed for my message. Most of these tunes are upbeat and often have tongue in cheek humor. These are always fun to perform live and seem to connect with people.

I believe relationships are also super important. I consider myself very lucky to travel all over the country meeting like-minded artists. I do my best to put out good energy and I think others pick up on that.

What’s next?

Presently, I’m working on a few different projects. I’ve been working on my sixth solo album and hoping to finish tracking this year. I also started writing and recording with a bunch of buddies I grew up with, which has been a blast, we hope to record a full length album within the year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dangober.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dangobermusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dangobermusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dangobermusic
• Soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5b5SjQqzM6tmzn4VDZz3uz
• Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dan-gober/193270218