Out singer/songwriter Tom Goss will perform his hit “Bears,” along with tunes from his new album, “What Doesn’t Break,” when he headlines the Rehoboth Beach Bear Weekend Sept. 17. In addition to his current tour and album, Goss just released a new video, “Son of a Preacher Man,” and appears as a singer in the new DVD “Confessions.”
Taking the title of the DVD to heart, the songs on “What Doesn’t Break” are confessional in nature. “Thirteen,” about how violent Goss was as an adolescent — killing animals and getting expelled from school — is a particularly revealing song. But it also emphasizes how he matured and changed, as it shows who Goss was and who he has become.
In a Skype session, the singer acknowledged, “I wrote ‘Thirteen’ a couple of years ago. I felt the subject matter is a little dangerous to share with people. I would have edited it out of the album, but my producer, Marr Zimm, picked the track. I wouldn’t have touched it previously because of what I was saying in it.”
He continued, “‘Thirteen’ is part of my story. It’s my truth. I tell stories about what I know and my life. I’m not sure I have another option at this point. I’ve always been writing these songs. I just haven’t been releasing them.”
Until now. Another difficult song off the CD, “Mama,” addresses how Goss relates to his family.
“As gay men, we fear rejection. We fear it because we’ve felt it. It can come again at any time. Sometimes our families reject us because they don’t understand us. We shouldn’t have to struggle with this, but we do. ‘Mama’ was a hard song to release because it speaks to those moments in my life. I don’t want to throw my family under the bus, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a struggle at times.”
However, Goss’ new album does have some up-tempo songs, such as the anthem “Someone Else,” which tells off a cheating lover. The singer shows an edge in this song, with explicit lyrics that he has not revealed before.
“It’s funny, there have been several times in my career when I thought, Do I need to be more edgy? No. I am who I am: a good wholesome Midwestern guy who speaks honestly about love and relationships. One of the interesting things about this record in terms of music and songs and branding is that it has more edge to it. But that representation of me is also a true representation of me.”
Goss’ songs resonate with his gay fans, but the performer insists he is not writing “gay songs,” even if people want to ascribe an agenda to his work.
“I’m a gay man married to a man and that makes me ‘political.’ And that’s how it is when it comes to art. A song like ‘Bears’ taps into a gay audience but I don’t think it’s a gay love song — it’s a love song. I talk about love without using male pronouns. I would never use a female pronoun. I wouldn’t pretend I’m something that I’m not, but the amazing thing about music is that it moves through all your filters. You can hear a song and it drops your walls and hits you in your heart and you feel you have the same emotions. I try to speak about truisms that we all have that are relatable and accessible to anyone who would listen.”
Fans who like to listen to Goss can see the singer perform his songs “stripped down to the core of their message” in his concert. Seeing him live, audiences can understand why these songs resonate with him.
“I’m proud of the record. It has so many different vibes and sounds. Over the period of the year I’ve been working on it, each song has been a favorite for different reasons.”
When asked about the different genres of music he plays, Goss replied, “If I was writing the same song over and over again, it would be uninteresting. I’m playing with different sounds and feels. The guitar does different things. I play the piano, though there are no piano songs on this album. I experiment with different rhythms and sounds. I’d get bored otherwise.”
He added, “You’re not going to pick up a Tom Goss record and think you’ll get someone else. I strive to put positive energy into the world and create positive change. Even in songs like ‘Thirteen’ or ‘Someone Else’ or ‘Mama,’ that energy is peeking through, even if the production is different or the music is different. I’m not betraying who I am as a singer/songwriter.”