By: Shelby Lum
A career ending injury would be a massive mental blow to many. For Matt Costa, it changed his career path towards music.
On his way to becoming a top skateboarder, Costa broke his leg at 19 years old, effectively ending his future as a skateboarder. That transition could have been for the better though.
“I think if it wasn’t for skateboarding, I wouldn’t have had the insight and creativity that skateboarding has,” Costa said.
For him, skateboard wasn’t just a sport or a hobby, but an outlook on life.
“It really forces (skateboarders) to a creative mindset to look a the street different, to look at the board. The first artwork that I bought was on a skateboard,” Costa said. “I think all that led to the same mentality that you put into anything artistic.”
Rather than create a vastly different album, he took his previous works and pushed them forward. “I think all my writing is kind of one long chain, and so everything leads to the next,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s too far fetched from what I’ve done before.”
The album, while written in California, was recorded in Scotland.
“I have always been a fan of British music, folk music, rock music, psychedelic music, all these things,” Costa said. “I felt like it would be more of an experience to do it in Scotland.”
So Costa packed his bags for Scotland, with most of his time spent within the studio, but some of it spent traveling and seeing the country, which he said set his mind up for the songs.
Under Brushfire Records, Costa has played with Jack Johnson, Modest Mouse, among others.
“I’ve looked up to a lot of those people throughout the years, especially anyone who writes songs that move people,” Costa said. “I get a little taste of all their creative processes.”
Matt Costa is scheduled to play Vinyl on Sunday, April 21st.
