Dan Coyle - Inside the Sunshine Factory

My Challenge to You: Take a Baby Step

2010-08-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

We all have something, maybe even several things, that we insist we cannot do. Often times the thing that we think we cannot do, and that which we would love to do, are the exact same thing. What would it take to really challenge yourself in this life? This doesn't meant that your life has to be a challenge, just that through challenging ourselves we reach new levels of ability and achievement - opening new doors and shedding new light on what we are truly capable of.

My challenge to you, is to take the thing that you think you cannot do, but would love to do, and contemplate taking the first baby-step to get yourself headed in the right direction. Don't make a leap yet, just a baby-step this time; we will leap later. Figure out what it is that you've convinced yourself you cannot do, and just think about what the first baby-step would be.

In order to give, we must give the very thing that we think we cannot do without. There is no harm here, it's just a thought.

And I Heard Myself Utter These Words

2010-07-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

Today I heard myself utter these words: "I have to admit, the more successful the music becomes, the more it freaks me out! Why? I have no idea, thank you though."

I couldn't believe it. I had found a comfort in being obscure. The climb to become more and more well-known is extremely draining. There is so much to do, and it's you who has to do it, and you who has to push yourself to do all of the things that you would rather not do; but if you didn't do those things, you would pay a huge price - you would remain obscure.

I have no delusion here that I'm getting 'too big for my britches.' No, my britches still fit quite well. One thing that I am finding, however, is that sometimes all of the seeds that you plant bloom at once! All of a sudden you're quickly in a place where you had only imagined before; that's where I am now.

So I guess success is an odd thing to complain about; so I won't complain. I will just say this: it will be some time before you will know the fruits that today's labor will bring; but be sure to be ready to fill your basket with all that fruit once it is time for the harvest because, if you've worked hard, there will be a lot of it.

Thank You all for your continued support. You amaze and humble me day after day.

Well, yes, but thank you

2010-07-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Interview I Did on 4.6.10

2010-04-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Interview with Singer-Songwriter Dan Coyle

By Molly Heintzelman

heintzelman.quadnews@gmail.com
|

Published: Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Updated: Thursday, April 8, 2010
Dan Coyle

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/insidethesunshinefactory

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Dan Coyle has been cranking out neo-folkpop tunes reminiscent of Cat Stevens, Paul Simon and Jason Mraz since 2004. Now he’s taking his one-man show to Connecticut for a live performance at The Space on Tuesday, Apr. 6. Quad News got a chance to catch up with Coyle before the show to discuss the future of folk, spontaneous songwriting and the art of connecting with a live crowd.

Quad News: How would you categorize your music?

Dan Coyle: Well, we push the idea that my music is kind of the next generation of singer-songwriter folk music. I would still consider it to be folk music because it has the feel of simplicity and repetition. And it can be very easy to identify with and sing along to. I guess the idea of the future of folk music is moving it in the direction of being able to blend or mix with a little bit more of a contemporary pop-py feel to it.

QN: If I listened to you on Pandora, what else would come up? What other artists would you compare yourself to?

DC: It depends [on] what album or what song you’re listening to. I had a guy pick up a song that was on my first album, “Briar Street: The Acoustic Session,” which was actually the first song of mine that was ever played on the radio back in 2007 (“Slow Train Comin’”). He said that I reminded him a lot of John Denver, and I can understand what he’s saying off of listening to that song because it’s a slower song. It has a very smooth, soothing melody kind of like a lot of John Denver. Recently, the latest album, “Random Thoughts and Incomplete Sentences,” a lot of times my vocals are compared to Cat Stevens. I get a lot of comparisons to Jason Mraz, having that kind of catchy acoustic, mellow vibe. I’ve also gotten Jack Johnson a lot, but I don’t listen to a lot of Jack Johnson, so I can’t really say.

QN: What does the song writing process entail for you?

DC: Usually for the most part, most the songs are written in 10 minutes, 15 minutes. To me, what usually happens is I will just be sitting around tooling around on the guitar, not playing anything in particular. Then the minute I hear something that I like, I’ll play it over and over and over again. And all that I usually do is just start singing to it. Not humming notes or melodies, but actual words, That’s usually how it happens.

I don’t sit down and think about the words a lot and I always hope that means that they are more meaningful because they come very naturally. It’s not that I’m writing them down on a piece of paper then ruminating over them for some period of t time. It’s more that it just kind of happens that once and in those ten or fifteen minutes go by and then it’s like okay here’s a song and I can listen back to it and see what it sounds like and then after that it may change slightly, but nothing will change very dramatically from what was written in those ten or fifteen minutes.

QN: What kind of music did you listen to in college?

DC: [When I was] in college, it’s bizarre, I had never really listened to The Beatles. But once I’d started I guess [I listened to] them for a solid four years, from about [age] 17 to 21. And that’s actually the reason I started to play guitar. I just wanted to play Beatles songs. Then I transitioned into listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel. I would say those are the staples.

QN: What’s your favorite song you’ve ever written?

DC: Oh, ah that’s a good question. [laughs] I guess some songs that I never get tired of playing are “Slow Train Comin.” I like to play that a lot and in the right setting people like to hear that song a lot. I like a lot of the songs off the last album. I like “Listen Closely Now.” For whatever reason, that goes over really well at live shows. People really seem to like that song.

But there are actually a few new songs that I’ve written as well. I really like both of those songs “God I Miss You” and “Something’s Changed.” I think that they’re a little bit different. And when I play “Something’s Changed” live, I use my voice to belt out a little bit more than usual. A lot of my vocals tend to be soft and smooth and highly melodic.

QN: “Random Thoughts and Incomplete Sentences” was your last album to come out, and that was last summer. When should we be expecting something new?

DC: There’s going to be a new release this year. And it would be a lot sooner, but I’m trying to [do] this one with a full band. I wanted to release it as a double disc--one disc is acoustic and the other disc is the same album, but with a full band.

QN: I noticed that you’re multi-instrumental. Do you play anything besides guitar and piano?

DC: [laugh] Yeah I struggle through the piano. That’s one of my great hopes-to over time get significantly better at the piano… If you sing over it and the song is good enough, I could probably get away with it. But I play a little African drum. I have a djembe that I’m looking at right now. Here, if I play it you might be able to hear it [several drum noises come through the phone]. So that’s the djembe.

There are songs that you’ll see that I just put on my website a few days ago. In late 2009 I felt like doing something different so I did this little project called Bliss in Motion Project and the songs are extremely different. They’re kind of a mix. They’re electronic, funk, pop, spoken word, and they fall within those genres. I put six of them up on my website the other day. All the instruments and all the vocals you hear, I did. And it was the longest process [laughs] I’ve ever done. I have no idea what I’m going to do with them; it was just a way to do something different.

QN: Where do you see yourself in five years?

DC: Five years? I get this question a lot and I never really know exactly what to say. Most everything that I have planned on happening has never gone the way that I planned anyways, so I try not to be too invested in my plans because if something goes a different direction I want to be able to just go with it. But, ideally in five years, I would love to be selling out large shows all across the country. I love being on the road and I love just staying on the road. I would be happy for some time just living on the road.

QN: What should we expect when you play at The Space (on Apr. 6)?

DC: People that see my show for the first time say that I’m a pretty genuine, down-to-earth person and just kind of put it all out there [on stage]. I would make an effort to say hi and meet and to talk a little bit with every person that comes. A huge part of it is making a real life, true, honest connection with those people and being able to see their faces and get a feel for their personalities and learn a little bit about them. Those aspects of it are irreplaceable. I’d love to be able to influence someone’s life in the way that it’s able to bring them a little bit more hope or calm or peace, or let them see the world as not so hostile. I don’t think that’s an impossible task to complete. I know it sounds a lot bigger than it is, but any task that we accomplish, we accomplish by one little step at a time.

Day by Day Leads to a Lifetime

2010-04-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

If there is one person, just one person, that you had better make damn well sure that you don't disappoint in this lifetime, it's you. I once heard that, "The only thing that I can do for you, is to make myself better. The only thing that you can do for me, is to make yourself better." I think that this statement holds some profound truths.

I have come to believe, and this is just my opinion, that if someone can do it, we all can do it - no matter what "it" is. I think that we do ourselves a great disservice when we think that "we're only one person" or "we're only human" or "we aren't gifted with this or that." I think that being one person and being human are both wondrous things - and that those aren't limiting factors to our existence, but empowering factors of our existence.

It seems to me that the only thing that separates one persons ability to achieve some great feat, from another person's life that is stuck on mediocrity, is simply what that person is putting their attention on. If you place your attention on being great and achieving great things, at least you will know that you put everything that you are capable of out into the world, and that you won't leave anything behind - because once your gone, so is all of that potential, of everything you could have done.

By not striving to be great every single day, which is what builds a lifetime, we not only cheat ourselves but we cheat those around us, and we cheat the future generations to come. I can only expect to create the best world possible, by creating the best me that is possible, and the same with you. Remember, we don't inherit the world that our ancestors gave us, so much as we borrow the world from the generations that will follow. Make them proud to know that you were the most incredible you that you could be.

A Brief Synopsis of Everything I've Learned in 28 Years

2010-04-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily the deepest thinker in the world. I do try to reflect on myself and look for whatever truths I might find through my life experiences. This may seem simple or incomplete to some of you, maybe even to most of you, but this is the 'easy version' of what I've learned so far in my 28 years:

For as long as you can, be good to as many people as you can; lend a helping hand to all that you can; extend a kind word and a gentle nature to all that you can; fill your mornings and your nights with grace, gratitude and love for all that you can. Do this, and you will not have to worry about loving yourself, for you will have filled the world with so much love and light that you will have no where to hide from the glow that emanates from you.

Name your price

2010-04-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Nothing in life is easy. Nothing in life comes without paying some price. I was reminded of this last night as I was talking to a friend. She works a typical 9-5 job and doesn't like it one bit. She has had a dream, a calling to pursue something that she feels is part of her purpose, but is nervous to do it. She gets nervous because there are no guarantees that come with pursuing her dream. At least her 9-5 gives her a steady paycheck and some security; but like I said, everything in life comes at a price.

The price that she pays for this guaranteed paycheck and security is an intense feeling that she is wasting every second of her life that she spends at her job. That is a big price to pay. I told her, in my opinion, she had to decide which price was easier to pay; the price of feeling like her life was being wasted, or the price of having to overcome some nerves and anxiety about pursuing something new and different. That, of course, is a question that she has to answer for herself.

I think there is a lesson in this for all of us though. Our lives are made or wasted day by day, by the path that we decide to stay on or get off of every single day. Pile up enough of these days and 20, 30, 40 years have passed. So, just remember, there is a price to pay for doing something just for the security or normalcy of it - and there is a price to pay for taking your own road too. Which is more important to you? Which is the more palatable risk for you to take?

My final thought is this: One of her concerns was that she would feel poor; not that she would be poor, but that she would feel poor. Being poor is something that I know a little bit about. I told her that you only feel poor if you are poor for the wrong reasons, and I really think that is true. I believe that I'm poor for the right reasons; it doesn't mean that it's noble or easy, it just means that I don't feel poor because my life experience feels very rich!

The wonderful artist who did the design for the "Random Thoughts and Incomplete Sentences" album, David Derr, gave me this advice: He told me that when he made the decision to freelance at art, and to try to make a living at it, that he was often concerned about not being able to pay this bill or that bill; but something always came along. I will never forget his advice, which I hold near and dear to my heart, everyday as an artist pursing my music. He said, "You can always do with less money." That was when I decided that I could do with less money, whenever I needed to! What I couldn't deal with was not pursuing my dream because I was afraid of it.

My way is not everyone's way, but never be afraid to ask yourself these questions, and determine if you should stay on your current path, or if there's another road that you would like to take.

Decide what you want and go out there and get it!

2010-04-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

I made it to 28 years old. An entire decade since I graduated High School. Although I am probably one of the poorest people that you will ever meet - I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so thankful that I've taken the road less traveled. My life is uniquely rich. I've made huge mistakes and learned from them - and I know that day-by-day I'm a better person.

Choosing to pursue this life as a Roving Vagabond (as I refer to myself) has provided me with experiences that are greater than I could have ever imagined. Life is amazing. The things that you can experience if you live your life on your terms is amazing. If this hasn't been your experience in life so far, so what?! It is never too late to change that. Right now decide that you will live your life as you see fit - regardless of what other people will think - because in the end no one has as much invested in yourself as you do; trust yourself the most.

Decide what you want and go out there and get it. We will all be in a much better world if you, me, and all of us, are following our inspiration. What inspires you? "You've got to jump before your parachute will ever open." And once you jump, it will.

For One Day...Just One Day!

2010-04-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm reminded that tomorrow is my Birthday - Whoot Whoot! I have never really cared how old I am - is that weird? There are a lot of things in life that I find myself just not paying attention to and age is definitely one of them. I think that it can really limit a person, to think too much about their age - because often times we use it against ourselves and not to our benefit; meaning, if there's something that we are really driven or inspired to do, oftentimes we make excuses like 'I'm too old' and 'I'm too young' or 'I'm going to miss my chance.' Yada Yada Ya.

I think those time or age-related excuses are completely bogus and there is a lot less emphasis that could be placed on how old we are (or aren't). Just be you - however young or old you feel - just be yourself...yes I know this sounds cliche and cheesy, but I don't care! So how about just for a day - to celebrate my Birthday - just on April 5th 2010, spend the entire day being yourself, whatever that may be. "Out beyond the ideas of right and wrong there is a field, I will meet you there."

I always seek out ALL of the music that my favorite artists have made

2010-04-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to find a way that somebody could easily own my entire catalog of music - meaning all 5 of my current albums plus any albums that I make in the future - and here is what I came up with:

For $50 I will immediately put all 5 of my current CDs in the mail to you, then anytime in the future when I release a CD, I will email you to double-check your current mailing address and then I'll put your CD in the mail for free. I always seek out all of my favorite artists complete catalog of music, and this seems like an easy, inexpensive way for me to offer this to my amazing fans.

Here is the link http://bit.ly/begWjH

I'll post again soon ;)

www.dancoyle.com
twitter.com/dan_coyle
facebook.com/insidethesunshinefactory
Free Podcast http://bit.ly/bxq1Zx

It's been a long time!

2009-12-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Wow - As I welcome myself back to the blog-o-sphere and thank you for stopping by to check out my blog - I'm currently bunkered down in Maryland, smack-dab between Baltimore and Washington DC.

Work on Album #3 has begun and it will be quite a treat! This one will have various instruments as I'm recording it with a full band and I'm doing a lot of writing on the piano/keyboard as opposed to the guitar ;)

There is a video documentary being created about the making of the album, chuck full of interviews, inside-looks at practice sessions and studio sessions, etc, etc.

There is also a FUNdraiser at dancoyle.com that is attempting to raise $3000 by Dec 18th to fund the making of the album. Along with your donation you get a ton of really fun prizes for donating at every level (starting for as little as $1) and all the way up ;)

That's it for now, I'm going to enjoy my orange/peppermint/ginger tea and surf the web and start booking the spring 2010 tour (oh the fall tour was great and there are still 3 shows left: Dec 4 at Old Bowie Town Grille in MD, Dec 11 at Boulder Coffee in Rochester, and Dec 15 at Kenny's Castaways in NYC) -- connect with me at twitter.com/dan_coyle and http://www.facebook.com/insidethesunshinefactory and stay updated every week with my free podcast on itunes or http://www.gcast.com/user/dancoyle/podcast/www_dancoyle_com

Much Love, Many Thanks!

Dan
www.dancoyle.com
dan@dancoyle.com

Get this Train Running Again!

2009-07-13T12:50:00.001-07:00

OK - I'm back for good now! Given all of the excitement with stalking and traveling and so on and so forth I let this go...but never shall I waiver again!

Oh sweet Jesus there has been so many things going on. Just today I created an option on my homepage (www.dancoyle.com) to purchase autographed photos...it seems like a really cool idea to me, so I hope it catches on. I also launched my "I'll come play a private show anywhere for you" campaign. Essentially, you can purchase a private show and have me come play for you with as many or as few people there to enjoy the performance as you would like. Shows are 60-90min in length and you can request songs, etc.

So we'll see where this all goes, but I hope it only keeps increasing. I've been super tired and I have a live stream tonight and Thursday this week at www.ustream.com so that should be fun; but for now I'm going to shower and try and nap before the LIVE Stream...hope to see you there!

Me & 50,000 People

2009-06-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

So I found out yesterday that the Kansas City Riverfest where I'm playing over the 4th of July is expecting 30-50 THOUSAND people...I would say it will be my biggest show to-date.

I posted some new songs - if you have any idea what genre I should place them in, please let me know because I really don't listen to the style of music I'm playing right now...kind of strange, but that's just the way it is. Here are the links to the free demos of the songs:

http://dancoyle.com/resources/Who+I+Am+1.mp3

http://dancoyle.com/resources/Shine+Right+Through+You.mp3

http://dancoyle.com/resources/Fly$2C+Fly$2C+Fly+Away.mp3

http://dancoyle.com/resources/Alright+Now.mp3

http://dancoyle.com/resources/For+a+Long+Long+Time.mp3

there's also one more new one - if you email me at dan@dancoyle.com I can send it to you.

Hope everyone's week is going well! We're ramping up for the CD Release Party here in Chicago on June 26th. Should be good! Talk to ya soon ;)

The Songs Keep On Comin!

2009-06-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

What a day. I was telling a friend today that I remember when I first started to play the guitar it was amazing...I couldn't stop - and it didn't matter what I was playing, it was just so much fun; and this is how I feel again doing the new music - it's so refreshing and so interesting to me to see what comes out and how different it is than anything I've done before. If you want to hear some samples email me at dan@dancoyle.com and I can send you some mp3's for you to listen to. I always appreciate feedback and input!

I launched a podcast that I'll release once per week (probably every Monday) that will chronicle the rise of the music. You can listen or subscribe to it here http://www.gcast.com/user/dancoyle/podcast/www_dancoyle_com

Great news from the guys who are putting on the Kansas City Riverfest where I'll be playing - they might have some spots for me to play on the 4th of July too! Now I just have to see if Southwest can change my flight! That reminds me, I have to call the guy who booked me...Have a good night!

Blog #1 - Does this count as a blog now?

2009-06-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm trying to start a blog - and I'm so gul-darn technologically illiterate! I'm going to try this and see what happens ;) If this doesn't work, we'll try something else! Well I woke up this morning and my hard-drive had crashed...so I took it to the Apple store and got it fixed. Only really crappy thing is I lost 2 songs that I wrote/recorded yesterday, but I still had the mp3's that I put on my iTunes. So I got home and recorded the first podcast and wrote/recorded one new song...not bad for a sunday night.

Now it's 1:20 in the morning and I'm winding down - oh insomnia, you're so good to me ;) CD Release party for "Random Thoughts and Incomplete Sentences" (http://www.cdbaby.com/all/dancoyle) is next Friday, June 26th at 10pm here in Chicago at the Risque Cafe - it's Free and should be a lot of fun! I have some new performance things that I'll be trying out ;)

Alright, well it's bedtime for me now. If you want to follow me on twitter go to
http://twitter.com/dan_coyle and there are new songs, and I mean new as in totally different from my usual stuff at http://dancoyle.com/music.html and you can subscribe to or listen to my podcast (a new one each week) at
http://www.gcast.com/user/dancoyle/podcast/www_dancoyle_com

Thanks for stoppin' by!

DC
dan@dancoyle.com
www.dancoyle.com