Seeking an outlet to release material on the softer side, he debuted the Ghost Fan Club project in 2020. He released a handful of singles (including “Speak to Me” which became a minor TikTok hit), and the aching ‘Goodbye World, Hello Ghosts’ EP in 2021. Costolo then found himself in flux both personally and creatively, as he made his sonically harsh Metal-inspired return to the Two Meters name in 2022, while slowly working on this upcoming self-titled Ghost Fan Club return EP.
While the July 5th release sees him return to his Slowcore and Bedroom Pop influences, Ghost Fan Club has a new edge and greater urgency (thanks in part to the recruitment of drummer Tom Morris) as he tackles subjects like depression, grief, instability, and lost time.
‘Ghost Fan Club’ will be released via “gay working class trans label” Knifepunch Records on July 5th, preceded by the “Shoulders” and “Now and Then” singles.
How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
Ghost Fan Club came around during Covid lockdown. I had been making music for a bit under the name Two Meters, but that kinda slowly became a metal project. I wanted to keep making more lowkey music and decided I should form a new band. I've always had an interest in ghosts, I have a couple ghost tattoos haha. But the band name was 100% Dani from knifepunch records idea. We were chatting about ideas and she came up with Ghost Fan Club as a name and I loved it.
Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
I released like three songs under my actual name before starting to release as Two Meters.
A lot of my love for music came from my family. My mom was a lover of 80's pop, so that was what I heard in the car about 90% of the time. My dad is a classic rock guy so that was my first inspiration with "guitar music".
My sister (who is 4 years older than me) was who really got me into emo and the world of music beyond what I heard on the radio. She showed me Myspace in the early 2000's haha. That was a major musical awakening moment.
First concert that you ever went to?
The first concert I ever went to was a Christina Aguilera / Justin Timberlake show haha...I made my mom take me outside because Justin Timberlake's voice hurt my ears.
What's your writing process like?
I do things a lot of the time in seperate parts. I'll come up with a bunch of guitar ideas and lyrics and see what blends together well.
I have a running note on my phone with little phrases that slowly become full songs later on. Usually once I find a guitar concept and lyrics that I like together, I'll edit around a bit to mesh everything.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
I think a running theme you'll see in my song choices are non-traditional song structures, volume dynamics, and lo-fi sounds.
- The Microphones / Mount Eerie will forever be my favorite band, something about the tenderness of Phil's music hits me directly in the heart.
- Told Slant was a big band for me in college, I listened to Still Water almost daily.
- This Cloakroom track is a great example of the volume dynamics that I love. The sludgey guitars come blasting in and immediately give way to a quiet verse, too good.
- Really any Dan Barrett project could have been on this list. His music cuts like a knife and I am forever chasing that same level of work.
- Come On Up To The House, this song is like one long chorus, or one never ending verse depending on how you look at it. I love a song with a repeating motif, which you can probably tell if you listen to a few of my tracks.
- I really respect when someone can make a song under two minutes and be really effective. I enjoy making short songs, sometimes life doesn't need a bridge, ya know?
- Daniel Johnston...love him. I have a vivid memory of being in this non-fiction literature class in college and we read an essay about outsider art and music. I spent so long defending Daniel Johnston haha. There is something so beautiful about his music. It is art at its most bare and sincere.
- It's hard for me to pick a favorite Duster song. Cassette recording is something as time goes on I enjoy more and more, and they are fantastic at it.
- The first time I heard Pale Horse I was convinced it was the prettiest song I'd ever heard haha. mewithoutYou was one of my favorite bands in high school and they've managed to hold up and still make great stuff since.
- This song, it takes incredibly powerful writing to make something so captivating and so simple arrangement wise. Another thing I'm always chasing.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be it's own thing?
Personally I do not play live, and probably won't ever. With my anxiety and panic issues it does not seem like something I'd enjoy.
I know that probably holds me back from getting my music out there, but oh well.
I really enjoy when a song has some variety when I hear it live. Gives things a little bit of an extra flair.
But I will also say, when a band can really replicate their studio sound at a live show, I find it super impressive.
Has the band toured? What has the touring experience been, best shows?worst shows?
Haha, like above, have not toured.
I used to sit in vans for hours at a time traveling for water polo in college, which is probably as close as I'll get to that "tour experience".
Lemme tell ya, my body does not enjoy being stuck in a car that long, I am too large haha.
What's up next for the band?
Keep making music, keep trying to find the people who care.