Dan Moxon Embraces Being a Steady, Stay-At-Home Adult on New Single “Real Good Guy”
Being a good guy doesn’t necessarily entail grand gestures, but merely paying attention to the little things – doing the dishes, walking the dog, cooking dinner. Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Moxon catalogs all the ways he fits the bill on his new single “Real Good Guy.”
Taking its cues from easygoing ’70s soul, “Real Good Guy” features tinkling piano, joyful horns, subtle harmonies, and even some exuberant whistling as Dan basks in the reality of being a responsible member of a household. Throughout the song, there’s the sense that Dan isn’t actually trying hard to convince anyone that he’s a good guy but that he’s instead marveling at a particular stage of life.
It’s an attitude that fits with the greater theme of Dan’s sophomore album, All My Friends.
“As I started writing this album, right before the pandemic, I was struggling with the idea of leaving behind my youth and my 40s being just around the corner. I joked that every time I tried to get a friend to come to a show or meet up, they always had an excuse, or too much work, or couldn’t leave the kids at home and it became quite annoying,” Dan said. “Jump to recording the album three years later in 2022, and now I had a newborn baby girl at home, a labradoodle puppy, a new house, and all of a sudden I was the one who wasn’t going out anymore.”
In other words, Dan had become the “real good guy” he was singing about.
“We can all feel a bit of the struggle to get back to our social lives after more than two years of the pandemic,” Moxon said. “But sometimes it’s ok to just sit back on the couch and watch a movie instead.”
All My Friends is an album that captures this conundrum of drifting from young adulthood to real-deal adulthood and the feeling of leaving friends behind, dealing with the requisite relationship struggles, and the challenges of making the time to be together.
Listen to “Real Good Guy” below and learn more about Dan Moxon via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Dan Moxon, and I’m a singer-songwriter from Vancouver, BC. I just released my second solo album called All My Friends though I also front the rock band Bend Sinister who has toured Canada many times and put out 8+ albums. When I’m not playing music, I restore and sell mid-century modern furniture, and I have both a small home music studio and refinishing workshop in east Vancouver. I have a 10m old named Ava, a labradoodle named teddy, and an overweight orange cat named Topi. I love classic rock, pop, folk, soul, and Motown and tend to pull my inspiration from the music of the 60-80s more than the modern world.
Tell us about the process of writing “Real Good Guy.”
“Real Good Guy” was a really fun one to write. I wanted to play with the idea of a partner who thinks they are great when maybe they’re not pulling their weight in the relationship. It’s tongue in cheek the whole way thru, and I even went on a bit of a tangent in the bridge, referencing some 90s pop songs about love. In all those types of songs, it seems like the story is always about the protagonist and their needs, wants, and expectations from love, not necessarily about the love interest. The song is also just a real fun groove.
What’s it like being a musician in Vancouver?
Vancouver is an expensive city, and it isn’t easy for any artist without some sort of side hustle. I’m glad that I planted my roots here in 2000, going to university, as I feel fairly established now with networks of friends, musicians, and colleagues. I’m lucky to have secure housing and financial stability, which a lot of Vancouverites don’t
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
I remember freaking out when listening to Final Fantasy’s (now Owen pallet) He Poos Clouds. I didn’t know any back story but immediately bought tickets to the Vancouver show. I remember being initially upset that he came out on stage solo with no band because I didn’t think he could pull off the album as I had heard. Little did I realize he was a looping genius who could build up the songs and do all the parts. I think many musicians have a similar experience when they see someone who’s mastered songwriting/looping for the first time. Perhaps now it’s a bit saturated, but I was in awe at that show.
You’ve been making music for while now. What’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
The industry has changed so much, even in the 20 or so years I’ve been playing shows and touring. It’s tougher out there now to get people’s attention and build an audience. At the end of the day, you need to have sincerity and passion for your actions. You have to be open to side hustles and saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Ditch your ego at the door and be grateful you get a chance to do what you love.