Geoff Koch, singer-songwriter from St. Louis, has released a handful of CDs, and has toured and promoted himself and his songs like a crazy troubadour since 2004. His dedication and enthusiasm are starting to pay off — he's been a featured performer at national music festivals, and his third CD, If It Feels Good, Don't Do It, was produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) and engineered by Charlie Brocco (Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison). We spoke with Koch to ask how his new material is coming along and how he identifies with the singer-songwriter title.
The Pitch: I noticed that you're involved with Play It Forward. How did you start to work with the organization?
Geoff Koch: It's easy to be supportive of giving kids access to music instruments who don't normally have the means. I've known Samantha Fisher (STLSound Magazine) for several years and am thankful for her local music support, and I identify with her philanthropic ideas. Play It Forward is also involved in music instrument donations to schools whose budgets don't allow for new ones or their upkeep. I had a beginning guitar class in high school and felt so thankful to learn outside of my Neil Young books. Had no idea where the guitars came from or how they got there ... and someone was especially conscientious to string one left-handed (I'm a lefty), so I felt like that one was 'my' guitar! So I support any org that's responsible for making other kids feel the same way.
This is a short tour. How does it compare with your other travels?
This is a two-week Upper-Midwest tour. To compare/contrast it - I've never toured with anyone else before. So having someone to share these experiences with makes me feel less isolated, lonely, bored or crazy. That's one big thing I've noticed when I get home from tours. Whatever I just went through - who could I talk to about it that 'got' it? In the past, it's messed with me to come home from a tour experience then not feel like I had anyone I could identify with. Whether or not that's actually true, I don't know ... I know my friends would listen to me, etc. But would they know what I really meant when I told them I didn't shower for three days baking in the South, or how I 'slept' in my driver's seat at a gas station in Tallahassee? Now, I don't worry about 'needing to' relate to people I'm close with. I know they'll be there because that's what friends do - and they don't have to know every intricacy of my life experiences for them to be justified.
You get to a point as a touring musician when you build up enough contacts and friends so you'll have a base at your shows in their town, and a place to stay at night. I think I'm near that place now. With Kelcy and I putting our heads together figuring out where we can stay every night - we've managed to avoid major hotel or other financial costs, which is huge. We're halfway through our tour, and so far we've been shown incredible kindness and hospitality.
So I saw this — "I've been touring the country acting as my own booking agent, promoter, manager, driver and financier, independent of a record label deal for nearly 300 shows since 2005." What role are you enjoying the most?
The role I enjoy the most out of all the talking points is as the performer. I'm proud of my songs, and cherish the nightly adventure of what nuances I'll find while I'm in the moment with them. That makes everything worth it.  It's the best, most exciting part of my day. I love the challenge, also, of getting out of my head and setting aside whatever's going on with me personally, and put myself inside the songs and bring them out to bloom.
Have you worked with Kelcy Mae, toured with her before?
I haven't toured with her before. We met when I toured through New Orleans in 2006 and have stayed friends and music allies, and we'd pair up here and there for a show together in Louisiana. This is her first tour.
How's your next record shaping up?
My next record, hmmm. I can tell you there's a song that's kind of like an Amos Lee/'Transatlanticism' by Death Cab for Cutie being groomed. An unassuming, sparse folk riff that eventually blooms and explodes. "Burn It Down" has been demo'd and on the Internet. I need someone to tell me what they think it sounds like, because all I know is that it's strong enough to be done. Might remind me of 'Say You Will' from my last record in that it's lyrically strong enough to pull your collar for a while. There's a poppy/fun side to the new stuff that I'm excited about. Maybe I feel like I must be getting better at writing choruses, because I've got this one that is maximum fun while also meshing well with a much more artful, intricate finger-picked verse and bridge. I don't think people should expect me to make an "OK Computer to Kid A" jump in terms of what I sound like. The next record will be full of sad, fun, artsy songs like last time. This time with more life experience and perspective stamped on them.
You've worked with some pretty interesting and notable producers. How were those experiences?
Working with Ken Coomer (Wilco's first drummer) and Charlie Brocco made me feel like I was in capable hands. Ken's got great ears and ideas for what a song needs, with an ability to musically reproduce what he's thinking. Charlie is a wizard with the knobs. He's got great ears and ideas, as well. I remember sitting in the control room sometimes listening to something over and over again, and Charlie's figuring out if he needs to take the reverb on the guitar during this 5-second segment leading to the chorus up from a 4 to a 4.2. I was really impressed with the talent and care they had for the project. And as far as being a huge Wilco fan, the chance to work with Ken was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I had to take, and am so glad I did. I still get a kick out of telling people when a Wilco song like "Can't Stand It" or "Misunderstood" comes on the radio - 'Hey ... the drummer playing right now? Plays drums on MY record, too!" I'm still very much in a 'pinch me' mode regarding 'the Wilco guy' also playing drums on my record.
How do you define the singer-songwriter title? I've seen more musicians with the singer-songwriter title lately and am curious what the title means to you.
I call myself a singer-songwriter because I feel like that most specifically identifies me. I am a musician, but I sing and play guitar. I make the songs and I perform them. I do think there's a negative connotation attached to 'singer-songwriter' unfortunately. You say it, and so many people either roll their eyes discreetly thinking, 'Oh great, just what we need, some other dude who thinks he can be Kurt Cobain because he knows how to play acoustic guitar in his bedroom,' or you get the people who smile and nod and ask, 'So, you sound like ... John Mayer?' Beyond the fear/agony of not being understood, I don't mind being a 'singer-songwriter.' I think it's a highly noble profession. I used to be scared of making mistakes, because it can be scary being looked at, stared at and judged. The challenge is to not be reactionary, to not absorb what you're feeling, which might be negative. Someone's not listening to you? So what? There is so much beauty and satisfaction in staying within the song, being completely present and focused on it and not letting anything get in the way of that - just you and it, in that one moment you have together. People listen to the moment and hopefully appreciate it or like it. But if they don't, it doesn't make what just happened 'bad.'
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Tonight, Koch performs at the Riot Room (on the patio) with Tim York, Sara Swenson and Kelcy Mae. The 21-and-older show starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m., and costs $7.
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