Ghurl TALK!in' with Douglas Dare

(Originally published at http://ghurltalk.com/2012/08/30/ghurl-talkin-with-douglas-dare/ )

Douglas Dare is a singer, songwriter, and a storyteller, one who dazzlingly narrates through a poignant utilization of language and whimsical piano. We caught up with the up-and-coming 21 year-old artist earlier this week, finding Dare to be just as engrossing when out from behind the piano- or tiny Casio keyboard.

Photo via Twitter- @DouglasDare

Tell us a little bit about your music. When and why did you take interest in making music? Did you have much professional training?

I can’t really remember a time that music wasn’t something I did or was involved in. My Mother’s a piano teacher and she also used to gig with my Dad, who sang. I’d go with them from when I was about six and they’d usually make me sing Twinkle Twinkle at the end of the night, which apparently the old women loved! My Mum never taught me piano, nor did she teach my three older siblings. She always said she didn’t want to force it on us, so just waited to see if we’d start naturally. I was fourteen when I started playing every day and the only real training I’ve had is the weekly lessons at my Music University in Liverpool, LIPA.

There is an assortment of beautiful instruments utilized on your tracks, with you on the piano. What was it about the piano that spoke to you? 

The piano is just the most human instrument for me, there’s something about the warmth of the sound. My Mum played whilst pregnant with me so perhaps that’s why I seem to have this affinity with the instrument. It’s innate.

Do you play any other instruments?

I do play many other instruments but really not as well. The use of different instruments is key in my writing process though; I found my hands always falling the same way on the piano and that’s very limiting when song-writing. I have started many of my songs on guitar, some on accordion and, most recently, all my songs have started on a tiny Casio keyboard- sort of looks like it’s for a child. Ultimately I transfer my songs back to the piano, as that’s the sound I like and I think it works with my voice.

You have artists such as Patrick Wolf, Rufus Wainwright, Thom Yorke, and PJ Harvey listed as influences. Tell us a little bit about the relationship you have with these musicians, artistically. Further, how do you feel about possibly being compared with any of your influences?

Listing influences is dangerous, inevitably you’re setting yourself up for comparison with some of the most respected artist out there, but my listing them is sort of a bow… out of respect. My relationship with influences or inspirations is two sided, on one side they’re my teachers and have taught me so much of what I know but, perhaps more importantly, the other side is that they are simply artists that I love to listen to. They entertain me, make me think, and I’m just a huge a fan.

Your songs are beautiful, tender, and eloquent- you are truly an immensely talented lyricist. In addition to your musical influences, do you source much inspiration from literary sources? 

Firstly I’d like to say thank you, I feel lyrics aren’t often enough credited in song-writing, they’re just as much part of the songs as the music, and are something I work particularly hard on. I’ve never been a big reader but when I do read I seem to soak up the language, so much so that after reading someone like Shakespeare I find myself wanting to write things like ‘come hither’ and ‘hast thou’, obviously they never make the final cut, which is probably for the best.

What other “muses” might you be looking to for ideas?

Often I seem to be inspired by historical events, some real, some fabricated somewhat, but I either read about them in a book, read online, seen in a film, or just told via word of mouth. The next “muse” in my sights is traveling, I feel like that will open my eyes and ears to a host of new emotions and stories. That I can’t wait for!

Speaking of lyrical content and influences, many of the artists you have cited identify as varying degrees of gay or queer. Most of them have penned tracks that reflect the hostilities LGBTQ people experience on micro, political, and social levels. Do you, yourself, identify as queer (or any other label)? Do you feel, today’s political climate considered, that the LGBTQ artist has a responsibility to speak out through song? Do political themes have much of a place in your music?

I don’t necessarily indentify as queer. I don’t quite know what I identify as, but that hasn’t yet concerned me. I have a feeling that it’s something that may come up in the future but whether that will feature in my songwriting, I don’t know. The vast majority of my songs aren’t autobiographical and aren’t concerned with my personal beliefs, but focus on telling a story. I don’t currently feel driven to speak out about any of my political views in song or otherwise, there’s a real danger of being dogmatic.

There are videos of you playing really great, intimate house shows on YouTube. Do you enjoy playing smaller, closer venues, or do you prefer larger auditoriums? At either location, what is a Douglas Dare fan to expect when seeing you live? Any tour plans in the works?

I love intimate gigs, and to be honest, pretty much all my gigs at this stage in my career could be classed as intimate. I enjoy feeling everyone’s eyes in the side of my head, and I perform the songs in such a different way when I know I have the attention of the room. I’ve played to a 300 seat auditorium before and that was thrilling, too. I can’t wait to do more of those in the future.

I feel it would be quite “cool” of me to say, oh really I feel most comfortable sitting solitary in my room, but that wouldn’t be true; I love to perform my songs, I’m an attention seeker. But ultimately, I like to entertain people and I believe that is part of our jobs as artists- to give the audience something they’re not going to see just walking down the street. Currently, live gigs are low key and focus on the songs and my voice, when I get to tour… I don’t know when that’ll be just yet… I would love to don some sort of outlandish costume, but as long as it doesn’t detract from the music. Any lighting, visuals or can-can dancers should only enhance the music.

Your personal style certainly catches the eye- especially those fierce glasses! How would you describe yourself, aesthetically? Is your look something you consider integral in defining you as a performer, or is your fashion sense just “is what it is” and “after the fact”?

I do consider my image. I think it’s important, but I feel everyone in some way is conscious of how they present themselves. After all, it’s often the first thing we note about someone. The difference is that I’m probably a little more conscious than others because I’m putting myself out there to be heard, to be looked at and to be judged. It’s easy to over think your image before a gig or before a photo shoot, but when it comes down to it, I just wear what I feel comfortable in. I say ‘comfortable,’ but I mean what I feel best in; I’m a little renowned for wearing shoes that are too small for me, they hurt a lot but I like them… my friends are very disapproving. I’d like to think of my style as, Classic and British. That’s what my specs are all about.

Ultimately, what would define “success” for you on your journey as a musician?

This is something I’ve asked myself before. I think right now, success would be surviving making my own music, writing, recording and performing it, and not having to rely on any other source to keep me going. Further from that, I’d love to be recognised for what I do, a Mercury Prize award or nomination for that matter would make me a very happy man!

And finally, where can new fans check out and download your music?

You can download the single, Glorious Feeling, for free on band camp (http:// douglasdare.bandcamp.com/ ).
Or, if new fans wanted to show their appreciation by paying for my music (Ed. Note- You absolutely should, Ghurl, TALK!ers!) they could go to iTunes. There are also more demos and live tracks to stream or download on sound cloud (http://soundcloud.com/douglas-dare ).