BM - What were your first experiences of the Blues?

Dave – A few things kinda came together round about the same time. I bought my first guitar when I was about 19 and was into Dylan, Neil Young and folks like that. I guess in a similar way that the ‘next generation’ of acoustic guitar buyers came via bands like Oasis.
Although I didn’t know it, all the early Dylan was turning me onto blues. Also around that time a pal gave me a tape of Billy Boy Arnold. Dirty Motherfucker Blues it was called, so it got my attention. Someone else handed me an early Fleetwood Mac album and another pal who could play a bit more than I could started coming round for a few beers and any jamming was based on blues stuff. At the same time I chanced upon Big George (Watt – Glasgow blues legend) one Sunday night in the Exchequer pub down in Partick. It’s a long story, but that became a regular Sunday night out. Not long ago a pal in Glasgow came along to a show and said “remember we were out watching Big George and you said ‘that’s what I wanna do’!”

BM - Who were the influences on your musical career?

Dave – It took another few years for me to even think about making music my career…and the best part of the next 20 to make it happen! As a seven-year-old kid the first records I bought were Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent and, erm, Alvin Stardust. I still love ‘em all. So there’s always been a 50s/rock’n’roll/rockabilly thing. I didn’t get punk when it broke – well, I was only 13 and too busy getting into Rush, Led Zep, Yes, Pink Floyd. Later on, once I understood the ethic, I got into it. Way too late of course!

BM - What is the biggest festival you have played?

Dave – I think my biggest crowd has been about 15,000 folks at the Heart of Scotland millennium celebration. Festival-wise, the biggest so far was the Peer Festival in Belgium last year which was an awesome experience from start to finish.

BM - If you didn’t play music (in a band) what would you be doing?

Dave – In the past I’ve been everything from a debt collector to corporate communications manager. Since giving up gainful employment I made my living as a sound engineer, journalist, photographer, PR consultant, graphic designer, web developer, band/artist manager, record label boss and various other things until we finally got to a stage where I could make a living from my songwriting and touring as a solo musician. I reckon I’m pretty much unemployable now I’m so set in my ways, but I’d likely be doing some of these things if it wasn’t for music. Most likely some combination of PR and creative stuff like photography and video/media production.

BM - What bluesman (dead or alive) would you like to play with, live on stage?

Dave – My poor timing and sporadic outbursts make it difficult for me to play with other people (or them to play with me) so it would most likely have to be a harp player…someone like Sonny Terry I think would be fun. If it was going to be a guitar player it’d have to be someone like Hooker…or maybe Lightning Hopkins.

BM - Why do you feel that young people are not as attracted to the Blues as other Genres?

Dave – It’s a lot to do with fashion. A few years ago folks like Seasick Steve couldn’t even get a pub gig, let alone an audience. A combination of his hard work, appearances on Jools Holland’s show and down-to-earth entertainment has done more to turn young (and old!) folks onto blues and blues-based music than everything else put together. Blues’ time is coming round again, as it does every ten/fifteen years. The hurdle has been to shake off the Sweet Home Chicago/Mustang Sally image and self-indulgent guitar solos that have shaped most folks perceptions of blues. Once younger audiences get the chance to discover all angles of the genre for themselves things will change for the better.

BM - What other styles of music have you drawn inspiration from?

Dave – Most of the stuff I mentioned earlier I guess….punk, trash country, rock’n’roll, psychobilly, trad country…

BM - Do you think the blues scene on the continent is better than in the UK?

Dave – Not necessarily better, but certainly more lucrative and artists are, for the most part, treated better abroad. Overseas audiences are generally bigger – more folks at gigs etc – but UK fans are just as enthusiastic and supportive. It’s difficult to have a strong view as UK artists are more ‘exotic’ when they play abroad so it may just be the old story of it being easier to make an impression away from your own doorstep.

BM - What was the last blues CD that you bought for yourself?

Dave – Beggin’ the Blues from Nottingham Blues Society! Like catching folks live – if they’re on the same bill or festival – I’m lucky to see a lot of them for free. I get lots of CDs of all genres in the mail. For some reason folks send promo copies of stuff to me all the time…maybe it goes back to my old journalism days,

BM - What do you do to relax when you have some spare time away from music?

Dave – I don’t have any spare time away from music! We recently moved out of Glasgow city centre and up to the shores of Loch Lomond where we have a small cottage and office cum studio. It’s truly beautiful. We’re (Margaret, my partner, is also my booker, tour manager, merchandiser and sound manager) on the road so much that we’re never home for long – and when we are, it’s 24/7 booking shows and working publicity. I rarely even have time to play guitar and write songs off-stage, but if I have time I like to walk in the hills and get crazy on my mountain bike.

BM - What makes a good gig for you as a performer?

Dave – The audience. No matter how big or small, the audience is the most important thing. It helps if I can get through the show without snapping too many strings tho’!