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 Perry Desmond-Davies A little Q&A with singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and mean kazoo player, Perry Desmond-Davies
Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself. Perry: First of all, I LOVE your site! Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my music, it's well appreciated! I'm Boston-based, and have been a solo performer for about the last 15 years. An official “blurb” about me says: “Perry’s honest brand of contemporary acoustic music is about life stories that listeners can relate to. Her distinctive voice ties the words and music together: always tender, lyrical and melodic, at times soaring, seductive or smoky”. Says a listener: "Her songs touch unguarded parts of us, and fill us with joy, nostalgia and longing. Once you see and hear Perry Desmond-Davies perform, you will never confuse her with anyone else. " LB: How did you start out making music? Perry: As a teenager I played in small folk clubs, enjoyed it but then put it all away for many years while doing the responsible things: working, starting a family, etc. My music career has been part of the resurgence we refer to here as "Boomer Folk", where we Baby-Boomers get back to our roots and drag out our guitars, dust them off and start feeling confident enough to just get out there and play again. It has really taken off in the Boston area, and we have so many terrifically talented people who are finally sharing their musical talents with the world, after singing in their kitchens (and showers!) for way too long... LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? Perry: Wow, I'll be revealing my age(!) when I tell you that back then for me it was all about Elton John, Dylan, The Who, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Phoebe Snow, Joni Mitchell and CSN&Y in their early days. The music and lyrics were so true to life (and still are), classic in the sense of real-life stories that listeners can relate to. LB: Tell us about your latest release. Perry: "Sweet Ride" contains 12 new original songs (and two cover songs), in a variety of styles, from bluegrass to a capella, to light rock and hard blues. The plan was to include a little something for everybody… It's been a long process, but absolutely worth it! LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows? Perry: Now that the studio album is done, I'm looking forward to having a lot more time to get out there and play. Live audiences can expect to be laughing, crying, and everything in-between... My shows will put you through your paces... The YouTube links below will give listeners some great examples, "almost like being there". We have close friends in Newcastle and London, and I'd so love to put together a tour in the area for sometime next year; small venues and house concerts would be wonderful! LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? Perry: The best part of playing the music to a live audience is in seeing and feeling how they relate to the songs, just as I do with my own favorite artists' music. It means so much to me to hear from someone after a show, "I felt like that song was written for me". As for the recording aspect, it's both pleasure and pain, trying to recreate the songs in my head so that they sound the same way to the listeners! LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? Perry: Thank you so much for listening, it's very exciting to be able to finally share the music! (Links below)… Website: www.perrydesmond-davies.com Live-concert YouTube videos: www.youtube.com/user/emailperrydd Listen/buy mp3's from Sweet Ride: www.digstation.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?albumid=ALB000035745 Buy the CD/and preview all tracks: www.cdbaby.com/cd/perrydesmonddavies2 Listen/buy mp3's from Perry's first CD, "This One's for You" (live-concert): www.cdfreedom.com/artists/perrydesmonddavies/catalog/thisonesforyou |
