Entertainment For Lively Minds
David Ford joins us in the podcast to talk about his terrific new book, which proves there's no success like failure
"There was a time when people swore I'd be the next big thing," says singer-songwriter David Ford in his book "I Choose This". "It took ten years of hard work and dedication, but I finally proved them wrong." In the new issue of the magazine Paul Du Noyer describes the book as something that "deserves to be picked up by a major publisher and then issued to every Fame School student across the land."
He dropped in to the office today to talk about: why getting signed to a major record company is only the beginning of your troubles, what it's like to be actually listening to the conversations of audience members while performing a song, why Jeff Buckley was a great artist whose influence on an entire generation of musicians wasn't entirely benign and other issue of pressing importance to anyone foolishly planning a career in the music business. David's on tour in September and plays the Islington Academy on September 21st. You can get his book via his site. Full tour dates are here.
As a bonus Kate Mossman joins us in the pod to talk about her interview with Amy Lavere, who used to be a tour guide at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee - and this on the anniversary of the death of Elvis. We close with a special podcast-only performance of "Red Banks" from her new album "Stranger Me".
The podcast is available to podcast app users now and will be available via this website, through iTunes and other channels tomorrow.
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*cough - sub - cough*
Ooooooh it's a terrific book
and he's an amazing musician and songwriter.
*swoons*
Don't know who he is
Nice podcast though.
Jeff Buckley
I've said it before, but it has yet to catch on: he unwittingly gave birth to an entire generation and genre of sensitive, emotionally up front singers and bands: Wetrock.
Along similar lines
may I recomend this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0571272142/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_...
Sun studio
The heartbreaking thing about Sun is that it's kind of not real. It fell into disrepute, was used as a garage for a time, I think; and then, not unlike Stax, it was restored for museum purposes to make it look like nothing had changed in all those years.
Sorry.
And you know Father Christmas? Well...
Even more bogus...
...is the place they try and pass off as The Cavern in Matthew Street, Liverpool.
Yet to buy the book
...due to a splurge last month which has caused an unfeasible backlog. But I think David Ford is a huge talent. The milk and cookies show in London in 2009 is one of my favourite nights ever (Bush Hall, a skiffle version of Paranoid Android, and milk and y'know, er, cookies).
Ford
Massively under-rated talent and all round nice bloke, looking forward to hearing this.
David Ford came across v well..
I almost forgive him for that cringey song about Northern Ireland on his last album
And people....
...call us critics unkind!
Just to link
the two parts of the podcast, here's David Ford and his loop station recorded at Sun Studios.
Another Ford Fan
Since a friend gave me a promo copy of "I sincerely apologise ..". Will order the book shortly.
One of my personal highlights at Latitiude last year and have pencilled in to see him at Buxton.
Great podcast.
Totally won over by Ford from that first song and he certainly gives good pod. Will be buying his book and some of his music. Same with Amy Levere - loved her track too.
King Tut's
I was at that Easyworld/King Adora gig in Tut's! Haven't really kept up to date with Mr Ford's career since. Time to catch up perhaps.
Enjoyed it so far
DH at his most avuncular and "Radio 4" (and I mean that only in a good way)---if ever they need someone to sit in on DID or Private Passions they should call him ...
Took a break when the early optimism of the young musician was being discussed to listen (predictably), to the Raspberries ...
The joy of smartphones ...
I have to say
that this is the only Word podcast so far (have been listening for a couple of years) where I really didn't like the guest. He seemed smug and smartarse - which I can overlook if there are redeeming features.
The comment that musicians always wanted to talk to him about the business instead of songwriting is completely understandable, and not surprising or something to laugh at. Unless you're in the 1% of musicians who don't have to worry about money, it's the business and money or lack of it that is the common ground. Which ties in with another thread in the podcast - the concept of "deciding to be a musician". If you're serious about it you don't decide, you realise you have no choice.
Of course there are inevitable exceptions and I'm being simplistic, but so was David Ford.
I'll get his book out of the library if it makes it to Australia.
Oh good...
...it's not just me then.
I too, didn't think the guest came across well.
Failure to become a rock star or famous???..pfft! I thought artists just did what they did...whether they made anything out of it or not. I suppose I'm just naive?!
I actually have one of his CDs, which is fine, but certainly not a favourite.
There was a famous quote by somebody quite famous (though something in the back of my mind tells me it was Steven Stelfox from the book "Kill Your Friends" by John Niven) which goes along the lines of "talented?...get a job in a guitar shop then. Geri Halliwell is famous because she'd crawl over hot coals to get a 2 minute spot on local radio at 3 o clock in the morning".
You have to admit
as podcast guests go, Ford was bright, personable, erudite, funny and could certainly string a sentence together.
The exact opposite of C.W.Stoneking, then ;-)
(No subject)
This will likely be scant consolation
but my first encounter with the music of David Ford was via one of those expensive promo videos he mentions. Ten years ago, I saw the video for Bleach by Easyworld and was immediately hooked. Since then, I've bought all his albums (solo and band, except the most recent one for some reason), been to see him a few times and recommended his music to many others. In short, I'm a fan.
That said, I probably haven't brought in the £70k that the video cost.
Interesting podcast
Wasn't completely taken by his music though, thought he sounded a bit like James Blunt ...