We caught up with London-based artist David, The Giant following the release of ‘How Long (is Too Long?)’. Read our in-depth interview below!
How did you first get into music?
When I was younger, I once saw my dad dancing around in tighty-whities with no shirt on to ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen, that’s when I knew what I wanted to do with my life…
What is the first song that captured your attention as a youngster?
Probably a Michael Jackson song but I can’t remember which, What I do remember is standing on a street corner with a friend playing Pokemon and his older brother came up to us and showed me “Smells like teen spirit” by Nirvana. I never heard anything like it; I don’t think any song since has infected my mind like that.
Who influenced your latest release?
So many people and things, I’ve always had a strange love for The Beach Boys – There Pet Sounds record I’ve played it at least once a week for about ten years. I know saying that is pretty mundane as it is most peoples favourite record. I wanted to try and write a summer song or better yet an end of summer song because there more interesting.
I think the end of anything is more interesting then the beginning there are certainly more accentuated feelings of love or hate or the longing for more, etc.
Stylistically I wanted ‘How Long’ to feel classic 60s, but at the same time, I wanted minimal over-dubs. A kinda lo-fi piece with the shimmer verb of the old and the jangle of guitars throughout the years.
What motivates you to make music?
Oh, the crushing reviews, I live for them. There’s just something about releasing a piece of music you’ve worked endlessly on only to have it stuck to the side of a virtual wall with old ‘blu tack’ that’s very nearly lost its stick. I do live for that. But also I love the sound of a jangling guitar mixed with a good vocal “ooooh”… 😉
If you could open for any artist/band who would it be?
I would open for the Beatles in 1965-66 and steal their upcoming songs from ‘Revolver’ and ‘Abbey Road’ and take them as my own, living off my obvious musical genius and royalties for the rest of my days. Following this, they would be left feeling out-done, outsmarted and probably outside. But i wouldn’t feel bad for them. They’d still have ‘Rubber Soul’.
What’s your favourite venue to play?
I haven’t played a show in so long that I couldn’t tell you. I once walked out on stage by mistake in Wembley arena after using the wrong door. So yeah I’ll take it as playing there.
What are your other passions aside from music?
I have an unhealthy relationship with Football games like FIFA. I wrote a song once that was nearly in a FIFA. Could have been like the biggest thing I ever did! But yeah, I play games, usually do a lot of rage quitting. Ohh and I BMX..
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The music industry is a tough industry. If I had to change one thing about the music industry, I would make it an easy industry.
What is the best music advice you have ever been given?
Do what you like. If you like it, there will be thousands of other people that do too. Most people will hate it no matter what you do. So just do what you like. I think I gave that advice to myself while drunk on a bus. The jury is still not out on that one yet though.
What new music are you listening to at the moment?
I have been listening to Leon in the Wild a lot; his song ‘Fade’ has been on my playlist permanently since release. I’ve also been on a bit of backwards journey the last few months, so I have been listening to these artists in no particular order The Zombies // The hollies // Beck // Flaming lips // Villagers // Badly drawn boy // Panda Bear // The lively ones, to name a few. I could go on and on.. and probably do.
What musical plans do you have for the next two years?
I am going to collaborate with as many artists as I can and try and create as much music as possible. I’ve never released a full Ep or album so that would be pretty cool. Other than that I have a podcast called ‘Giant Cast’ with David, The Giant which you can find on Spotify // Apple podcasts (everywhere really).
I talk to up and coming artists and some industry people about music, life a bit of everything really. I want to continue that, currently a new one is released every two weeks. I would like to make that once a week.
FV Music Blog September 2020
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Twitter: @DtheGiantMusic
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