darling one year
photos courtesy of Daniel Gannaway
source AllAboutSurf.com
by Steve Ackerman
posted 2004-11-15
Daniel Gannaway revisited...
"Europe is an amazing place. I nearly recorded an album for Italy with an italian producer, certainly we were on the way. It's still basically a go ahead - just temporarily on pause. I think it will happen. People there are so passionate, it can take you aback a little. I mean I come from a country which kind of, I don't know... it's got a strange attitude sometimes. Sort of a 'tall poppy' thing, actually 'F**k the gardeners' from flashback [1999] is about that, yet we've got so many talented people. I think it's changing, New Zealand is recognizing it's worth."
Photo by Dharlia Gannaway
"Right now, I've not played live since London. Just getting out darling one year has been a huge feat. I still struggle with nerves to play music live. It's prevented me from being more out 'there' in the live scene. It's something I'm working on."
Daniel filled me in on some of his favorite spots, "I would have to say 12 Bar Club in London, just the chimney alone is like 1600s or something. Club Acoustica in Sydney was so much about the performer, a quiet room y'know. Another cool place in Sydney was the Hopetown where I once opened for Carla Werner, she has an amazing live presence. A place in northern Italy I can't remember, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, it was madness, set up by my friend Martino. He taught me some italian, always saying I didn't sing xmas carols ha! And the snowboarding... I have to include the Temple, because Karen provided such a great environment for musicians and poets in Auckland and NZ."
"I also remember playing support on two nights for Tony Joe White at The Power Station, big sound, he was so laid back and cool onstage. I took my godmother to meet him after 'cause she was a huge fan. It was amazing just to be able to do that."
Lately Gannaway has been expanding his music palette, "I've got Uncut's 'Summer of Motown' on repeat. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross etc. Just awesome, Detroit Motor Town, what an era. I love Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, I love just about any blues. I dig Kelly Joe Phelps, Lucinda Williams and Ani Difranco."
Photo by Peter Morse - Mangamanu
And the list goes on, "I love Tool, Helmet and Porno for Pyros. My wife just introduced me to a bunch of Hawaiian music, like Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, plus Spoon and Pinback. I've got some crazy stuff by Sheila Chandra and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I love electronic music, that's why I loved living in Amsterdam and going out to music there, 4am jumping around, crazy sounds happening. I'm a headphone freak so the electronic aspect is big to me. There's too much... I mean there's so much great music out there, by listing some, I miss others so worthy."
"Music is so cool y'know. It's like surfing. You've got all these crazy wayward talented people a part of it. It's just this rich fabric. So much creativity that sometimes it gets lost for awhile, and then later we rediscover it and go, 'how come we missed this?'"
Photo by Richard Freeman - Australian Sunrise
I have been blessed, having had the chance to get to know Daniel, to learn what drives his talent. Since, I have listened to his albums with a great deal more appreciation and on a deeper level than before, especially his first album, FINE BY ME and the fourth, Bound and Suburban. The other discs are great as well but these two were my personal favorites.
Every time I listen to his music, I find myself immersed in the rhythm. I find myself tapping my feet and wailing along (I only wish I could sing). No matter what kind of mood I'm in or what he is singing about, my spirits are instantly uplifted. His music provides a sense of warmth and energy to anyone willing to listen. The songs have a way of drawing you into them and providing true inspiration to your soul. Your senses begin to soar with this intense energy that wasn't there just a few moments before.
"It's like walking alone on the beach at night and seeing Jim Morrison and Jeff Buckley strumming and singing at the water's edge." -- Jennifer Layton, Indie-Music.com
I could not agree more with Jennifer on that note...
