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Published on November 16th, 2019 | by Al Geiner

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Q & A With Dar.Ra

Dar.Ra style is an infusion of  progressive rock vibe intermingled with classic Brit Rock,  It has that Duran Duran feel to it! Dar.Ra shows the influences of not only the aforementioned iconic band, but David Bowie and Roxy Music including Soft Cell  with dashes of Steam Punk trends. Dashes of dance rhythm in SynthROCK! A musical amalgamation of 80s rock, art rock, alt rock and Pop Rock from the creative mind of an artist that continually evolves since his beginnings with EMI years ago. 

From the Emerald Isle now living in the English Countryside Dar.RA not only takes on musical excursions but also he’s an author of several books. He takes the metaphorical subway to his creative destinations, as in his words, “It’s a safer place to create on the underground.” Setting up Kusha Deep Records in 2003, after a second tour of Australia and New Zealand, it was clear that, if you did not do it for yourself, no one else would come to the rescue and release music that didn’t fit in with the Swedish pop writing factory sound, or the X-factor machine that did nothing, but to devalue music even more than Napster had already.

 

What first got you into music?

Funny, Music is something you get into when your in the womb.

My Dad was really heavily into Jazz, John Coltraine, Jimmy Smith, Miles Davies so I had that full ball blasting into me when I was a few cells just forming.Then he was full ball blast when I was in the Cot. 

First record I bought though would be The Specials Gangsters at 9 years old. Ska, The Who, Small Faces, the Mod,Skinhead thing was massive then. That whole scene was so diverse you could not help but be into music fashion and politics.

You listen to the Clash Combat Rock for instance and your hearing a concept album, we where lucky to have those Legends to look up too and be influenced by. 

Thats not saying there are not amazing Artists still making waves, but those early years stay with you forever. If you put on ‘Mirror in The Bathroom’ by The English Beat to any of the gang I grew up with and they will start Rocking like it was back in the day. 

Who inspired you to make music?

Paul Weller, The Clash, UB40, Sugar Minot, Barrington Levy, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Stevie Marriot, Otis Reading, James Brown, Sex Pistols, Johnny Mar, Northern Soul, Oasis, Stax, Motown, to name a few.

I love anything that has been thought about and has layers to it. I find it hard to listen to music that was made for the moment and then five minutes later its a done deal. Its lazy and greedy people that are just in it for the quick buck and play on what is fashionable. 90% of the music played on Radio is a switch off for me. 

I generally do not understand why a lot of play-listers go on numbers and not on gut feelings. 

Could you imagine if day time Djs on mainstream stations could play what they wanted how different the industry would be. 

How would you describe the music that you typically create?

We call it Rock Step, its a mixture of Rock and Dance Music. I am a songwriter so everything starts with a melody and then the rest comes from there. I can remix anything I do in any vibe I think would work. 

What is your creative process like?

I lot of stuff comes in dreams, I hear something and when I wake up, I try to hit the guitar and work it out before it escapes. Sometimes I hear something someone says and think hello thats a good line, like my cousin was over from Australia the other week and she turned up to my place after hitting the party vibe hard and said to me ‘London’s Killing Me’  There boom. Im like ‘got to write something about that’

Its all about staying awake to ideas, if you don’t your mind will ignore them and you’ll be going I got writers block, its your fault. 

My car started making a weird noise and it sounded like a killer drum rhythm Music is everywhere.

Open the window and hear the birds sing if you need a melody. 

Who would you most like to collaborate with? Dead or Alive

There is a scene in Bad News on Tour when Ade Edmonson says he is channeling John Lennon and just wrote a tune call ‘Imogen’. 

I think you can have fun with that and tune into that vibe and collaborate with anyone you want. Sometimes I just think what would Lennon do here if I’m stuck for a lyric or what would James Brown do looking for a groove or how would Curt Cobain sing this, just another way of getting out of being stuck.  

Alive  though and in real time Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Lana Del Ray, Lady Ga Ga, Stormsy. 

If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be

The Who or The Stones

What is one message you would give to your fans

I don’t do Fans I have Friends who support my vibe. ‘I will never let you down’, would be the one thing I would say. 

What is the most useless talent you have

Nothing I do is useless as time is precious. 

Do you sing in the shower? 

Yes and play Drums at the same time with the shower gel bottles. 

What songs?

Bohemian Rhapsody if you get through that your wasting water! 

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

Directing Films, which is something I’m looking to do soon. Got some scripts I’m working on and a US tour next year. Hollywood here we come!

Where have you performed? 

All round the world, big and small venues. 

What are your favourite and least favourite venues? 

Metro In Sydney Australia is my favourite   Least favourite would be playing in Bars where no one gives a toss. 

Do you have any upcoming shows?

There is a 2020 North American Tour being planed by my Management team in Canada. 

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

Like a Meteor strike taking all the dinosaurs out the game. 

Its been mad the past 20 years how its still going is a miracle, but its starting to come around again. 

What is your favourite song to perform?

NightStepper  from the ‘New Kinda Normal’ Album With a full band it sounds like Thunder. 

Which famous musicians do you admire?

Lennon, Marley, Macartney,Dave Groll

What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?

Loads but getting Taxed by Tottenham Hotspurs after a FA Cup tie with Brighton, comes to mind, It actually messed me up a bit for a while after that I could go out without getting paranoid I was going to get jumped. 

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Keep Your Head Down And Work Hard.

If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

The whole game needs to change as Artists are always last in thigh chain to be paid.

What’s next for you?

Writing the Next Album and planning the US 2020 tour 

How important is the current climate crises to you and how do you think  you could help? 

Are you kidding Extinction Rebellion are the only Warriors on the Planet I would Fight side by Side with. This is the New Frontier we all need to Stand firm on to win this battle for the Respect and Future of our beautiful home we called Planet Earth.

What’s The Current release

Rock Steady is the current single is now out on all Streaming Platforms and Kusha Deep Music.

Thanks for your time

No dramas

 

For more information on DAR.RA and Kusha Deep Records please visit www.kushadeep.co.uk

Follow DAR.Ra on social media for exclusive photos, behind the scenes looks and video message update   @KushaDeepMusic    https://www.instagram.com/dar.ra.brady/



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