Popwreckoning favorite and one man band extraordinaire David Ford will release his third album, Let the Hard Times Roll, on April 20, 2010 through label Original Signal Recordings. Let The Hard Times Roll contains some of the most upbeat, rocking songs Ford has ever written, like the genuinely boisterous “She’s Not The One.”
The album represents the era in which it was created, so there’s an underlying tension that runs throughout, as on opener “Panic,” all strained nerves in its urgent bass groove, blistering electric guitar, and piano that keeps time like a wound clock; the pensive lament “Waiting For The Storm;” and dissatisfied barroom choral “Nothing At All.” Already known for his searing political anthems (“State Of The Union” off 2006′s I Sincerely Apologise For Any Trouble I’ve Caused; “Requiem” off 2008′s Songs For The Road), the sultry, swaying backroom stomp “Surfin’ Guantanamo Bay” and the solemn accordion and banjo-based elegy “Stephen” are among his most scathing and pointed indictments.
In keeping with his reputation as a remarkable one-man band, Ford plays nearly every instrument on, produced, and engineered (with the help of James Brown, who’s worked with Foo Fighters, Brendan Benson, Placebo) Let The Hard Times Roll, in addition to writing all the string arrangements and designing the artwork. The album was recorded throughout all of 2009 in a variety of settings, and not one of them a studio. All but one track were laid to tape in an industrial estate empty unit in Eastbourne, England; the concise, homesick “Missouri” was recorded in a room at the Rodeway Inn motel in Warrensburg, MO, while on a solo tour in 2008. Bits and pieces of piano parts and chorus vocals were also captured in a former convalescent hospital’s family quarters in southern England.
Ford will head out on a three and a half week headlining tour beginning March 3rd at the World Café Live in Philadelphia and wrapping up March 26th at Union Hall in Brooklyn.
“I will be flying solo with as many machines and boxes of noise as the United States will allow me to bring within her borders. I enjoy the challenge of putting on the most elaborate musical performance possible within the limitations of two hands, two feet, the standard international airline baggage allowance and the available trunk-space of a reasonably priced rental car.” – David Ford
Ford truly puts on an incredible show, the likes of which has blown my mind on several occasions. If you see one show this Spring, make sure it involves David Ford. And lucky us, Philadelphia — we get him twice, both times at World Cafe Live. Whee!
Head to Ford’s MySpace page to hear snippets from Let The Hard Times Roll.
Tour Dates:
Mar 03 – World Cafe Live / Philadelphia
Mar 04 - Le Poisson Rouge / New York City
Mar 05 – The Saint / Asbury Park, NJ
Mar 06 – Turning Point / Piermont, NY
Mar 09 – The Drake Hotel / Toronto
Mar 10 – The London Music Club / London, ONT
Mar 12 – Schuba’s / Chicago
Mar 13 – The Patio @ UWI / Madison, Wi.
Mar 15 – Zanzabar / Louisville
Mar 16 – Eddie’s Attic / Atlanta
Mar 18 – Six String Cafe / Raleigh, NC
Mar 19 – Attucks Theater / Norfold, Va.
Mar 20 - The Southern / Charlottesville, Va.
Mar 21 – The Iota / Arlington, Va.
Mar 23 – The Iron Horse / Northampton, Ma.
Mar 24 – Passim’s / Boston
Mar 25 – World Cafe Live / Philadelphia
Mar 26 – Union Hall / Brooklyn
There is no name more recognized the world over than Michael Jackson. Just over two months before his 51st birthday, the King of Pop was rushed to the hospital for cardiac arrest and pronounced dead yesterday, June 25, 2009. His career began four decades ago with The Jackson 5 and blossomed into a rich and successful solo careers spanning decades. Five of his solo studio albums are among the world’s best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) with over 100 million copies sold, Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
It should come as no surprise that many are calling Michael Jackson the Elvis Presley of our generation. Personal trials and tribulations aside, Michael Jackson was a great entertainer and earned the title King of Pop. He will undoubtedly live on in our hearts and minds. Read what some have to say about the late, great Michael Jackson:
“Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend.” — Steven Spielberg
“He was deep.” – reader Gladys
“R.I.P. to Michael Jackson my music god. R.I.P. MJ: he lives forever in my heart. I will never forget the day he came to see me in the studio and I played him music.” – Wyclef
“It’s taken me a moment to grasp this … I understand life and death are part of the same magnificent cycle. But I literally stopped and broke down When I received ‘that’ text . Mike’s music lives in my DNA. It’s bigger than tabloids. That music shaped me. The frequency is real. My heart and artistry are truly influenced and forever impacted. Thank you Micheal for your hard work , dedication, philanthropy, and the sacrifice of your young spirit. Your vision and imagination live through us.” – Erykah Badu
“This has blindsided me. I feel strange. And sad. Reminders of how short life is. I’m going to profess my love to someone. you should too.” – Ingrid Michaelson
“I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” — Madonna
“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!” — Britney Spears
“Heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race.” – Ashlee Simpson Wentz
“Stop the gossip, stop the speculation. Take a moment for Micheal and remember his gift to us all. He was truly great. May he Rest in Peace.” – Joel Madden, Good Charlotte
“Not many people have long successful careers in the music industry, yet alone over a 30 year career. Michael Jackson did and earned his title ‘King of Pop”. I’ll never forget the first time I saw “Thriller”. His voice, songs, dance moves and ground breaking music videos will live on forever leaving a legacy where we answer ‘yes’ to ‘do you remember the time?’” – Stacy Clark
“America lost a little bit of its history today. So sad when a true genius dies! R.I.P. to the gloved one.” – Mona Shiekh, Popwreckoning
“Michael was undoubtedly a great entertainer and his popularity spanned generations and the globe. Maria and I join all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death and our hearts go out the Jackson family, Michael’s children and to his fans worldwide.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
“No one better than brotha Mike.” – Q-Tip
“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!” – Sean P. Diddy Combs
“I know we make light of me never getting sleep and overworking. But I’ll say that he didn’t go in vein. I will do my best to slow down as to not overwork myself to the point in which I can’t even enjoy life anymore. I’m devastated over this but we all have memories. I just hope that he will get due justice in all the press memorials and whatnot. I know he was mired in controversy the last decade of his life but i think its time we let him rest in peace and learn to separate the ART and the ARTIST. –that is the MJ I will forever remember.” – ?uestlove
“Off the wall was my second record I ever bought.” – Margaret Cho
“His music is just as relevant now as it was the day they pressed record, I’m sure it will remain so for generations to come. R.I.P. Mr. Jackson” – Samantha Ronson
“There was no one like him.” – Greg Laswell
“We should never stop talking about Michael Jackson. I hope Michael will get the respect he deserved.” – Rev. Al Sharpton
“Raising a glass for Michael! Wow – I was obsessed with Thriller when it came out.” – Ariel Hyatt, CyberPR
“Michael Jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings.” -
Miley Cyrus
“Being asked to give a quote about all of this. so in shock I can’t find any words…” – Kid Sister
“Michael Jackson died? Seriously, as Wolf Blitzer said it, my stomach got knots.” – James Shotwell, Under the Gun blog
“I keep getting chills. This is crazy. Too much.” – Estelle
“Today is a very, very sad day for music. Whether you are familiar with his work or not, the impact Michael Jackson had on pop culture made him one of the most iconic artists of all time. As a fellow artist, you can see what his music did—it transcended generations; It created a movement. It’s something people only dream of doing. He was a musical genius, and by far, one of the greatest performers of all time. There will never be anyone like him—ever. Thank you for inspiring us the way you did. R.I.P.” – Tamar Kaprelian
“Thank you Michael Jackson for being my FIRST of many! My mother took me to my FIRST concert, I was only two years old. I fell in love. My fifth birthday party was M.J. themed, I insisted. My mother found a lookalike to come sing happy birthday and I KNEW he wasn’t MY Michael.” – Solange Knowles
“A strange story comes to an end. i do hope that history will remember jackson the artist/genius/pioneer.” – David Ford
“Rip MJ! Dream as if u’ll live 4ever, Live as if u’ll die 2day. U only live once, but if u do it right dats all u need! U did it Big MJ!!” – Reverend Run
“Both parents on the phone asking me if I remember MJ inviting me to take a pix w/ him when I was a kid. I do. It was creepy. I refused.” – Annie Heckenberger
“Noooooooo! Michael Jackson was my childhood! I loved him. So so so so sad. So nearly saw him live. Just a couple of weeks. Crying.” – Imogen Heap
“Oh god…Michael Jackson just died. one of my childhood heros. moment of silence, sorrow and reflection on a massive talent & tragic life. let’s share a shrine/moment of silence @ 7:45 pm outside @thetroubadour tonight. if you’re coming, bring candles and flowers for the king.” – Amanda Palmer, Dresden Dolls
“We just cued up “Wanna Be Starting Something” in the office. What a great song. R.I.P.” – Diablo Cody
“R.I.P. Michael Jackson. Greatest performer ever.” – Talib Kweli
“Sad, sad day for the music world & for family/fans of Michael Jackson. he was my 1st favorite artist & 1 of the very best ever. RIP Michael.” – Earfarm blog
“Thriller” was the first tape I ever bought in a record store after I saw him go supernova on the Motown 25th anniversary special.” – Cary Brothers
“R.I.P. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. what a tremendous loss in one day…. thoughts and prayers with their families and loved ones…” – Mandy Moore
“R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON: We’re in a state of utter shock. You’ll be sorely missed.” – The Music Slut blog
;_; – Diplo
“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the ’80s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.” — Quincy Jones
“We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop music but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.” — Justin Timberlake
“In shock.” – Matt, The Music Slut blog
“Sad. Michael Jackson. Dead. Bum out.” – Eisley
“When we worked together on ‘Bad,’ I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the music on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching quicksilver in motion.” — Martin Scorcese
“Listening to ‘Human Nature’ by Michael Jackson and I am crying.” – Trent Vanegas, Pink is the New Blog
“Feels hypocritical not caring about Ed McMahon or Farah Fawcett, and then being upset about Michael Jackson’s death. I didn’t know any of them.” – Paco Fish
The Gay Blades
“Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ.” — John Mayer
“‘Let the madness in the music get to you, life ain’t so bad at all, if you live it off the wall’ – Thanks for the music, the moonwalk and my childhood.” – Ali Hussain, Popwreckoning
“Michael was a great and wonderful artist and performer. We were privileged and honored to record him and his brothers here at Philadelphia International Records.” – Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
“I remember my brother and cousin in 1987 bringing the boom box out into the living room at my grandma’s house and performing a dance to “Billy Jean” they had made up. They had to be about 7 years old and doing the classic spin move and grabbing their crotches! My mom, aunt, ME and granny WENT CRAZY! Michael Jackson made the crotch grabbing move not raunchy BUT hot!” – Kaytea McIntosh, XO Publicity
“Sony Music Entertainment expresses deep sadness and sorrow at the unexpected passing of Michael Jackson and extends wishes of sympathy and condolences to all of Michael’s family, friends and fans around the world.” – Sony
We at Popwreckoning would like to extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson’s survivors. His musical legacy shall live on. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.
Just as impressive as his well-crafted songs is a book he wrote available in libraries, on which he based the song “Basement Love,” which starts off soft and slow then builds up to energy-driven classic rock riffs. Park played a 40 minute set that literally flew by so I was shocked to hear him speak about the last song, calling it “kind of a dancer,” before breaking into the bouncy and upbeat “Kitchen Table.” A slide along the fret board provided a country folk feel to the song and sound guy Bob was invited on stage to play the harmonica, which he did skillfully.
Headliners /Passenger. hit the US for a brief stint to promote their new release Wicked Man’s Rest. The trio began with the soft and pretty “What Do You Think?” in which front man Mike Rosenberg asks, “My family says I need a shrink. / What do you think?” as drummer Alon Cohen used a metal brush across the top of his tom.
/Passenger. : Mike Rosenberg
They followed with a soft melody in “Things You’ve Never Done.” Their acoustic set and Rosenberg’s strong vocals reminded me of fellow Brit David Ford, only a three piece and no looping. While it’s Ford’s looping that makes his music extraordinary, /Passenger.’s sound retains the same pleasant sound, but isn’t as impressive, though they pull off a great live show as each makes it clear that they are passionate about the music they are creating.
/Passenger.: Andrew Phillips
Halfway through the set, Rosenberg jokingly apologized with to the crowd because, “this is probably the most depressing music to play on a Friday night… sorry about that.” The crowd laughed but didn’t really mind the lyrical content because the music and performance was so wonderful.
Deviating from their own melancholy tinged songs, /Passenger. surprised and delighted the audience by seamlessly transitioning into a slowed down, acoustic cover of Rihanna‘s “Umbrella” from their own “For You.” As they played the chart topper, smiles were visible on the faces of each crowd member as they took in the mellowed out pop cover.
/Passenger.: Alon Cohen
The three rounded out the set with what Rosenberg called “on up tempo song for you” before playing “Night Vision Binoculars” (download), an energetic tune to dance to. The three briefly left the stage before Rosenberg returned to the stage alone for a solo encore. He played a song he’d recently written called “The Stupidest Song,” which had the crowd in stitches.
/Passenger.’s set is loaded with beautiful songs that make you want to sit back, rest your head against the shoulder of a significant other and close your eyes to be enveloped in the sound, yet they infuse their performance with little surprises to make sure you’re still paying attention. When they next come to your town next, make sure to catch their set.
Set List:
What Do You Think?
Things You’ve Never Done
Playstation Song
Table For One (download)
For You
Umbrella (Rihanna) (download)
Walk in the Rain
Night Vision Binoculars (download)
//
The Stupidest Song
The most incredible aspect of Ford’s live performance is his technically perfect ability to play every single instrument on stage simultaneously via looping. The set’s opener “Go To Hell,” first single from the latest record Songs for the Road, displayed Ford’s talent and ability to be a one man band in spite of the number of instruments surrounding him on the stage. (Check out the video for “Go To Hell” to see for yourself.)
The emotion and intensity with which Ford sings and pounds away on his guitar and, at times, piano is truly moving. It’s impossible to not feel his anguish as his vocals grow fierce and guitar riffs become louder, tortured and wrestled out of the used, 50 year old acoustic Ford plays with. As the force of “Requiem” picked up, my plus one for the evening leaned over and whispered, “he’s even better live!” The volume and stress of Ford’s vocals on “Requiem” distorted the song’s sound, achieving a desired violent and maddening effect to fit in with the song’s devastating lyrics.
On the emotionally daunting “St. Peter,” Ford informed the audience that he’d placed a “thinly veiled insult to your current President” in the song and encouraged the audience to cheer when they picked up on it so that he’d know his song writing wasn’t too subtle. “St. Peter,” Ford went on to explain, was written following a conversation he had with a Baptist in Kentucky who told Ford he wouldn’t get into Heaven. After singing the line against President Bush, (“there is nothing so deadly as the forces of right / Or some fool with a shotgun in a house painted white.”) he paused to announce, “fight the power!” while raising his right fist in the air.
Another, far more politically charged song, followed later in the set. Before he launched into the powerful “State of the Union,” Ford promised the audience, “I’m very pro-American,” even if he’s disillusioned with the country’s current Administration, which inspired the song. “State of the Union” again saw Ford become a maniac on stage, moving from instrument to instrument creating loop after loop so that you’d swear there were at least seven people on stage instead of a lonesome Ford. His political leanings shine through as he pounds away on both his guitar and piano to create a glorious barrage of noise at the song’s dynamic end.
Ford ended the lively set with “Song for the Road” and received a standing ovation as he walked of the stage. No more than a second passed before he literally ran back on stage for a blatantly desired encore. The night officially ended with more of Ford’s signature looping on “Cheer Up (You Miserable Fuck).” Again, Ford encouraged crowd participation, this time singing the “las” that accompanied the song’s chorus. The audience humored him by singing along, but Ford stopped after the first, weak chorus stating, “how very polite. It’s like a room full of angels. I want a room full of satanic demons this time!”
Ford is set to head back to the UK following the next couple of gigs he’s got lined up here in the States (dates below). If you’re within a day’s travel time to either Baltimore or Los Angeles, I strongly urge you to catch David Ford’s live set before he heads back across the pond. You’ll have more than gotten your time and money’s worth.
Set List: 01. Go To Hell
02. I Don’t Care What You Call Me
03. Don’t Tell Me
04. Requiem
05. To Hell with the World
06. St. Peter
07. Katie
08. I’m Alright Now
09. State of the Union
10. Song for the Road
— Encore:
01. …And So You Fell
02. Cheer Up (You Miserable Fuck)
It’s a bit of a late show, starting at 10:30pm, but I can promise that a full headlining set by David Ford is more than worth a late night trip to University City.
Email Jessica (she’ll also be there!) with the reason you should win the tickets! A winner for the pair will be announced Thursday.
A runner-up will receive a copy of Ford’s newest album Songs for the Road.
UK singer-songwriter David Ford is back with a new video for “I’m Alright Now” off his latest release Songs For The Road. Ford will be playing a select few dates (below) in the US. These headlining dates will give Ford a proper chance at a full set to play songs from both of his albums and perhaps a surprise cover or two. Definitely not a show to miss.
I got the chance to see the magnificent David Ford open a sold out show for Rachael Yamagata and Sara Bareilles late last month at the TLA in Philadelphia. When I arrived, the TLA was surprisingly packed. Even for sold out shows at the TLA, the opener only sees about a quarter of the place full, but the balcony was full up and the floor was packed for from the stage halfway back to the balcony’s pillars. The crowd went wild as Ford took the stage and launched into the current single “Go To Hell” from his latest album Songs For The Road.
The passion and intensity with which Ford performs in entrancing and inspiring. Following “Go To Hell,” Ford introduced two “fellow countrymen,” one of whom would play the “electric suitcase” and other of whom played guitar. Knowing from a previous interview with PopWreckoning that Ford finds the idea of a band silly, I was shocked to see the other two Brits take the stage, but Ford explained, “We decided to form the band at 3PM. [pause] How are we doing?” His question was met with a roar of cheering from the audience, which he had in the palm of his hand. Following the crowd’s applause, Ford looks at his new bandmates and announces, “We’ve made it!”
The three on stage broke into “Train” and afterwards, Ford informed the audience that he was told to get the crowd riled up by shouting, but it isn’t in his British nature to be so loud and outgoing. He’d brought a small, silver service bell along and let the crowd know that when he rang the bell, it was their cue to go crazy. Testing this approach, he rang the bell and the crowd exploded with noise as Ford began “Decimate.” He followed with an impromptu cover of The Four Seasons‘ “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).” The audience loved it and sang along with every word.
Running short on time, Ford closed with “my version of the State of the Union address” (“State of the Union from 2006′s I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I’ve Caused) in which he recorded himself and put it on loop so that he didn’t need to use his backing band. It was truly amazing to watch as Ford moved from instrument to instrument, playing a short progression on it and leaving it to loop over and over and he moved to new instruments creating an overwhelming clusterfuck of sound the simply shredded.
The crowd loved David Ford, and it’s easy to understand why. His passion for music and the intensity in his live performance is astounding. Although his stint with Yamagata and Bareilles has ended, you can catch Ford on another US tour with Augustana starting this coming Tuesday, May 6th (dates below). Definitely catch Ford live. It will blow you away.
Tour Dates: May 06 – Wonder/Portland, Or.
May 07 – Showbox/Seattle, Wa.
May 08 – Big Easy/Boise, Id.
May 09 – Aavalon/Salt Lake City, Ut.
May 10 – Gothic/Denver, Colorado
May 12 – Fine Line/Minneapolis, Mn.
May 13 – Metro/Chicago, Il.
May 14 – St. Andrew’s Hall/Detroit, Mi.
May 15 – House of Blues/Cleveland, Oh.
May 16 – The Mod Club Theatre/Toronta, On.
May 17 – Les Saints/Montreal, Qc.
May 19 – Paradise Rock Club/Boston, Ma.
May 20 – Maxwell’s/Hoboken, Nj.
May 21 – Bowery Ballroom/New York, Ny.
May 22 – 9:30 Club/Washington, Dc.
May 23 – The TLA/Philadelphia, Pa.
Check out a new live video for David Ford‘s newest single “Go To Hell” from the recently released Songs For The Road. Follow David around a Brooklyn loft from the kitchen to the living room where he shows off his musical skills on the drums, guitar and piano.
Thursday night I was afforded the opportunity to chat with the wonderful David Ford, UK import who’s spending quite a bit of his time over in the States these days. Tuesday he hits the road in support his new album Songs for the Road, released in the US on April 1st of this year. We chatted about David’s personal totalitarian dictatorship, in music industry in the UK versus in the US, and The Felice Brothers. Read our entire conversation below:
David Ford: Hello? Jessica, PopWreckoning: Hi David, this is Jessica from PopWreck(oning). How are you doing? DF: Hi, Jessica. Well, thanks. How are you? PW: I’m well, thanks. DF: I’m currently in a car, so there’s a good chance you might dip in and out of radio contact. But for now, I can hear you loud and clear. PW: OK, great! You’ve been a professional musician for quite some time, but at what age did you begin playing music? DF: I didn’t really start playing music, or I didn’t pick up an instrument until I was 16 and it’s debateable at which point I deemed myself good enough to actually be a musician. It’s been 10 years or so that I’ve had any ability at it. I guess I’ve been doing it for a job for the last 7 or 8 years. PW: Prior to your current solo career, you played with a band called Easyworld. Do you miss being part of a unit in a band or do you prefer tackling the music world on your own? DF: Since I’ve been playin solo, I find the concept of making music with a band pretty much ridiculous. I think it’s deeply wrong. I’m very happy to not be part of any kind of democratic unit. I run my career as a totalitarian dictatorship with only me as the supreme commander. That’s the way I like it. Actually not because I’m a control freak, but more because I’m actually a bit of a pushover. As soon as there are people to argue and debate with, I’m always the first to back down. It’s not putting myself in a position to back down is how I see it. PW: The solo career has been working out well and your sophomore album Songs For The Road is fantastic. What did you learn from the first record that came out a couple years ago, that you applied when working on Songs For The Road? DF: The main thing I guess I learned it to try not to listen to anyone else, because mostly, their opinions are worth no more than mine. That said, there’s an amount of comprise on this record, which I don’t necessisarily find to be a negative thing. The first record I made was made entirely in a vacuum and there was no other human involvement in it. It was just entirely created by me with no one else knowing it was happening or caring what was going onWith the second record, there was some people who had a vested interest in it and a concern in how it came out. There was an amount of apeasing other parties and that in itself was an interesting challenge in diplomacy.
As far as what I learned, I suppose I learned some technical things as far as being a producer. I toured the first about a lot and you just kind of learn things that work and things that don’t work. You come to understand your strengths and weaknesses and what you’re good at and what you’re not good at and hoping to lean more toward the things you are good at. And the things you’re not good at, you get someone to help out. PW: Song For The Road released in the UK about 8 months ago, but just this month in the US. In your opinion, what’s the difference between the music industry and the music scene in the UK as opposed to in the United States? DF: The music business in the UK, to my eye, is possibly broken beyond repair. It’s a very strange situtation whereby it’s very difficult to carve out a career; it’s quite a small place in comparasion to the US. It’s a tiny market and it’s monopolized by a distinct few people who get to decide what flies and what stinks. Unless you’re in with the right people, you don’t really stand a chance.
Where as what I’ve found in America, I think there’s a lot more space for different things to survive. The fact that there’s a huge country music scene and there’s a huge hip hop scene and there’s all these different styles of music that exist side-by-side, but not at each other’s expense. I feel like in America, there is some work for me to be done. Putting the record out in Britain, we very quickly found that without playing the game and having the right people on your side, you just kind of lose before you begin.
I think in America there’s a lot more of a sense that things can live or die by their own merit, which was a surprise to me. There’s a view in Britain that America is very corporate-ified, but I actually think it’s less so than Britain. PW: Really? DF: Yeah, when it comes to music. I think there’s a greater ability to survive independently and to make music and to tour and be able to survive as a musician. There’s a lot more potential for that on this side of the water, which is great, because I really like working here. PW: Good! We’re glad to have you here. DF: It’s a pleasure! PW: Though a lot of the album seems very personal, I know you say that your songs tend to focus on characters rather than yourself. How do you come up with those characters? Are they based on people you know or experiences you’ve had? DF: Yeah, I think that’s it. Although I don’t write specifically about myself or things that are happening to me at the time, I would never want to write songs about subjects or experiences of which I have no understanding. So even though the strange, dysfunctional characters that litter the songs I write about aren’t specifically me, obviously there is going to be a nugget of understanding or experience there. Otherwise I wouldn’t feel like I have the necessary frame of reference to write a
bout it with any clarity.
So rather than writing directly about things, I like to consider and draw an experience rather than necessarily regurgitate it. PW: So the current US single and first track on the new album “Go To Hell,” I saw the video for that. It was beautifully shot in black and white. It feels like it was set years ago. Where did the concept for the video come from and what was it like having dirt thrown in your face? [laughs] DF: We kind of have this thing…It’s about self-sufficiency thing. It’s about making videos homemade. I have this friend who’s pretty handy with a camera and whenever there’s a song we want to film for, we just go to the pub and chat for a while and come up with ideas that support the music.
Generally, it always comes down to what’s the most horrible thing we can do to me. PW: Oh no! [laughs] DF: We’ve had film where I get slapped in the face a hundred times by a long queue of people. And then this one, we just thought, “Why not just bury me alive?” It’s kind of a theatre of cruelty with myself bearing the brunt of the cruelty. That’s the way that we like to face video making.
It kind of fits with the theme of the song. It’s a song about apology and forgiveness and lack of forgiveness. It’s like an understated girl power anthem, as well. About not forgiving guys for some of the awful things that they do; instead of accepting lame apologies, just saying “Go to Hell.” Taking that to its logical conclusion is burying some guy alive in the countryside. Seems kind of logical in a strange sort of way. PW: It was very well done, I enjoyed it. Starting next week, you’ll be joining Sara Bareilles and Rachel Yamagata on tour. What are your expectations for this mostly sold out tour? DF: I don’t really know what my expectations are. Whenever you start a new tour and you’re opening for someone, it takes a couple of shows to really gage what kind of an audience it is and what they’re going to respond well to.
Not that I’d ever suggest that I would tailor make what I do to suit the audience. I think that you ought to present what it is that you want to present. But at the same time, there are sort of elements that maybe you could lean more heavily towards.
Given that I think this may be a bit more of a pop show than I’m used to playing, I’m kind of looking forward to the challenge of reaching an audience who maybe aren’t necessarily that down with the kind of music that I write. I like to think there’s something in there for everyone and drawing people’s attention to that. It’s great playing shows to big rooms of people.
Again, it’s a challenge and it’s an opportunity and it’s a priviledge. PW: Absolutely. I’ll be at the show in Philadelphia next week, so I’m excited for that. DF: Oh, fantastic! PW: What do you typically do to get ready before you head out on tour? What are you doing until Tuesday when you head out on the road? DF: Well, at the moment I’m in California. We’re doing some bits and pieces here, playing a few shows and generally pimping my act in California in support of the record. Then pretty much I fly back to New York and I’ve got one day to put things into boxes and head out on the road. In terms of any sort of spiritual preparation, I don’t really have time to do that.
The only preparation I have to do is very tedious, technical preparation of getting stuff off an airplane and making sure it hasn’t been smashed to pieces. PW: Or making sure they don’t declare bankruptcy before you make it to your final destination. DF: Yeah. PW: What is it that you’re listening to these days? New artists or just anything you’ve been listening to? DF: I don’t really listen to a lot of music. I’m a little strange like that. Although music is my consuming passion and my life, I find myself not listening to a lot of music, particularly not a lot of new music. All my favorite music was either made 30 or 40 years ago or it’s made by people now who were making music 30 or 40 years ago. Tom Waits is my favorite writer and performer. I’m a big fan of his 30 year career. Pretty much all my favorite records are something he made last year or in the 70s. So I listen to his stuff a lot. I like people that make records now…there’s a few things that I like. I quite like those Bright Eyes records that [Conor Oberst] makes. I think they’re kind of interesting. He’s got some great songs. There’s this band called The Felice Brothers, I like their first album. It’s particularly good. PW: Absolutely. I saw them play last week, they were great! DF: Oh, really? Where did you see them? PW: I saw them in Philadelphia. They played in a tiny church chapel. It was crazy. They’re insane…in a good way! They’re so much fun. You should definitely see them if you get the chance. DF: I’ve not seen them live before, but their record Tonight at the Arizona is always one of my favorites. It’s got a really fantastic vibe and atmosphere to it. Which a lot of records don’t have these days because a lot of people tend to process the life and charm out of it. PW: Well thank you very much for taking the time to talk. I look forward to seeing you next week. DF: My pleasure. I will see you there! PW: Have a good night. DF: Thanks very much.
Tour Dates: Apr 22 – Paradise/Boston, Ma. (SOLD OUT!)*
Apr 23 – Irving Plaza/New York, Ny. (SOLD OUT!)*
Apr 24 – The TLA/Philadelphia, Pa. (SOLD OUT!)*
Apr 28 – 9:30 Club/Washington Dc. (SOLD OUT!)*
Apr 29 – Neighborhood/Charlotte, Nc. *
Apr 30 – Variety/Atlanta, Ga. (SOLD OUT!)*
May 06 – Wonder/Portland, Or. #
May 07 – Showbox/Seattle, Wa. #
May 08 – Big Easy/Boise, Id. #
May 09 – Aavalon/Salt Lake City, Ut. #
May 10 – Gothic/Denver, Colorado #
May 12 – Fine Line/Minneapolis, Mn. #
May 13 – Metro/Chicago, Il. #
May 14 – St. Andrew’s Hall/Detroit, Mi. #
May 15 – House of Blues/Cleveland, Oh. #
May 16 – The Mod Club Theatre/Toronta, On. #
May 17 – Les Saints/Montreal, Qc. #
May 19 – Paradise Rock Club/Boston, Ma. #
May 20 – Maxwell’s/Hoboken, Nj. #
May 21 – Bowery Ballroom/New York, Ny. #
May 22 – 9:30 Club/Washington, Dc. #
May 23 – The TLA/Philadelphia, Pa. #
* with Sara Bareilles and Rachel Yamagata
# with Augustana
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Concert Calendar
Nov 23, 2011
HaHa Tonka @ Recordbar, Kansas City MO
Nov 25, 2011
Thee Oh Sees @ The Granada, Lawrence KS
British indie sensation 
The emotion and intensity with which Ford sings and pounds away on his guitar and, at times, piano is truly moving. It’s impossible to not feel his anguish as his vocals grow fierce and guitar riffs become louder, tortured and wrestled out of the used, 50 year old acoustic Ford plays with. As the force of “Requiem” picked up, my plus one for the evening leaned over and whispered, “he’s even better live!” The volume and stress of Ford’s vocals on “Requiem” distorted the song’s sound, achieving a desired violent and maddening effect to fit in with the song’s devastating lyrics.
more @ 
We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to 
