Singer - songwriter based in Athens Georgia, U.S.A. Born in Massachusetts, Dan wrote his first songs in 1991 and was immediately hooked. Dan has relocated to Athens, has two degrees, is now a father, husband, web developer, artist, musician, and all around technical enthusiast. Primarily a songwriter, but also a decent guitarist and a passable vocalist.
When I am writing, I feel like I am at my best. Music is not all I am, but I am nothing without music.
I dream of having a network of collaborators who all agree that we need to keep collaborating no matter where we live, until we die. Then after we die, we find a way to continue collaborating and keep making music. Maybe the afterlife has new instruments for us to check out.
It would be cool if musicians and artists found it easier to make a decent living. If I could make that easier, I'd be quite motivated. I don't really know how though.
Tightrope by ELO. Instantly puts me in the passenger seat of a car with my dad on some trip along the coast of New England, back in the 80s. Rock and Roll violins really did it for me.
Pink Floyd, Faith No More, Queen, Mr. Bungle, ELO, Soundgarden, Tool, Acid Bath, Beatles, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Dispatch, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Ween, Weezer, Bob Dylan, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Jimi Hendrix, Ben Harper, John Butler Trio, King Crimson, Megadeth, Nirvana, Ministry, Outkast, Beasty Boys
Life. Usually.
This one is hard. I have not worried about this in the past, and while that has allowed me to be creative with less restrictions, I feel like the result has been that I am capable of writing songs that send messages I DON'T want to send. Some songs are therapy, I guess, more than messages to other people. But I would prefer to share messages of love, balance, enjoying the craziness of life, the beauty in everything, including the darker side of life.
I used to get painfully frightened, but now a switch gets flipped. Usually, it feels like kicking a door down and throwing down with forceful confidence. Sometimes it feels like taking off all of my clothes and not knowing what to expect. Maybe it all depends on what I ate for dinner?
The musician's reality is quite a diverse one depending on the quality of their product, the size of their network of support, and their mental stability. My perspective is too small to truly understand the bigger picture of this question, but I find it intriguing.
You guys are doing something very cool here. As a web developer, I have often hoped to work at a place like Drooble. Need a remote office in Athens GA, USA?
When I am trying to record and my neighbor choses that day to pressure wash their house. Just kidding, I love that guy. I admit to being frustrated any time I have tried to share music with my friends. That little trick is surprisingly difficult. I suppose it means that I am frustrated that I am poor at marketing?
Not as well as I should. I just graduated though, so I do have time to change this. I imagine that it would be cool to start a local songwriter's guild. I did that at a college and it was amazing fun. Made some life-long friends and memories.
You might need to help me with the answer to this question. I bet it would be helpful to be positive, supportive, confident, creative, patient, and resourceful. So try to be a saint.
Stay tuned, this one is worth thought... Names and links coming soon.