DAN REED NETWORK | INTERVIEW
Liz Aiken of Bluesdoodles talks to veteran US funk-rocker Dan Reed ahead of he and his Network’s gig at the Globe, Cardiff, on Sun 5 Mar.
Bluesdoodles: Hi Dan hope you are well, thanks for taking time to speak to Bluesdoodles, we spoke last year on the release of Fight Another Day, now as you embark on a European tour we have a chance to revisit and explore the world of Dan Reed Network.
Dan Reed: Good thanks, we are in Norway and it is as cold as hell. That is a silly thing to say… it is beautiful and snowy.
How has your perspective changed since taking the time out travelling, studying and having a boy?
The biggest change was the birth of my son. He is so very cute, often mistaken for a girl with his long hair, people often still don’t connect when I say his name is Joshua. Having a child is all encompassing. It is so hard to describe the feeling the first time you hold the baby. There is a deepening of awareness, deepening of compassion, a child engulfs you with emotions of love and responsibility. My first responsibility is to raise them safely and then as they grow imparting lessons of gratitude, how to lead a good life, planting the seeds of who the child will grow into. It has made me a better human being. This runs through my lyrics as they reflect the path that you have left behind is so much more defined.
Back touring Europe and hitting the UK in March – before we talk about the 2017 tour with Fight Another Day, what were the highlights last year back on the road with the Network?
Festivals are always fun and at Sweden Rock Festival, we were the first act on the stage on the second or third day after lots of partying. In an arena that holds 20,000 there were 300 in the rain. As the first song started, the rain stopped and by the end of the set there were over 8,000 watching. It was exciting, energetic from the rain and gloomy skies – it was the best show.
The coolest was playing back in our home town of Portland seeing so many familiar faces, lots of folks who have seen us play from the beginning. It felt so good being back. Yes, our knees hurt a bit with a few more aches and pains now after a performance, but this is part of the challenge of a live performance and is definitely an excellent workout both mentally and physically.
Funky rock is hard and needs the energy of the song. We achieved this at a live rehearsal at the Hard Rock Café rehearsing in front of an audience. The energy of the audience feeds the performance, you trade off the energy of each other – it’s a symbiotic relationship. It is hard being away from family and home when on the road the positive trade-off is you get rid of the tensions by playing the music, talking to the audience and the feeling that we are so lucky to be doing this.
What’s your favorite track from your extensive back catalog to perform live?
The solo stuff – I love playing it live. Acoustic can be harder, with a need to put your energy into the meaning of the lyrics. From the album The Heat Salt Of Joy, when the band sings Long Way To Go a capella, it is magical – honest lyrics, written with visions in the head. When writing lyrics I need to go into a daydream and explore thoughts and emotions. Kurt Cobain was a tortured soul but wrote the most honest rock songs ever written.
Now you are performing tracks from Fight Another Day live, how do you select tracks from the extensive back catalogue to meld the past with the now?
It can be difficult singing the same songs over and over again. The key to not sounding mechanical or just going through the motions is twofold: having a good time and play the music as if for the first time. Play your asses out, never let it become a slog, enjoy the music, build up the audience.
We now have no set list – we play the songs we want to play, trying to vary the groove according to what feels best, changing the tempo and topics covered from politics to sex! The set is like climbing a mountain range with summits and valleys – it can build and build through the show, with a high point in the set climaxing the show. Or we can sing a mellow song having reached the top, meditating and chilling.
What are you listening to and what Dan Reed Network track would you liked covered and by whom?
Music I’m listening to at the moment: D-A-D, a Danish rock band originally named Disneyland After Dark but had to be renamed after Disney threatened a lawsuit. D-A-D and DRN – I’d love to open for them, it would be so inspirational. I love the poppy melodies and funky tone of Foster The People, and the evergreen band for me is Jamiroquai.
Thank you for your time! Looking forward to Cardiff on Sun 5 Mar.
Looking forward to playing The Globe, first time at the venue and looking forward to bring some funky rock on Sunday night. With Vega opening we are in for a whirlwind of rock, live music that will energise.
Dan Reed Network, The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 5 Mar. Tickets: £18. Info: www.danreed-network.com/tour
[photo AMANDA ROSE]