We recently caught up with Dave to see what he has up his sleeve as his first solo project. Appetite whetted? Read on ...

1. You have been very busy of late with the production of 'The River Flows' and the setting up of 'Open Sky Records'. Where did you find the impetus for your forthcoming solo album? Have you been considering doing this for a long time?

There are various factors which have come together over the past year or two to spur me on to finally get 'round to the solo album. The advances in affordable, yet high quality recording equipment have meant that at last I can actually record most of the album at home or on location and not have to rely on getting a huge recording advance to pay for expensive studios. This also means that I can take my time over the project rather feel the constraints of an expensive hourly rate hanging over me. Now there's just the constraint of not earning anything until it's finished - but you can't have everything!

The ability to send data as wav files means, for example that I can send Frank some CDs of rough mixes and then he can add drums / percussion and violins in his home studio and send me back CDs of what he's done so that I can 'unpack' all the tracks and then transfer them to my recording machine. A few years ago this was science fiction! This is how we worked (very successfully) on Frank's Christmas album last year. I've just recently sent the longest piece on the album to Frank and I can't wait to hear what he's going to do on it!

The other main factor is obviously Jo falling pregnant again - so I have a window of time this year whilst Jo is on maternity leave and the band aren't able to play live.

I have been considering a solo project for ages - in fact I was considering one back in 1988/89 - but then Iona happened so all my energy was channelled into what became the band. Also back then the time just wasn't right - for the technical and financial reasons mentioned above and also there wasn't the internet back then which has obviously made selling such an album directly to those who might be interested in it much easier. I think that now I have a clearer idea of what I'm doing artistically. Back in November and December last year I spent a huge amount of time just going through piles of musical ideas I've been collecting over the years that I have on loads of tapes, computer disks and manuscript paper - sifting out all the best ideas. That was hard work but loads of fun too. They're now catalogued as either possible Iona ideas, solo (or other) ideas and 'classical' ideas. At some point I'd love to do a modern 'classical' album - but that will require some outside funding, so it's currently on the back burner!

2. Is there a theme or concept for the album, and should we expect something in the style of iona?

There is a loose theme linking some of the tracks, even if (in some cases) it's only reflected in how I've approached the overall sound - and this is reflected in the album title I've chosen (and the title of one of the tracks), which is 'Veil of Gossamer'. The title is inspired by a poem by the Scottish pioneer George McLeod, who, in the 1930's, begun the restoration of the Iona Abbey and Community. It refers to the thin veil that separates this life and the next. Rather than be a negative statement on the fragility and briefness of our lives and the inevitability of death, whilst these things are all true, I am seeking within the music to convey, as David Adam has put it, how eternity seeks to burst into our lives, and if we only seek to look, we can see the eternal fingerprint in all of creation. I like this quote from David Adam, which I feel captures my hope for the album;

"We need to keep a vision of this other world. Not as a place far away or set in another time, but a world that keeps breaking into our lives. Not a world that runs parallel to ours, but a world that is closely interwoven with ours, in fact a world in which our world shares and into which we can enter. We all need to set off on a quest, like Lucy in 'the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', to discover a way of entering that other world and enjoying its great riches." Borderlands (p211)

So the spiritual inspiration is very much that which first inspired the formation of the band - a continuation really of the journey.

I read a nice quote the other day in a Sound magazine interview with the band Massive Attack's co-producer / co-writer Neil Davidge. He said that "too much music these days doesn't pay attention to what music should be about, which is communicating ideas and feelings". I certainly agree with this.

Musically speaking, there is a lot in common with Iona, but I suppose I've allowed myself to 'stretch out' a bit more on this project. There's a bit more improvisation in parts, particularly on the piano, which is not that heavily featured in Iona. There are the usual 'atmospheric' sections that people familiar with Iona will recognise, but overall I hope the album will convey a very joyful, uplifting feel. Although a lot of it is instrumental, there are lots of vocal 'layers', which I'm trying to integrate into the fabric of the whole thing. I've also used several verses written by David Adam.

3. Could you run through some of the songs with a brief description of their meaning?

Well, at the time of writing I'm still heavily involved in the writing and recording process, so some of the tracks are still in a state of flux! Here are a few things you can expect to hear!

• 'Seahouses' - a short solo acoustic guitar piece which I began writing in August 1997. We were on holiday at the time in North Sunderland near the coastal town of Seahouses in Northumberland. During that time the sense of the fragility of our lives was emphasised quite dramatically, with the passing, in that week, of Princess Diana, Mother Theresa and the great conductor Sir Georg Solti.

• 'The Everlasting Hills' - definitely the album's 'epic' piece, clocking in at around 19 1/2 minutes! It's difficult to write much of an explanation of this one in a few words, but it goes through quite a few changes of mood, instrumentation and pace although it uses a very simple melodic line as it's basis. Some of the musical ideas in this piece I've had around for quite a while - in fact it includes a little piano melody that I wrote when I was about 15!

• 'Veil of Gossamer' - currently a solo piano piece - but I'll probably be adding other instrumentation. I suppose this tune is in the same tradition as pieces like 'Luke - the Calf' (from The Book of Kells) and 'Machrie Moor' (from Beyond these Shores).

• There's a big tune which hasn't yet got a title, which is sort of a 'Flight of the Wild Goose' (from Iona) type tune - with big drums.

• There's also another epic tune which I'm still working on which incorporates a sort of one part jig before going off at a tangent!

4. Who will be appearing on the album?

Well - the usual suspects! Frank (van Essen) will be covering the drums, some percussion and some violin.

Troy (Donockley) on the obligatory pipes and whistles, but also featured on a vocal bit!

Jo (Hogg) on vocals

Former Iona-ite Nick (Beggs) will be on bass and Chapman Stick Hang on - this sounds like an Iona album - oops!

However there are a few other guests scheduled;

Rachael Jones (from the band Karnataka) on vocals - already recorded her parts, which sound great.

Pete Fairclough (great improvising jazz drummer / percussionist) on very unusual gongs!

And - to be confirmed - Mae McKenna - on vocals (including some in Gaelic) Oh yes - I'll be playing on it as well!

5. How have you found recording your own album compared to an iona project?

Obviously the main difference is that with the band there is a certain amount of input from each member, but with this solo project it's all down to me - no-one else to bounce ideas off. It's a case of going with your instincts really. However, each of the guests brings something unique that can spark off new ideas or ways of hearing things, which I value tremendously. I find it useful to see how friends react to the material when I subject them to it!! I'm also fortunate to have my good friend, sound engineer Nigel Palmer, who doesn't seem to mind being phoned up for technical advice every so often. It's amazing what a bit of analogue shelving eq at 6.8khz can do to liven up a dull piano sound, eh Nigel!!

6. You and Troy were planning some concerts for later in the year . How is this coming along? Will you be featuring your respective solo scores?

Well, to be honest, we've both been too busy to get very far with this yet although we do have an agent who's keen to work with us, so we'll keep you posted. We'd certainly do some of our solo stuff, but some would be impossible with just 2 musicians - it will be a mixture of solo / Iona / traditional / improvised material. I'm really looking forward to it though.

7. (linked to 5) It must be really satisfying being able to nurture an idea through conception to eventual maturity, but is it more stressful than working out ideas with a full band?

The burden of responsibility is certainly greater and you don't have the camaraderie particularly when something goes wrong. You can't form a team to enter the local pub quiz either!

8. How will your album be distributed here and abroad?

The best place to order it will be the Iona web site and newsletter, however there will also be some distribution through other sources, e.g. The Music Plant in Japan and probably Voiceprint in the UK and elsewhere. I'll keep you updated on that. We're hoping to be ready to start taking pre-orders by next month as the album is self-financed as with the Iona box set, so that would, hopefully start covering some of the costs so far incurred. I'm looking at an early Autumn release date at the moment.

9. Finally, is there any news on the new iona project scheduled for later in the year?

Well due to the solo album and everyone been busy with other things, including pregnancy of course, the schedule for the next Iona album has been delayed. However I'm getting together with Jo in March in Ireland to work on a few Iona ideas as well as stuff for the solo album.

March 2003

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