David Ford, Runcorn UK 29th April 2011 7/10

How to Nearly Make it in the Music Industry: David Ford

David Ford's latest tour is somewhat unconventional, comprising of readings from his recent memoir 'How to Nearly Make it in the Music Industry' interspersed with songs from his career. He claimed not to have much experience of speaking, but the book material was delivered with passion and conviction, and was both entertaining and stimulating.

His humour is self-depreciating and typically British, and he painted a less than glamorous picture of life  outside the popular music premier league. He explained how he embarked on a solo career after his band Easyworld broke up, the announcement unintentionally being revealed live on air by David, which was hilariously recounted. When an audience member asked why he was drinking water not beer, David replied that he had to drive to Crewe tonight (another less than glamorous location): such is the life of a freelance musician. David has a following in the USA, and his very un-American modesty is probably a source of amusement there.

In some respects, the venue suited the tone of the book, being somewhat mundane. It was an intimate setting, a social club, and David  engaged in a conversation with the audience. He'd brought along a ramshackle collection of furniture which looked suitably dilapidated and added a certain eccentricity to proceedings.

In the interval, another audience member described David Ford as 'old school'. I think he meant by this that he performs and composes all his own music without taking any short cuts or receiving help from others, least of all PR types. He's also not afraid to engage with contemporary issues, such as the Irish Republican conflict in the song 'Stephen' and doesn't chase popular appeal at the expense of his artistic integrity.

David sung most tenderly, and has a real sense of melody, evoking most touching emotions (just listen to 'To Hell with the World'). What he didn't do though, is get the audience dancing: there wasn't an overpowering sense of joy, and I suspect his own depression, which he eluded to, colours the music. This isn't a criticism: David is certainly authentic, and there's room for a wide range of emotions (certainly I don't remember any dancing or outbreak of spontaneous joy in my years of attending classical concerts). I didn't quite manage to escape mentally from the confines of the prosaic surroundings, however. This is attributable to my mood that day, and is not a criticism of David, although on listening to his studio recordings again, more joy is evident than I remember in Runcorn.

In one of the video clips I include at the end of this review, David Ford makes a devastating critique of the music industry by comparing it to the consumer goods market, specifically toasters, where there's a drive away from quality as market forces conspire to lead to a drive to the bottom. The other video with an except from the book recalls a meeting with a music executive, who unsuccessfully tries to take a stand against over-elaborate and expensive music videos. This is great satire, and I'd suggest you seek out a copy from his web site.

The 2 hour set included several items from his most recent album, Let the Hard Times roll, but also included older songs such as Song for the Road from his 2007 album, and he took requests. He has a loyal following, and I'd suggest that next time David Ford is in your area, you seek him out, if you're more interesting in real music making than superficial, manufactured stardom.

Videos

7/10