From the grass roots
SHELLEY MARSDEN talks to Daniel Ward-Murphy, whose album exists thanks to fan's donations… - 14/01/09
Daniel Ward-Murphy is, for the moment at least, a little-known singer-songwriter with a loyal fan-base from London. His debut album, Until the Morning Light has just been released, and the incredible thing about it is the people – from Brazil to Latvia – that made it happen. Each donated a minimum amount to the website sellaband.com to raise the $50,000 budget required to record an album, very much in keeping with the artist’s whole philosophy.
He’s not too bothered about fame and fortune, he just believes passionately in the music, and wants the opportunity to get it out there. After ten years of self-promotion and making enough to just about break even, Ward-Murphy surely deserves his shot at the big time. Listening to the infectiously good songs on the album, it’s not hard to see why so many music lovers have put their money where their mouth is...
That surname must mean you have Irish roots, right?!
Yeah, though they’re little known. But I do know my granddad was from the Antrim Rd in Belfast, and his dad was born in Portadown, Co Armagh. I’m a Murphy though, so my roots must trace down to Cork/Wexford way.
When did you first connect with music?
I was actually the ‘unmusical’ one in quite a musical family. My brothers and sisters were very good pianists, and my dad was a trumpet player in a jazz band back in the day. Due to a few dodgy piano lessons, I didn’t really pick up a guitar till I was about 11, 12 and then just started naturally writing a few songs. At about twenty years old I started busking, I began really believing in some of the songs and it all went from there. There was never a point though when a light went on and I thought, oh, I’m a singer!
What is your sound?
I was described once as a “happy Damian Rice” which I can sort of see! Some compare my music to David Gray, but I have such wide influences you can see touches of everything, from Billy Joel and Jackson Browne through to bands like The Charlatans and The Verve. Instrumentation is really important to me; I love folk and country and the way strings play a major part in songs – that’s what I’ve gone for really.
For the full interview, buy this week's Irish World at your local newsagent - or click HERE to buy a copy online for only 50p!
Visit www.danielwm.com more info and tour dates.
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