David M. Western

Where are you currently based?

Hi I’m based in Melbourne where are you? Can you see me? I’m the one in the blue t shirt waving

How did you first start playing music?

I first picked up a guitar in primary school but started playing real music and writing songs later in high school. I had some friends that could play Elliott Smith songs and I knew that I needed to be able to do that.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?

My experience has been okay. I’ve been investing a lot of myself in getting the album together, and making sure these songs sound as good as they can. Lots of gardening and staying in touch with family and friends as much as I can. I was also lucky enough to work throughout the lockdowns here in Melbourne so I was able to get out of the house and hone my gardening chops more.

You’ve recently released your latest two singles ‘Instant Life’ and new one ‘Take Your Opportunities’ off your forthcoming debut album, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

I think the sound was influenced by the songwriting if that makes any sense. With this latest track, because the words just roll along, we needed the production to just tick along underneath the stream of consciousness style prose. I would say the songwriting was influenced by this want I had at the time to write a song that had a fun melody and a rollicking, rhythmic pentameter, at no point was I like ‘I need this to sound like The Beatles’ or whatever.

How did you go about writing these singles and the album?

It’s all some form of self exploration I guess. I dive into some feeling I have or some world I feel like creating. Take Your Opportunities has a feeling to me. I wanted to write about being a weird, sorry weirdo looking for love.

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?

Recorded in Collingwood Melbourne. Engineered & mixed by Alex O’Gorman, and produced by Joe Orton. We all also did bits and bobs from our homes. We recorded the foundations of the track (drums, bass) in December 2019 but I went back to the studio in 2020 in between lockdowns to touch up vocals and guitar.

How did you approach the recording process?

We recorded it live with us all playing together quietly. It used to be this barnstormer of a song but when it came to recording it there was a soul in the song that wasn’t fully being brought to light. Normally if something isn’t working we just try the complete opposite and see what happens and I think here it worked so well to go from hectic and in your face to more patient and charming.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Willie Nelson, Aretha Franklin, Bill Evans, Mary Littlemore, Mia Dyson and Neil Young

What do you like to do away from music?

I enjoy gardening and being a cowboy yeehaw

What’s planned for 2021?

Two more singles and an album. And gardening. I wanna learn more about plants and dirt and shit

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Fave food is tacos ! Little Hop on Brunswick Street I hope you’re ready.