Second round. Ding dong and it’s Dave Arcari in the blues
corner.
Pretty much the same questions so have at it.
XXXX - So why a one man band? I know I am stretching the
definition here with you, but live you push beyond the confines of what most
solo bluesmen are doing. So is it misanthropy, control over the musical vision,
necessity, issues with body odour?
Dave Arcari - It's necessity really – both economic and
logistical. I doubt I could make a living from music if I had the overheads of
taking a band on the road. In the past I have been frustrated with band members
not being able to do this or that and not responding quickly to gig offers, or
pulling their weight. Don't start me!
How does it feel when you are on stage and trying to push
out the sound of a band across to an audience?
Magic! I can do/play what the fuck I like and respond to the
audience without worrying about timing or screwing up the others.
As someone who doesn't even have the manual dexterity to
play an instrument I can’t really grasp how mentally anyone can maintain what
you do. Do you consider that it I something that can be learnt, or is it a
natural gift, or even a combination of both?
Although I perform solo, I'm not really a one-man-band in
the multi-tasking sense – although I have started using a stomp box on a few
numbers in my live set. That's about pushing me to my limit though. For me the
whole thing is down to determination and practice – I can assure you that I
have no natural ability.
How is the process of song writing different from working
with others and having to take into consideration their opinions and input? Do
you feel it is liberating or constricting?
It's limiting in many ways. Sometime I feel it's like trying
to write a book when you only know a few dozen words. BUT...I have a very
specific view of what a 'Dave Arcari song' should be and it's hard for other
folks to grasp that...I'm probably way too dismissive to take on board other
folks ideas too, so they'd probably feel undervalued in the process.
If you were to consider one obvious positive to playing
alone like this then what would it be, and similarly what the biggest drawback?
The positive is being able to respond to everything
immediately and not have to wait for other folks...plus, of course, the freedom
in performance. The drawback is missing the camaraderie of playing with other
folks and getting stuck in a rut.
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