Son of Dave interview

Son of Dave is originally from Winnipeg, Canada, where he enjoyed pop chart success for ten years with folk-rock band Crash Test Dummies. He then moved to London and pursued a solo career.
After two albums he decided to quite literally go it alone and become the all singing, all dancing solo performer that is the Son of Dave act. While doing so he quite possibly invented a brand new genre of harmonica, incorporating beat-boxing and loop pedals to compliment his strong rhythmic harmonica style of playing. His catalogue of albums are littered with songs he has composed by dreaming up melodies on the harmonica.
Son of Dave has thrilled audiences around the world with his cartoony Bluesman persona, dragging his suitcase fulls of tricks behind him. His one-man show has got to be seen to be believed.

Select the Chapter Markers tab above to select different sections of the podcast (website version only).

Links:
Son of Dave's website:
https://sonofdave.bandcamp.com/


Videos:
Son of Dave's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5UgKvTbjsw2VfDfTQXSfQ

Black Betty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlDH8zDLHxw

Crash Test Dummies: The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLt60MUv7AU


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Chapters

• 1:13 Origins of the Son of Dave name
• 1:32 Had his Covid vaccination just yesterday and age mis-representation
• 2:20 Originally from Winnipeg, Canada and Winnipeg Folk Festival
• 4:00 First got interested in blues harmonica after seeing James Cotton playing live
• 5:20 Small collection of blues records which got SoD going
• 6:20 Didn’t spend lots of time studying the greats, but learnt in his own way
• 7:02 Other instruments learnt when young
• 7:23 SoD was a member of the successful Crash Test Dummies Folk-Rock band
• 9:18 After leaving Crash Test Dummies SoD had to start from scratch again
• 11:12 Sold 8 million records with Crash Test Dummies
• 11:40 Moved to London in 1998
• 12:20 Wild West Show album, released in 1999, and O1 album in 2001
• 13:10 Started busking in London, which was the start of the SoD one man show
• 14:43 Invented a new genre of harmonica with beat-boxing? Or at least the first to record it
• 16:33 Loop pedal came early on
• 17:36 Is nervous before shows with the one-man format
• 18:31 What gear used during the live show, and live demo of the sound
• 19:23 Important thing is the song and melody, not enough to just jam it
• 20:29 How started incorporating beat-boxing into the show
• 22:46 SoD has an instinctive way of learning and developing his act
• 23:06 Distinctive image to the act: Bluesman look and cartoony album covers
• 24:07 O2 album, the first mainly solo album
• 26:27 SoD song used in a Robin Williams movie, and also The Preacher film
• 27:32 Some blues songs covered on O2 album
• 29:57 How SoD uses the piano and the guitar in creating his music
• 31:24 How he uses the harmonica in composing his songs
• 33:15 The themes of songs that SoD writes
• 35:18 03 album and cover of Low Rider song, and meeting Lee Oskar
• 36:58 Does some basic maintenance of his harmonicas, but has Seydel do that for him now
• 38:28 Song used in TV series Breaking Bad
• 41:40 Also had a song in the TV series Preacher
• 42:30 The Blues At The Grand album featured a large number of guest musicians
• 44:20 Explosive Hits album from 2016 is a covers album
• 45:37 Music For Cop Shows album
• 47:29 Has been releasing singles instead of albums over the last few years, due to the new world of streaming
• 48:11 Has two albums in the pipeline
• 48:53 Most recent single is What A Life
• 49:26 Does a lot of touring and has played all around the world
• 50:15 Admires other harmonica players
• 51:08 SoD is strong with rhythm and hooks and melodies, similar to a comment Lee Oskar made on his podcast
• 52:21 Has given some harmonica workshops
• 53:09 Recently has been playing more songs without the looping pedal, with harmonica and voice and a rattle
• 53:55 10 minute question
• 54:43 Seydel endorser and low harmonicas
• 55:49 Plays some Chromatic harmonica
• 56:11 Favourite keys of diatonic are down to what matches his vocal range
• 57:03 Embouchre
• 57:18 Amps and mics
• 58:28 Future Plans