SMART THINKING
Singer David Gray speaks from the heart in search of the perfect lyrics and music.
Singer David Gray speaks from the heart on his new album, Gold in a Brass Age.
English balladeer, David Gray was always creative. “I have been making things since I was a little boy – paintings, sculptures, songs. It’s a deep- seated thing in me,” he says.
In fact, the singer-songwriter, who grew up in a sleepy Welsh village before going to art school in Liverpool, was torn between being an artist or a musician for some years. “Painting is quite solitary and I just loved playing live,” he says. “Music gets you out into the world – so it’s probably better for me.”
The celebrated folk/rock singer chalked up two major milestones last year – 25 years in the music business and his 50th birthday. This year, he will spend three months on the road as part of a world tour including Australia. It is his fourth time performing Down Under, but he’s never had the time to check out the country. “I would love to explore Australia – wilderness appeals to me. It’s in the diary for later in life when I’ll have more time.”
Gray’s seminal 1998 album, White Ladder was the fifth best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK and remains the biggest selling album ever in Ireland. His new album – his 15th – Gold in a Brass Age, will be released in March.
Does he ever worry about running out of things to write about?
“No. For me, inspiration is like water from a well. It’s not finite, it’s in my heart. My goal is to make the perfect piece of music that says something perfect about being alive. The perfect tune, the perfect lyric. It lures me on … it never stops calling.”