By Abbey Cannan
After wrapping up the recording of his third EP at Jampot Studios in Noosaville, a local musician is ready to release his first single Set in Stone.
Tewantin based Dave Barrie grew up with music running through his veins.
His father, a session drummer and mother a piano teacher, his earliest memories are of lugging the instruments up on stage for his parents’ band and thus, music surrounding him from an early age inevitably seeped into his soul.
U2, Eurythmics and INXS piqued his curiosity, coupled with influences from his teenage years like Pearl Jam, Coldplay and Dave Matthews Band and Dave’s sound began to emerge.
Dave is a song writer and versatile musician capable of playing drums, percussion, rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and vocals.
Lyrically, Dave often explores the intricacies of relationships, family, overcoming fears, politics, environment and more.
After managing and playing in a number of bands straight out of school, in 2009 Dave released his first solo five track EP ‘Don’t Break.’
A second EP ‘The Storm’ followed in 2011, both releases garnering wide praise and several song writing awards.
Dave was touring often along Australia’s east coast and he then moved to the UK to pursue music further.
Fatherhood in 2013 put the brakes on his career until his passion was reignited in 2018 after moving to Noosa and his daughters grew old enough to enjoy his incessant strumming.
Armed with a new batch of original songs, production began in 2019 on Dave’s third EP ‘Sprint through a hurricane’.
Due to be released independently in August 2020, the co-produced five track offering features Dave on most instruments in the recording with a small handful of guest cameos.
Recorded locally at Noosa’s Jampot studios, the first single ‘Set in Stone’ will be out on July 13.
“I’ve been working with Tom at Jampot on and off for the last couple of years and always get a lot out of the experience,” Dave said.
“It is a well-equipped studio and rehearsal space. I record pretty much all the instruments myself so I can jump on his drum kit with tonnes of cymbals to choose from, various keyboards, guitars, bass.
“He’s a very experienced engineer in terms of the software and getting good sounds and we’re a good team when it comes to the overall production and mix.”
Dave said he was just getting back into live gigs when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
“I had four local gigs booked in April and May which were my first gigs in a while but they were all cancelled,” he said.
“That door may have temporarily closed but the lockdown gave me time to focus more on song writing and learning things like graphic design, photography, video editing. All useful things to know a bit about when releasing music.”
Dave said his first single off the EP, Set In Stone, is about facing your fears.
“Nearly everyone has ’that thing’ they’ve always wanted to do,” he said.
“It could be changing career, getting sober, swimming with sharks or painting. But whether internally or externally we’re held back by fear, doubt and judgment.
“Set In Stone is about acknowledging that fear but getting up each day and taking small steps towards your goals.
“For me it was about writing and releasing music again after several years out of the music industry.”
Dave said he was excited to promote his new single with a gig at Gun Cotton in Yandina on Friday 24 July.
“Gun Cotton is an awesome little venue in Yandina which has live music every Friday night and I think Sunday afternoons as well,” he said.
“It’ll be my first gig in a fair while so really looking forward to it.”
After facing his fears of jumping back into the music industry, Dave said his long-term goals included winning a Grammy award and filling Wembley Stadium.
“But I’m also realistic,” he said.
“I really enjoy the song writing and recording process, so as long as I’m doing that, I feel quite fulfilled. And if people enjoy my music, that’s a big bonus.”
