Singer David Gray on his new music and tour
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance. My next guest is the voice behind the iconic White Ladder, the timeless hits like Babylon and This Year's Love. But he's enjoying huge success with his latest album, Dear Life. And he's coming back to Ireland this summer. And I'm delighted to be joined by David Gray.
Hello.
Hello. Hi. Welcome back.
Who is David Gray and what is his musical background?
Thank you. Welcome back home, I feel I should say. It does feel a bit like home. It does feel a bit like that, doesn't it? I mean, you said that Ireland and the response that Ireland had to you initially back then, that it changed your life, the career trajectory.
What is the significance of David Gray's latest album, Dear Life?
It's been completely transformative. I think if you're making music, you're just trying to connect heart to heart with somebody. That's the whole point. And that's where it happened here in Ireland from the very beginning with the Century End shows I did at Whelan's. And it's just never, we've never looked back from there. And that relationship has just grown and got deeper and stronger. And I'm a kind of heart led kind of performer. So Clune and I, way back then, we just poured everything we had into what we're doing. the positiveness that was coming back at us. And it kind of created this amazing relationship, which then went on to become a kind of commercial success, I suppose.
I mean, you're really busy this year looking at what you've done so far. And then the big tour coming up, UK and Ireland, all sorts of dates. I was having a look at it last night and we'll talk about the Irish date soon. But does success feel different now?
Yeah, I'm very grateful for every positive thing that happens. I think it's finite.
How has David Gray's relationship with Ireland influenced his career?
Suddenly you realize that how long can I sing like this, do this? It's not going to last forever. This is pretty amazing.
You appreciate it more, do you? 100%.
I think that's one of the confusing things about success when it really happens and kicks in. Suddenly everything's sold out and it's all getting bigger and everyone's your friend. It's impossible to keep placing the same value on what you're being given, which is a cheering crowd. So at a certain point in your life, you work out the real value of that. Maybe something makes you realize that you lose a little bit. And when it comes back, you're certainly not going to forget how important it is.
I was reading back an interview that you did, I think it was after that crazy time where you said you were away in the States, you were missing your family. It's tough, isn't it? That life on the road is tough. It's probably easier to do it now than it was then.
Well, I don't think it gets any easier on the body or the mind, to be honest. You enter a sort of weird world of exhaustion and adrenaline. And it's the distance from home and your forced proximity to other individuals that you've spent far too much time with in the past makes it a challenging process. How did I word that? That was quite careful.
You did well.
This is the politics show, so I was quite political there.
I caught all of the nuance, though. All of the nuance. People who you mightn't choose to live in close quarters with, but you're forced to.
They're all friends, though, right? Yeah, no, we are. We're a big dysfunctional family. And that's all part of it. There is real loyalty and investment there. We've been playing this music. This is the flesh of my music, my band. But yeah, you've all spent a lot of time in close quarters and going away in the pressure cooker. I wish I could say I can be more chilled out about shows when I'm older. the show is everything and it has to count every second of the show they're all different it's a new audience for me it's go again you go again each night you don't do the same thing you did last night it's a new show so you have to make it again and and feel a new connection and build that from song one till it finishes it's got to be special that's what you're there for to be present on the stage not just turn up and go through the motions like a sort of jukebox style gig so
That's demanding. And I obviously have high standards and they have to meet those standards.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:25
2
Who is David Gray and what is his musical background?
0:25–0:39
3
What is the significance of David Gray's latest album, Dear Life?
0:39–1:39
4
How has David Gray's relationship with Ireland influenced his career?
1:39–4:31
5
What does success feel like for David Gray now compared to earlier in his career?
4:31–10:02
6
How does touring impact David Gray's life and mental health?
10:02–19:44
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The Claire Byrne Show
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