realm artist of the month

USHERING IN A SOLO CAREER

Author: Aaron Broverman
Source: REALM Magazine (url)
Date: August 2003

Born in Oxford, England, studied political science at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, and now living in Montréal, Québec, David Usher has taken the music world by storm. With a strong following in Canada, he's no stranger to a Juno award and success at home. "The weirdest thing that's ever happened to me on tour is when I'm known by people in a region I wouldn't normally expect like Asia," says the 37-year-old. It's clear music enthusiasts have jumped on the David Usher bandwagon and have taken his fame and popularity to an international level. After releasing several albums as the lead singer of Moist, David launched into a full-fledged solo career starting with Little Songs, an album recorded entirely in his kitchen. Not wanting to miss a beat, he quickly brought forth Morning Orbit in 2001 with hits like Black Black Heart and Butterfly. Now with the long awaited release of his follow-up record Hallucinations just around the corner, David talks about striking out on his own and his new album. "I can't wait to see how people receive the album. I'm really looking forward to it."

What made you decide to break from Moist?
I decided it was time for a change. As an artist, it's important to keep it fresh and I needed to grow musically and branch out.

What message do you want to send with Hallucinations?
Although, this record has some overall themes, I let the songs speak for themselves. I don't tell people what they want to hear and I don't like to bang a message into their heads. It is important to leave room for the imagination because everyone's listening experience is different.

What are the advantages of going solo versus being in a group?
As a solo artist, I get to make all the decisions like how the songs are arranged, what songs are made and how they are put together musically. For me, it's a unique experience.

Where would you like to go as a soloist?
I've always inspired to create the perfect song even though I know it's an unattainable goal. I want to capture the moment in the right way.

What other artists inspire or influence your music?
I like the new Radiohead album and I'm really digging Black Eyed Peas. I don't think people listen to one style of music anymore.

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