In 1856, my great-great-grandfather John Collie (1834-1893), of Boyndie, Scotland, published a book : Poems and Lyrics (in the Englishand Scotch Dialects). I've been setting some of it to music over the past few years - along with some of his other descendants: my nephews Hans and Rhys Landon-Lane, my niece Celeste Rochery, and my … Continue reading Poems & Lyrics by John Collie, 1856
Category: Travel
in a wildflower state (Western Australia, 2013)
In late 2012, after leaving Japan, I moved to Australia for the second time - this time to Western Australia for a couple of years… in a wildflower state is a lost album - recorded in Perth WA, 2012-2014 - unreleased at the time. The music here is rustic, reflecting the vast ancient arid landscape, overlaid with … Continue reading in a wildflower state (Western Australia, 2013)
águas brilhantes: 2018-2022
fiffdimension vol 4 made in Featherston, Masterton, and Suva - ft Antony Milton, James Robinson, Dr Emit Snake-Beings, Campbell Kneale, and lyrics by John Collie (1834-1893) - the title is 'Wairarapa' in Portuguese. Collaborations with my ancestors and younger relatives, friends in Fiji, a painter in Otago, the curator of PseudoArcana, and the family dog. … Continue reading águas brilhantes: 2018-2022
w/ Hans Landon-Lane, 3 January 2022
Happy new year! Here are some first recordings for 2022, made on 3rd of January, with Hans Landon-Lane (my nephew) on accordion, ukulele and vocal: 'The Land of My Youth 'Here's a Health to my Cronies' 'Nature' The words were written by our ancestor John Collie in 1856.
Top 10 albums in 2021*
by Dave Edwards (aka Dave Black) and collaborators, (*as picked by casual streaming listeners, based on % of tracks played in full minus % of tracks skipped... not necessarily the ones I would have picked - there's little or no correlation between the "important" works and the parts other people like!). #1 After the Filmshoot … Continue reading Top 10 albums in 2021*
Farewell to Thee, Charming Deceiver
A 19th century unrequited love ballad - how anachronistic in the 2020s? John Collie (1834-1893) - lyrics Dave Edwards - banjo, harmonica, vocal lyrics FAREWELL to thee , charming deceiver , No more will I crouch at thy gate ; I once was an earnest believer , And my folly I see when too late … Continue reading Farewell to Thee, Charming Deceiver
ilhas Atlânticas
The last track on Spastic Rhythms vol 1 is a Dave Black solo rendition of a tune by the Electricka Zoo. It originally appeared on The Electricka Zoo (2017), and on the Other Islands: 2012-2018 compilation. It's based around a (non-diatonic) Cmaj7 - Amaj7 pattern, with a bossa nova rhythm. The words are in (beginner) … Continue reading ilhas Atlânticas
Scotland, postponed
Around September 2020 I'd planned to travel to Scotland, on my first visit. There was to be a family gathering for my sister's wedding in Edinburgh. The trip's now postponed indefinitely, for obvious reasons I'd planned to visit Boyndie, Banffshire, where my great-great-grandfather John Collie grew up. In 1856, in his early 20s he published … Continue reading Scotland, postponed
Ruasagavulu
Out now - the new album by Dave Black & Dr Emit Snake-Beings Made in Fiji "So easy to get totally lost in this music, recommend for helping with your inner peace" - Andi Verse Indo-Fijian inspired tropical devotional avant-garde instrumentals for keyboards, ukulele, dholak, duduk, harmonicas, DIY kitchen gamelan, and video. Snake Beings … Continue reading Ruasagavulu
Gar mar par da nee sa
the opening track from Ruasagavulu by Dave Black & Snake-Beings recorded in Suva, Fiji, 2nd November 2019 This short warmup improv is based on an Indian scale, inspired by Dr Emit Snake-Beings' travels to Kerala in India, and harmonium lessons in Suva. There's an Indian influence throughout the album, as several sections are based on … Continue reading Gar mar par da nee sa
fiffdimension 