Interview: Dave Curl

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I got lucky with my first guitar teacher, who encouraged me from day one in songwriting and finding my own approach to music. I always did a lot of sports, so if I hadn’t gotten into music I would be doing even more Indonesian karate and surfing:)

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I love traveling, especially to the canary island for surfing. The open space of the sea, combined with the refreshing feeling of diving into the water or even being a part of it in some way has definitely had a creative influence on me.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

I’m Swiss-based and grew up here, but my mum is from Australia, so I guess I inherited a bit of both, the discipline to work hard and a bit of craziness to dream big…

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

I once was able to play in Cantabria, Spain, at the Dreamseasurfcamp. The Camp is on the top of a hill, surrounded by Cantabrian forest. The venue is kind of shaped into one side of the hill, which gives it a “cave-like” feeling. Together with the audience, I was kind of playing in a “cocoon”, which made that show very intimate and personal.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

I don’t have a favorite venue, but I definitely love playing outside in summer. The Winterthurer Musikfestwochen is a place I am aiming to get into. 

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

To play at the Arbon Openair, overlooking the beautiful Bodensee. On drums: Dave Grohl, together with my band and me:)

What is some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Don’t look too far, you got everything you need inside of yourself.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

“Saving Myself“ has been kind of my theme for the last two years with all the madness going on in the world. I worked really, really hard to get those lyrics right and it’s been the only song so far I had tears in my eyes when I heard the studio version for the first time!

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

“You Got Me“ and „Cowboy“ have a great response with my audience and are just really cool to play with my band. 

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

When it comes to songwriting, I will send in a “finished” song to a songwriting teacher I personally know in London and she will give me some new perspectives or mark out parts, that could do with some redrafting. This can be quite brutal after spending hours writing a song, but it definitely gets me out of my comfort zone. Inspiration can come from everywhere, an argument with my wife, a feeling I get after listening to a song on the radio, traveling, and letting go of my daily duties…

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Be honest with yourself, dream big, and don’t listen to people who don’t believe in you or think in limited ways. Follow your heart, even if it hurts sometimes…

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

There are two EP’s coming out in the near future… one this year with some more „serious themes“ called „Slave to instincts“ and another one next year with love songs called „Fool in love“. I’m also really looking forward to playing 20 March at Lääbesruum here in my hometown. It’s a venue where a lot of famous Swiss musicians have performed and I feel honored to play there soon!

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