Interview: Davey Harris

Tell us about your new single “Self Saboteur”

Self Saboteur is a song about being your own best friend and worst enemy. It’s a conversation with the most demented parts of ourselves. It’s also got a chaotic groove to it that makes you think about dancing.

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

I’ve been playing the piano since I was 10. I was never good at reading music, so I just started to create my own songs. I co-founded my band The Tins as a drummer and never really thought I could sing, but over time began singing more and more within the group.. Now I’m experimenting with doing the whole shebang as Davey Harris and so far it's been great!

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

When I’m not playing music, I’m writing music... and when I’m not writing music, I’m living life... or I’m thinking a lot and being all neurotic. I like walking in nature and also listening intently to older and wiser people share their hardwon stories. It’s awesome to listen to novel wisdom and then secretly transmute that into a melody.

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

I am a bit nomadic, but also live in Buffalo, New York.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Playing at a metal biker bar with my band The Tins. Our booking agent (who we later learned was blind) took us on the weirdest mismatched tour with days of driving in between... where we played all the wrong venues around the country. It was spectacularly wrong in all the right ways.

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

The studio.... But even better would be Madison Square Garden.

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

Would be great to play a show where the Beatles open for me.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Play to have fun, or play to make great music, or play to satisfy your craving to create... any other reason for diving into music will leave you very unsatisfied.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re gonna be a star kiddo!

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

“Glamour” is currently my most requested song. It is also the only song I have released up until Self-Saboteur.
Coincidence?

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

My creative process changes depending on the song. Sometimes it’s a songwriting blitz (writing a song a day on guitar for 30 days). Sometimes it starts with the drums. Sometimes it starts with the lyrical message. The first 75% of any song gets created very quickly. The last 25% takes weeks, months, or even years.

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

I like to tell stories about lessons I’ve learned in life that I don’t think are common knowledge.

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

Releasing and supporting my new single Self Saboteur. After that, I will be relentlessly releasing more music.

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