Interview with D2UR
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What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
Mike: My Grandmother was a good piano player, I remember watching her work up our family playing honky-tonk piano, and everyone was dancing. That was the beginning. Once I got my first taste of rock n’ roll, I knew I had to figure out how to play it.
I’m a partner in an architectural firm in Winnipeg. I would still be doing this gig even if I had not found music. There are many similarities between design and music: the juxtaposition of parts, layering, tension and release to name a few.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
Mike: I enjoy the outdoors, reading, cooking, and traveling. Seeing the world and exploring give you time to think and clear your mind. I used to take writing pads with me on trips and would write out lyrics or experiences in a journal; that would help formulate song ideas later on.
How long have you been making music?
Mike: D2UR began as a cover band over 30 years ago but since 2010 we have focused solely on writing original music.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
Mike: We are based out of Winnipeg. We have a great rock n’ roll history in the city and during my youth, there was no shortage of great clubs to go and watch original rock music live. Winnipeg is full of talented musicians and artists and have had the pleasure of being mentored by some of them.
Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?
Mike: We’ve played 3 live shows for CD release parties over the years and each one has been a sell out. I think they were all great. We keep trying to improve our live shows visually and from a performance aspect. We have such great musicians in the band now so from a musical aspect, we keep getting better.
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
Mike: We loved our last event at the Park Theatre here in Winnipeg. The stage and lighting were good and we put on a good show. Seeing our fans dancing in front of us was a whole lot of fun. It would be nice one day to play a larger venue in the city one day like the Burton Cummings Theatre, or to manage a place out at the Rockin’ the Fields festival in Minnedosa.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Mike: That’s easy…..it would have to be an outdoor festival and we would have to include The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ted Nugent, Deep Purple, Teenage Head, and of course AC/DC
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Mike: Learn everything you can learn about music. Take the time to study theory and what others in the industry are doing. Devote your time to practice and rehearsals and learn to jam. You get out of it what you put in, same as everything in life.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Mike: Maybe it would be Wild Ride. I’m a big Ritchie Blackmore fan and that song feels Purplish to me. The song basically came to me in one sitting and exploded out of me. I love the drive and energy of the song as well.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Mike: “Silver and Gold” is a great toe tapping song and full of energy. A lot of people really like that song. Also “Little Sunshine” is a great rocking tune that our Spotify fans have tapped into. The band really digs performing the new songs in general. Our songwriting craft has been getting better and everyone is now contributing to the music.
What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?
Mike: Our music is generated in different ways, but generally, it is Diane and I that put the foundation of the songs together. I might start with the baseline and build the song from there, or perhaps a guitar riff. Other times Diane will come up with some ideas on her acoustic guitar, which I then will use as a foundation for the song in our music software. Once we have the basics complete we get tracks back from others in the band. The songs vary quite a bit but most of them are from real life experiences. The songs are about love, conflict, travel experiences, and what might have been happening in the news.
Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music, if so please tell me about them?
Mike: The latest release and our upcoming singles are all about the pandemic and post pandemic. It’d hard not to write about our experiences and our yearning to get things back on track. “Right Now” calls out for a return to what we had and “Live Again” Is about our desire to move on.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
Mike: We have our new single, “Live Again” due out on November 12. We have two other singles also ready to release before our next live performance in April 2023 at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg. We are also back in the recording studio (Groove Jungle) getting the arrangements in line for 4 more songs. Once those are complete, we plan to package up the 12 singles into another album.
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?
We can be found on a pile of social sites and music platforms. The best link we can provide is our Linktree ( https://linktr.ee/d2ur) which will take you to almost every site we are taking care of. Be sure to follow us and share with your friends.