Last year, Gold Coast-based singer-songwriter Dan Duggan took the leap from session musician and collaborator to embarking on his own, solo career.
Dan’s first record as a solo musician was ‘Blackheart Sassafras’, a three-track EP released in March 2015. Having spent the majority of his professional career as a session musician and playing in bands, Dan decided it was finally time to spread his wings and fly solo. “The EP came out last year [2015] and it's been a pretty good experience,” Dan says.
“It's my first solo recording, so it's a three-song EP that was my first foray into recording my own work, which has been a great experience. It's thrown me onto a trajectory of being able to focus a lot more as a solo writer, which has been great.
“I suppose I’ve done a lot of moving around, and my latest move [is] away from the core of bands, band members and other musicians; so just to be able to keep the music journey going more than anything.”
Dan says his transition allows greater freedom as a musician, not being tied down to a stringent band format, and reflects the intimacy his current songwriting embodies. “I’m always open to playing with other musicians, and I’m certainly looking to build a band around me over time, but it's more portable when you're on the road or travelling or taking on shows [solo], you can just do it.
“The style of music I’m writing and performing at the moment is quite an intimate style and feel, and it does suit an acoustic, solo act. So it seems to work for the moment, but I’m always wanting to play with as many people as I can.”
Later this month, Dan will be showcasing his new batch of songs, along with some local and regional talent, at the Arts Centre Gold Coast where he’ll present an evening of stories and songcraft. “The feel for my set will certainly be a real connective, story-telling evening,” Dan says.
“I'll be doing a lot of background on the songs and connecting the dots for the audience to get to know where the stories come from. With some strings as an accompaniment, I think it will be a really beautiful show.”
Since going out on his own, Dan has worked tirelessly to cultivate a catalogue of new songs and a reputation beyond session work and co-writing. Dan says he has plans to record a full-length album of songs he’s been working on for the past 12 months. “It probably marks a real milestone for me,” he says of the upcoming show and imminent album release.
“I’ve been slogging through this solo thing for the past 18 months or so and it’s been an amazing journey. It hasn't been without its challenges, that's for sure. So it's a culmination of a lot of writing and a lot of work, and that's why I’m so excited about it. There's been a lot of work in the background in writing and creation, so I can’t wait to show it to everyone.”
Dan Duggan performs at The Basement at the Arts Centre Gold Coast 21 January. Dan also has a Brisbane show at The Milk Factory 19 February.
