The Folkgrass Lockdown Sessions: On 24th April 2020, shortly after the start of the first Covid lockdown, we decided to broadcast a few songs from the garden to our friends via Facebook. Little did we know that over 2 years later we would still be broadcasting sessions, not just to our friends, but to new found fans around the world. It started simply enough, a few songs in the garden live-streamed on Facebook, an eclectic mix of our own songs and a few covers. The neighbours came out to their gardens to listen, they too starved of live music, then we were persuaded to go public, so we created the Folkgrass Lockdown Sessions.
People have been tuning in from all over the world on a Friday night ever since, particularly when lockdown was in force, but now it's become a Friday ritual for many, some are still wary of going out to busy venues, others enjoy the social aspect, but the general consensus is that the music brings them all together. David has written lots of songs since the sessions started, some inspired by requests from viewers, others by the events effecting us all.
Between April 2020 and August 2022 we broadcast 116 live sessions, including Christmas Day and New Years Eve, comprised of 543 different songs and over 460 requests. Each week we reviewed a drink, usually beer, but sometimes gin, whiskey, mead or vodka, occasionally tea and often several at once. Local produce got reviewed too, particularly from Tangiers Road Butchers, who's sausages are a particular favourite of ours.
We are not sure what the future holds for the Sessions, maybe we'll find the time to broadcast a few specials, but from the messages, comments and phone calls we have received, we do know we have made a difference to many people's lives and as musicians you probably can't ask for a better outcome than that.
The Rural Fruitcake Collective: In 2018, we joined musicians from the Ely Waits to form The Rural Fruitcake Collective, an eclectic mix of musicians brought together for two very special service concerts in Ely Cathedral. The material ranged from renaissance music from the likes of John Dowland (1593-1626), Henry Purcell 1659-1695), John Dryden (1631-1700), Michael East (1580-1648) and Thomas Campion (1567-1620), to Gene Pitney, Elvis Presley and several songs written by David, including Toast The Harvest, which he wrote for one of their concerts. Although brought together with these services and concerts in mind, that's not where the journey ends and plans are already afoot for more of these eclectic musical interludes.
Musicals: David has been working for some time writing songs for a musical, scripted by a very old friend who shares his passion for music and the decidedly strange. While this is still in the development stages, it is a project that David very much hopes will become a public reality in the not too distant future.
Book Writing: David has also written a novel, a sci-fi comedy, although that's about as much information as he appears willing to divulge at this time...
3D Printing: When he's not making music, writing, or editing his novel, David also has a small cottage industry BGH 3D, 3D printing practical objects for sale. These range from a safety cap for the Hawk-Woods NP1 battery, commissioned by the highly respected sound recordist David Tozer (Champion, Blue Story, Christmas in Paradise, Gold Rush) and a specially designed servo mount for changing model railway points, to pastry cutters and stamps for embossing designs on pieces of shortbread.