Douglas Dare in Conversation with FAULT Magazine
Douglas Dare
Douglas Dare is an artiste in the most defining sense. With the launch of his fourth album, Omni, earlier this month, Douglas marked a decade of releases that chart a journey of personal growth and creative exploration. Each step across that discographical discovery tour is notable for a penchant for flamboyance, lyrical adroitness, and compositional elegance. It’s not always a given for recording artists in today’s world to be accomplished musicians, but Douglas’ success is grounded firmly in his instrumental and writing skills. Marry all of that to a refusal to compromise any part of himself, an effervescent enthusiasm for his craft, and an engaging commitment to making genre-defying music that’s beautiful, interesting and fun, and you get a performer like Douglas Dare.
We spoke to Douglas to discuss Omni, his career so far, being a princess, and more…
FAULT: You released your debut album, Whelm, on Erased Tapes 10 years ago. How important has their support been to you?
Douglas Dare: Continuity in the arts is never a given and in fact, oftentimes it’s quite the opposite, so having worked with the ET team for the duration of my career so far has been hugely valuable to me. I think everyone knows the label is small and the word family gets thrown around a lot but truthfully we are really good friends. We’ve travelled the world together and collaborated and lift each other up. As a solo artist who for the most part doesn’t have a band, having a team of people to bounce ideas off of is great and Robert, who founded the label, remembers every piece of work I’ve ever made and the lyrics and meanings behind the songs and what mic we recorded that snare drum with. You’ve got to treasure people who know you as well as that.
Your music has evolved considerably since the acoustic-led days of Whelm (2014) and (particularly) Milkteeth (2020). What inspired that change of pace/direction?
Omni is a reaction to what came before it. After touring Milkteeth I grew weary of singing about my own childhood each night and I also had played a lot of churches and intimate settings. I had an urge to not only sing about something other than myself but also to make something loud and in your face. It was like the elastic band had been pulled as tight as it could and Omni is the result of the slingshot going off.
Listening to Omni, it sounds a bit like the upbeat yang to to Aforger‘s (2016) darker, more introspective yin. What – if any – is the relationship between the two? Do you consciously fit your work into a larger narrative like that, or is it just punters and journos who draw those (probably misguided!) conclusions?
As Omni is a reaction to Milkteeth, Aforger was a reaction to my debut Whelm. Aforger was me stretching my legs, trying things out for the first time to see if anything stuck. It really had the kitchen sink in it, with a full band and horns and a choir. I like the idea that Omni is the more fun older sibling to Aforger. Omni is more experienced and doesn’t have nearly as much to prove, whereas Aforger is a bit precocious. I think it has a lot to do with me settling into my queerness. It’s interesting for me to look back and see the development.
You’re a gifted pianist and clearly have a lot of love for the instrument – judging by your fundraising campaign for a piano in 2021 and your (excellent) playlist of piano-led pieces on Spotify. Is there a part of you, then, that regrets not keeping the instrument central to your songwriting and performances on Omni?
I do love the piano and I will always return to it but it was important for me as an artist to explore other ways of writing songs and challenging myself to utilise other tools to create beautiful and interesting music. I can admit that I already miss the piano but I want to see this new direction through before returning to it. That said, I have booked a homecoming show in Dorset where I’ll be performing the new album mainly on piano – and I’m contemplating recording a piano version of Omni some day… (that’s an exclusive!).
Omni is, at least in part, an homage to the ‘raver’ club scene of the early ’00s. Anyone who grew up as part of that culture will understand how formative those nights (and early – sometimes late – mornings) out were. What’s it like to relive and recreate those experiences from the perspective of the performer – and for a new audience?
For me, clubbing has always been linked with freedom of expression and more specifically my queerness. Before I came out I would sneak to clubs and raves alone for the chance to be myself around other queer people. Besides this though I love dance music and would go to Berghain for the DJs, engrossed in the music, never needing to look up. I got to perform Omni for the very first time recently at my album launch and I witnessed what performing the songs did for me and for an audience. I became a sweaty mess in the best possible way and the more I performed and let loose, the more the audience did. I’ve never experienced this with my previous music (sat at a piano) and I guess it does take me back to those early nights out, trying to find my tribe.
Do we still need genre labels in music? Have they been replaced by identifiers based on gender/sexuality?
I’ve never had a definite genre that I go by. I’ve never been able to work it out. I remember with my first album I wanted to be known as a queer artist but that wasn’t where the music was coming from…yet. Now I’d be happy to have that association but it’s not hugely important to me. Whatever helps my music reach the people that will love it. Robert (Erased Tapes) did text me when he was submitting the album to the distributors to say it put a smile on his face when he selected “Electronic: Dance” as the main genre. It felt like the beginning of something completely new for me.
Which do you prefer: recording or performing live?
Performing live is so much more immediate and satisfying for me. Recording can be so tedious. If you’d asked me which I prefer, writing or performing, I may struggle to choose because I adore the writing part!
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Coming out to a sold-out crowd in London to perform Milkteeth after two years of postponements, wearing a custom white gown and hearing someone in the audience say under their breath, “princess”.
Who would you most like to collaborate with and why?
When anyone asks this I wonder whether to say who my dream collaborator would be, regardless of how unlikely, or who I imagine might actually do it?
The former being PJ Harvey because she is my ultimate songwriter and performer, there’s not a thing she’s put out that I don’t love (though I’d be a nervous wreck) and the latter – still pie in the sky but worth putting out there – Beth Gibbons (Portishead). I adore her voice and I think our voices would work so well together in a duet.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
I’d be a comedian in a TV sketch show – think ‘French and Saunders’ or ‘The Fast Show’.
What is your FAULT?
The dent in the kitchen lino. I threw a ball in 1996 and it hit mum’s favourite antique serving plate. Put me right off sports. And lino.