Why did you choose the name Damh?
I wanted a name that expressed who I was, my love of nature, and my connection with the Horned God, and I waited for guidance on this for a long time. Then, one day I bought a card set called the Druid Animal Oracle. As I looked through the cards I saw the stag, head held high and roaring, I looked down at the name of the card and saw the word Damh, pronounced 'darv'. My given name is Dave, so I thought that a good sign, a gift. Deer was already my totem, so it just seemed right to take the name of the stag as my Bardic name.
What artist(s)/group(s) would you say are your biggest influences?
That's a hard question to answer as it is constantly changing. However, there have always been consistent influences. My guitar teacher was an Irishman called Tim O'Leary, and he taught me a lot of the old Irish folk tunes when I was about 8 years old. He was an incredible influence on me, and I loved folk music from then onwards. My Dad was really into country music and I quickly learned to love the songs of John Denver. But then I discovered rock music, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ramones, then later bands like Skid Row, Anthrax and the like. You might not hear their influences in my tunes, but what they gave me was an awareness of the dynamic of music, the power of the chorus and the hook. Then I returned to my roots, and rediscovered the music of the folk. I love the fact that when I sing a traditional folk song like Domeanna, that song has been played by countless singers for hundreds of years, and still the song inspires and entertains. Wonderful stuff.
Are there any mainstream songs that have Pagan overtones that have influenced you and if so, what and how?
Loreena McKennitt was a big influence on my songwriting with her tunes like All Souls Eve, and her Beltane Dance, as was Eliza Gilkyson with her song When I become the Moon. They taught me that it was possible to write deeply spiritual songs that evoked the spirit of the land, and our Pagan Ways.
You have said you are a Druid in the OBOD. Would you share a little about what the OBOD is striving for and what would you recommend for someone who might be interested in joining them?
I think the OBOD are striving to bring people back into a real relationship with the Earth, and with themselves. They do this through their Druidic home study courses. The three grades (or schools) of Bard, Ovate and Druid are covered. The Bardic course reinstates that connection to the Earth by helping us to see the world through the eyes of the poet, and opening people to their natural creativity, whether that be poetry, music, cooking or looking after your children. The Ovate course takes us into the Underworld to explore the trees, herbs and skills of divination and healing. Then the Druid travels to the Upperworld to explore natural philosophy, ancient stones and the power of the Dragon. It's really quite a ride :)
What is your favorite instrument?
To play I'd have to say the guitar and the celtic harp. But to listen to I LOVE the fiddle and the bagpipes.
Which of your songs do you like best?
Wow. That's impossible, it's like having a favourite child - I couldn't say. I never write songs I don't like, or wouldn't listen to myself.
I see that you make donations to The Wildlife Trust. Would you tell us a little about this?
With the release of the Spirit of Albion CD I really wanted to give something back to the land. I looked around for a charity that was concerned with our indigenous UK wild animals, and I found that so many of the larger organisations didn't really cater for these. The song Spirit of Albion talks about the fact that the crane, wolf, bear and boar no longer live in Britain, and our own wilder places are constantly under threat, and it is the Wildlife Trust that looks out for them. So it was them that I decided to support through the sales of the album.
Many of your big breaks seem to have occurred coincidentally or by
being in the right place at the right time, for example, Spiral Castle's
impromptu gig at the Broomstick Rally. Do you ever feel like something
bigger than you is guiding things here?
Oh yes, and I still do. Things like that have happened to me a lot, and still do. I never take it for granted, but I do think that there is something else going on here, something beyond me. That might sound mad, but there is too much evidence to deny it.
Your Last.fm profile says that you leave the academia for those more
qualified, whilst taking the more instinctive route for yourself. Is
there room for both of these pathways within the Pagan community? And
have you had a brush with academia yourself?
Oh absolutely. There is room for both. But I think there will always be things within any spirituality that you can never prove through intellectual sparring. Our legends, our myths, our Gods, the Faerie, even magic can't be proved by academia, so at some point we have to enter into the realm of belief, and let go of the need for proof, just go with our instinct. To me that's real home of the Shaman, Witch and Druid. We become explorers in those Other places.
What do you hope that the future holds for you?
When I started writing songs I did them in honour of my Gods and the Earth, and still do. It has really taken me by surprise how popular these songs have been with others, and I'm really enjoying performing and telling the tales of the Old Ones, and the opportunities my music has brought me. The future? Much of the same would be great.
Thank you on behalf of Witchgrove for doing this interview.