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Who is Dave Hughes?

Well, I'm a folk singer from Scotland. I'm part of the growing array of Folk-Punk DIY type of
performers. Some call it Anti-folk, but I'm not really against Folk, so Punk Folk will do for the
time being. And plus, as most of my old friends will tell you, Punk Rock Saved Our Lifes.
Hence, its written on the guitar.

Isn't saying you're punk folk just an excuse?

Well, from the start of when I've been playing music, its always been Punk Rock. My first proper
band DNR lasted around 5 years and we played all around the place. When it split I decided to
go it alone, so yeah, at the start it was an excuse. In case it went really wrong!
The first gig I played was at The Steamie in Greenock, followed shortly by one in Edinburgh,
and at those gigs I was completely incompetent. I shouted instead of sang, broke strings, played
punk covers. And my excuse was "Its punk!", but as I'm going on now, I find that a bit offensive.
These days now I'm fitting more in to the folk thing.

So, where do you play now?

Where-ever I can get a gig to be honest, which for the time being is going quite well. The gigs page has
a massive list of the gigs I've got coming up, and also the gigs I've played.

What is it you write about?

Anything and everything really. Sometimes I go through phases of politically charged folk, other times
its the love song mode, then when bored its abstract jazz-folk-metal fusion, but not often.
If a political movement takes me, then I'll read up on it then write a song from that. I did this for
No2ID, the people against National ID cards with the song Broken Record. I'm always writing,
maybe not finishing songs, but at anyone time I've probably got about an EP's worth of decent songs
to be recorded.

Want to say anything about the usual influences stuff?

I guess so, main influences are Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs.
However, recently I've been listening to a lot more unsigned music, such as Al Baker, Phil Bailey
and other folk-punk people.Mostly I'd say its old school punk rock for me, and singer-songwriter folk.

Do you think people know you're having a conversation with yourself?

Meh, they do now.

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