David Arch Interview

Where were you born?

Watford, England

What is your age?

Where do you live now?

Hertfordshire

Are you married?

Yes

Any children?

Yes 2, a boy and a girl

How old were you when you started playing?

4 or 5

When did you realize that you would become a professional?

I realized that I would like to be a professional in my early teens, but didn't quite believe I would actually make it, until I left college and people started employing me!

Who were your musical influences?

I have very broad influences. I was brought up with both Classical music and Jazz, and listened to many of the jazz greats including Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jimmy Smith, Miles Davis and Monty Alexander, alongside more serious studies of the great composers (Beethoven and Stravinsky are favourites). I also listen to a lot of soul, rock and pop music. Favourites include Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Earth Wind and Fire. I also admire Dave Grusin, Pat Metheney and singers like Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bobby McFerrin and film writers such as Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams and Elmer Bernstein. I buy stacks of albums and am always listening to new stuff. I will give any music a chance and can usually find something to learn from it.

How did you get your first professional gig?

I don't remember my first pro gig. I guess as a young teenager I was playing in bands around Reading (where I was brought up) for fun, and then people gradually started giving me money for playing. I was also in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, which we got paid for.

Do you play any other instruments?

Yes I (used) to play the violin, but I also dabble with guitars, basses, mandolins etc.

What do you do in your spare time?

I would like to have some! No seriously, I am lucky enough to be doing for a living what I would be doing anyway for a hobby, so music in some shape or form.

What drives you?

Doing things as well as I can

What are your future goals; where do you see yourself in five years?

I can't believe where I have got to now, so I would hope to be doing more of the same mix of work.

What is one thing about you that would really surprise our readers?

If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise!

Do you have a "most memorable moment" with the GL band so far?

The first gig

What about this experience has surprised you the most?

How much I got out of it personally.

What do you like best about working with Greg Lake?

The challenge

What is your impression of the music industry today?

Not as creative as it could be

What can be done to improve the industry?

Hopefully, people power will eventually push aside the manufactured bands and artists for new talent to come through.

Are you writing any new material?

Yes all the time

If you could have one "musical wish," what would it be?

To keep on improving

What musicians, alive or deceased, would be in your "ultimate band?"

Frank Zappa, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Mozart, Keith Jarrett, Stevie Wonder, Jaco Pastorious, though goodness knows what it would sound like!

Do you ever get stage fright? If so, how do you overcome it?

I get very nervous, but just go for it!

What would you most like to say to the fans?

Thanks for listening, and please take on board that this band is not or never will be ELP, we are a new project building on Greg's past, so although comparisons are inevitable, our intention is to try and make good music together in our own way.

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