What first got you into music?
For as long as I can remember, I have loved music. I remember dancing around my parent’s living room as a kid, lip syncing to the records they had—mind you, this was the early ‘70’s and my parents weren’t hip! My dad was stuck in the 1940’s with the big band era and my mom went down an easy listening rabbit hole! I was lip synching to The New Christy Minstrels and the Carpenters. But I loved the feeling music and song gave me.
When it came time to go to college, the only thing I could think to do was music. I applied to several colleges and Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, gave me an impressive scholarship. So, I set my sights on being a school music teacher.
While at school, I was one of the only drummers at the time and kept getting pulled to all the ensembles to play—and I found I really didn’t like kids much—so I changed my major from education to performance.
I fell in love with a large cousin of the xylophone, the marimba, and spent hours perfecting my craft. I was going to be the first world class marimbaists with a purple mohawk. It was the 1980’s and I loved messing with my hair. For my junior percussion recital, I had finished directing my church choir for the morning, went to the mall and had them shave my hair into a mohawk and color it purple. I walked on stage with a purple mohawk in a black tuxedo—I thought it was stunning. It was a good thing I could play, because the classically focused faculty was not thrilled with the theatrics. The jazz and pop teachers were more supportive.
During college, I shed my protected, suburban background and began to discover who Paul David was—or was supposed to be. I, quite by accident, discovered my sexuality was not what I thought it was going to be. At college, I met my soul mate and tussled with my queerness bouncing from girlfriend to boyfriend as I discovered who, and how, I loved.
I truly loved my college experience. It was everything college should be. However, when I graduated, I found not everyone was beating down my door for a purple mohawked classical marimbaist.
Not really knowing where to begin, I got a job in a corporate-run record store. It really didn’t pay enough to free me from my debts, nor did I have enough time being on salary to become the rock star (or classical marimbaist) that I wanted to be.
I also got a job at a local church, where I was very comfortable. I also found I had something to say. And in my heart, I was really a rock and roll baby. While working for the Metropolitan Community Church in Minneapolis, I sold my marimba and bought an electric keyboard that I could program with percussion, bass, horns—all the things I needed to take the music ministry I was working with to a higher level. In fact, that is still my main keyboard 25 years later in my home studio.
While working with the church, I got to write and arrange a lot—and work with volunteers. I polished my skills in not just composition and performance, but team building. That career path resonated with my soul.
However, the Universe decided it was time for Paul David to grow. I left that role for financial reasons and over the next two years, all I knew in my personal life was to be torn down to make a new creation. I ended a 15-year relationship when my partner got into drugs. That adventure ended up with losing not only my relationship, but my home. The music went dormant for a while too. I was playing in a few pit orchestras, but the personal music creating was put on hold until I was asked by the local LGBT orchestra to write something for them. 2006 saw the birth and world premiere of “Emergence”—a tone poem inspired by the coming out process written specifically for the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra. Shortly after that, I met the man who I would marry, Tom.
As we put our life together, I began writing again and took a role with another church in their music department. When the pandemic hit, I had a lot of time to work in my studio and began churning out the music I am releasing today.
Who inspired you to make music?
Being from Minneapolis, and a child of the 1980’s, Prince was an enormous influence on me. I never met him personally, but I have had the privilege of working with and getting to know several of his side musicians.
I am also inspired by innovators outside of the mainstream music industry. One of my biggest influences was my jazz professor at Coe College, Dr. Paul Smoker. He was an avant-garde jazz trumpeter who taught me to learn the rules, then break the rules. He helped open my mind to finding music in all things. There are generally sounds in my work generated from unique sources. In “We Can B Free” I used a take of my dog barking at me while I was recording and layered it with claps. I did a virtual overdub for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus small group, OutLoud and their recording of a song called “You Are Enough”. I used a large dildo as the snare drum sound (processed, of course) because what could be funnier than a group of gay men singing “You are Enough” to the sound of a dildo being played? In my song, “Karen Wants A Reservation” I use found audio of a disgruntled customer who wanted a reservation but couldn’t use restaurant.com to make one. In “Sunshine (after the Rain)” she makes another appearance with “God Bless America” after every one of my “funny” quips. I use a bird song I recorded a couple of weeks ago in Laguna Beach in my next single, “Persistent Motion of Water”.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
A lot of my music is reminiscent of the styles I grew up listening to. As I mentioned, my dad was really into 1940’s swing—Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman—so I have a strong influence of that swing band horn sound. My mom was really into The Carpenter’s and the “Easy Listening” sounds of the 1970’s, so that finds its way in. I RARELY heard what we call “classic rock” when I was growing up—that didn’t happen until later, but you’ll find a heavy influence of that rock guitar in what I do. I DID get into STYX and QUEEN in high school, so you hear that influence for sure.
Also while in high school I spent a lot of time with musicals. I, as a general rule, am not a HUGE fan of musical theater so to speak (so the irony that I play in a LOT of pit bands is not lost on me), but it definitely influenced me more than I might care to admit. I like the story in the song… so almost all of my music takes you on a lyrical journey.
While attending Coe college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I got to work with Dr. Paul Smoker. He was an Avant-Garde jazz trumpet player who was also the director of our jazz band. He taught me the importance of knowing the rules before you break them… but by GOD, break them! I learned the importance of improvisation… the freedom in form. The beauty found in chaos.
Being from Minneapolis, Prince played an ENORMOUS roll in influencing me as a writer, arranger, producer, etc. That Minneapolis Sound is not always top of mind when I write, but the work ethic and desire to experiment with sound and ideas is there.
But I do get influenced by what I hear today—Robyn, The Teddybears, Walk the Moon, Lizzo—all find their way into what I am writing.
It think what sets me apart from other musicians is, first off as a drummer, I am a great sight-reader. That helps a-lot with the shows I drum for. As a composer, I am not limited to one style of music. There are always influences from many genres in one piece. What I write is hard to pigeonhole. My iPhone is full of multiple genres of music, why shouldn’t I create the same variety myself?
Can you discuss a career achievement you’re aiming for?
To touch as many people as possible through contact with my music. I believe I have hope to give. I believe I have inspiration to provide. I believe I can get your butts shaking and your feet moving. I want people to hear, listen and be inspired by what I offer the world. That is the kind of career I want.
Look, when I was younger, I wanted to be a rock star. I am a little old for THAT dream… and I really don’t want to sell out my vision of who I am and what art I want to create to do that. I simply want to heal the world.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
First off, all creatives get blocked from time to time. I try to literally forget about it. Do things to take my mind off the pressure of nothing flowing. If I am under the gun for a deadline, I then start at the drums, or piano, or guitar, or bass and just noodle around… see what inspiration might come. Going for a walk outside can sure help too. I just try different things until the flow starts. If the flow doesn’t start, I set it down and come at it another day.
What album do you recommend everyone should listen to?
Nancy Griffith, “One Fair Summer Evening”. If you’ve never heard it, you’ll thank me later.
Can you share one of your favorite music-related memories?
I was working for the “gay church” in south Minneapolis. The “Rev.” Fred Phelps and his ilk were protesting the church with “God Hates Fags” signs and the like (they were famous for this in the late 190’s). The pastor and I organized a “Minnesota Says No to Hate” day. Governor signed a proclamation, we had politicians and other notable public people in to speak that Sunday morning…Dykes on Bikes circled the church for protection… we had about 1,000 people in attendance (usual attendance was around 250 on a good day).
I remember leading the choir and orchestra in an arrangement of “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name,” during the service and they were sounding more transcendent than they had any right sounding. The brass in the orchestra was soaring above it all and at that moment, time stopped. I felt I touched Source Energy. EVERYTHING felt perfect. I will never forget that moment of creating music as long as I live.
What’s your go-to song or artist when you need a boost?
I have to say Prince. The whole Minneapolis connection first off and his sheer genius second. He has always held a special place in my heart and life. When he died, it took me over a year to listen to his music again…that’s how deeply it hit home for me.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at or attend concerts?
I’m from Minneapolis, so I would be stupid not to say First Avenue. My husband and I have seen many, many concerts there.
But truth-be-told, I prefer The Fine Line, also downtown Minneapolis. A little more intimate and the seating in the balcony is great for these older knees.
Who would you swap lives with for a day in the music industry?
No one. I don’t want to experience someone else’s journey; I want my journey to be mine. If I accept another’s life for a day, I accept their issues, their insecurities and struggles as well as their success. But I wouldn’t have developed the coping mechanisms to deal with their stuff…nor they with mine.
What’s your favorite music decade and why?
1980’s because it’s where I grew up! The big hair, the dances, the new sounds, the variety of music… it was formative for me. You can definitely hear the influences of the ‘80’s in my writing.
What’s a truly unforgettable concert you’ve attended?
First: The Ting Tings at First Avenue. I did not expect to love that concert as much as I did. This duo BROUGHT IT! We were near the front of the stage and danced the whole night.
Second would probably be Prince and the Purple Rain tour because that was just iconic.
Third would be Robyn at the Fine Line. The sound was amazing. The energy she gave off was legendary.
Tell me about your most recent released song
“Show Me the Sizzle” started as an idea at my day job: how can you improve the customer experience. The powers that be were toying around with “Show me the money!” from Jerry McGuire, and the owner (or his son) came up with “Show me the sizzle!”. I loved the idea of that—it’s the je ne sais quoi—that thing you bring that you can’t quite put your finger on but separates you from the crowd. It’s that unique thing that each of us has that makes the ordinary extraordinary.
I loved the idea of walking into a club and this groove making everyone want to dance. “If y’all don’t know, I’m gonna tear it down” felt like a Beyonce thing to say, so I wrote it! Then it struck me to kill the groove there and “Build it back up right from the ground”.
The chorus came next. I needed to define what “sizzle” meant. I really liked “takin’ hold the ordinary making it extraordinary”, which I think is really the essence of it—it’s adding something special to the ordinary to make it pop. But what to continue with? I knew it was making things better—elevating them—not settling for less than. It was probably on a rhyming dictionary where I stumbled across the word potentate, which is a ruler, and I liked the idea of elevating the cream of the crop. Then finding a word to rhyme with elevate brought me obfuscate—which means to make something less clear. So taking things that are second-rate and classing them up—or hiding their flaws and making them sparkle in SPITE of their imperfections—worked of me. And I have put obscure words in my works before—“Superhuman” has soporific and sudorific in it, so it’s not a first for me.
I then went back for verses two and three. Still thinking in the Beyonce mode, I though a little shady sass would be fun for verse two and it sets up the chorus well.
Then for verse three, I thought I should teach you steps to bring the sizzle yourself—basically, dig deep and just do it.
It’s just a nice confection. The theme is powerful—taking your gifts and making the everyday extraordinary. It fits with my over-all theme of writing music from the positive perspective. The very last thing the world needs is another silly, self-indulgent, co-dependent love song. I want to write music that is positive and inspirational. This fits with that.
Where can our readers find additional information about you and your work?
The best place to connect with me and keep track of new music coming out is on my website, https://PaulDavidMusic.net