Let's speak with Darren Michael Boyd (Instrumental Rock/Metal)

Instrumental musicians work different in my eyes. Since they don't use refrains and anything of that kind they need to put in more and different elements to keep the music attractive to the listener.

This fact makes talking to such musicians extra exciting and when the chance knocked at my door to speak with guitarist Darren Michael Boyd I send him some questions without hesitation. Even more because the first song I listened to had sort of healing effect on me. ("Solitary Green Witch" - which you can listen to scrolling further down this interview)

Darren Michael Boyd creates a lot of positive sounds.

Heavy Metal Underdogs: Did you start to play the guitar already before the car accident that seems to be the spark of your solo career?

Darren Michael Boyd: Oh yes, I’ve been playing guitar for as long as I can remember. I actually started out playing drums – I took lessons for a few years. Somehow, I always knew that guitar would become my main instrument. On my solo albums, I play all the instruments, with the occasional exception, but the guitar is my instrumental “voice”. 

Creating this instrumental music has been therapeutic for me, and I hope other listeners feel a similar benefit.

How did you start to write songs at the beginning?

I started attempting to write songs by about age 7, although I couldn’t really play any instruments. It was just part of artistic development, I suppose. Eventually I started to actually form bands and write complete songs by age 15. Back then it was a case of bringing the idea to the band members and hammering it out during rehearsals.

Is there a preference to write songs on your own or in cooperation with other artists?

I love doing both. Obviously writing music for myself gives me 100% creative freedom, but it’s also important to collaborate for educational purposes, and to be challenged. There’s definitely something magical about teaming up with another artist and creating something special together. I should make a point of doing that more!

Do you write music only when you schedule time for it or spontaneously when inspiration comes your way? 

I can certainly sit down at a scheduled time and write with intention, but I do love that feeling of pure inspiration, creating a killer composition that seemed to just float out of the air. Whenever I pick up an instrument I immediately seem to slide into writing mode for some reason, which makes hard to simply “practice”! I just let it happen, I’m in the passenger’s seat along for the ride, giving some directions. I also have notes and voice memos filling up my phone, like most writers, I assume.

Is there a favorite setup you use for writing music or do you put it all together the moment it happens?

I have a modest home studio where I record almost everything. I tend to take all those idea from my phone memos and start fleshing them out when I have a block of time.

Have you never thought of joining a band for a long time?

Yes, absolutely. I have played in bands my entire life, sometimes as a hired musician, sometimes as the leader. Either way, I’m happy to play great songs with great people, for a great audience. If I’m fortunate enough to get a great paycheck too, that’s a bonus haha!

But after my car accident, things had changed once I started to become active again, and I wanted to make things happen instead of waiting around – starting my solo career it allowed me that freedom.

What's coming up next? Any dates you can share with us?

My new album should be released by Halloween – I had some serious technical setbacks, so I’m currently concerned about that particular deadline, but I’m working late nights and crossing all my fingers (when I’m not playing guitar, of course).

I only have one live show coming up, at Avant-Garde Bar in Ottawa Canada on October 10th.

I will be attending the Josie Music Awards in October as a nominee in three categories; Musician of the Year (guitarist), Instrumental Song of the Year (Darkling), and Instrumental Album of the Year (Hexalogy).

The JMA’s are world’s largest independent music awards show, held at the Grand Ole Opry House, in Nashville, Tennessee, so it’s an honour to be nominated. Especially being this weird Canadian instrumental artist, playing “Spooky Surf” and Metal!

Thanks for including me on Heavy Metal Underdogs; it’s important work you do – sharing new Metal with the people! And thanks to the readers, it’s wicked to meet you!

Darren

You can check out the website or Bandcamp page for more details and music of Darren Michael Boyd.