Dana Perry Interview

Dana Perry, living in Carmarthen, has teamed up with Hagie from Culture Vultures to bring us this spoken word piece. This song is certainly unique, combative and extraordinary. We're big fans of this spoken word style at UCW and hope you enjoy this piece too. Check it out below:

We had the chance to ask Dana Perry some questions. Here's how it went:

How long have you been making music?

I started writing poetry at age ten, into teen years with some basic guitar & song writing, then studied Music Tech at the Graig in Llanelli for a year. I left halfway through the course as I didn’t have much to offer, and working around so many amazing musicians & creative minds was a little too intimidating for seventeen-year-old me. I followed a few other directions, only returning to creative work over the last five years or so.

What was the trigger point made you decide to get into music?

Experiencing mental health difficulties & a need for escapism would be the main trigger. The ability to pick up the gun in the first place was facilitated by moving to the countryside & living on my own for five years. It was the first time I’d experienced prolonged periods of silence & solitude, and proved to be the catalyst for connecting with authentic self. This led to a sense of freedom to express myself creatively. I began writing again, moving on to live readings, and spoken word to music was a natural progression from that.

Who recorded and produced the audio for this track?

Carmarthen based producer, Hagie - from Culture Vultures. It was a pre-made production, and he did a home visit with everything he needed to record in a rucksack. I was extremely nervous, so having the option of not leaving the house was a tremendous help. He’s well known for his exceptional creative skills so that wasn’t a surprise, but also notable interpersonal skills & an amazing ability to put an anxious artist at ease. I’d recommend Hagie to anyone, and especially people that lack in confidence or have any difficulty with anxiety.

What would be your dream collaboration?

It’d be an honour to collaborate with anyone who has a real passion for their craft. My experience in collaboration is limited, but I think that working with people you vibe well with creatively is an attractive pull & the important element, as opposed to creative style & technical skill. In real fantasy land I’d love to make a film with David Lynch & Aphex Twin.

What is your creative process like?

Manic & exhausting! Once there’s an idea floating around it becomes an obsession & I find it impossible to concentrate on anything else until it’s done. I’ve never felt able to just sit down & write when I want to as it seems separate from me & decides for itself, so I’m just grateful when it arrives. An idea will form from a phrase that pops up or just a few words that bounce off each other, and I’ll work the whole thing around that. Flow has to be rapid for the first skeleton of work that’s scrawled out, or it just sounds laboured & flat- some of my worst output has come from stalled writing & thinking about it too much. However, I do slow right down (sometimes for days or weeks) and agonise over finer details/syllables/word placement for the rest of the process. I have to be mobile to think straight, so high speed pacing & a dictaphone are two valuable tools. Nearing the end & then finishing a piece of work is an ecstatic high & really addictive, and is usually followed by a horrible comedown from it.

What is the most useless talent you have?

I can put my finger in my eye & push it side to side with no bother.

Do you speak any other languages?

I learned Welsh as a second language in school, but it’s fragmented & far from fluent. I can translate single words & a few phrases, more so than conversational. I love the language & want to continue to build on my vocabulary in Welsh, and ability to exchange with other Welsh speakers.

Where would you like to visit?

I’m mostly interested in sites of historical interest, particularly in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. There are still a few places left in Wales I’m yet to cover, mines to visit, valleys & parts of the coastline to explore. A photography tour of political murals in Ireland would be amazing. And I adore Scotland, so would love to explore every bit of it. I’ve got an old converted LDV Pilot that we’ll get on the road for next year, that will be perfect for family adventures.

What is your favourite song?

I’ve looked at this question for ages & I can’t pinpoint just one song! I could tell you my favourite spoken word piece though, and that’s Joelle Taylor- The Correct Spelling Of My Name.

What would be your super power?

Just to help people be nice to each other, haha. There’s never a time when the world couldn’t do with a bit more understanding, love, and compassion.

What plans have you got for 2021?

Main focus will be to finish growing this little baby boy & welcome him into the world! Around that, my soundman (And boyfriend) Edward Davies has recently set up a home recording studio, so we’ll have fun playing with that. I’ve got a macabre piece of old poetry to record over a HollowBoyDrowsy beat, and am still yet to write some new material for a feature on a track by Brainzaps, and one of Ferny Mac’s instrumentals. I’d like to put my old writing to bed & leave it there, so will round up my favourites into a spoken word EP. I might start watering seeds for a project for/with children, some kind of story telling & spoken word combined with Total Communication & Makaton sign language.

Check out some of Dana Perry's spoken word here:

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