Dave Keir

Here’s a jaunty little tune! Fun to play and, I hope, just as much fun to hear. Again, the piece is working together of a couple of things that I came across separately although, more or less, during the same few weeks. The first tune that you hear did have some lyrics attached but I ended up believing that it wasn’t really song-like – so I screwed them up and threw them in the bin. The other tunes that you hear could never have had words pasted over them at all! So here we are: worked together in blissful synergy as one of my Outros.

There’s a brightness and an optimism here I think that I like. Also, maybe, a sense of humour.

Why don’t you go over and have a listen here. Tell me what you think!

All right, I’ve got issues with both of these. Not crippling or stopping me playing but in need of care and sorting if possible. The thumb in question is my left – or fretting – hand. It’s a tendon thing probably caused by poor posture / technique over the years. I can avoid pain if I’m careful with stretches or barre chords – especially barre chord with stretches! Some of these that I play need a bit of strength to hold down and it can be easily overdone. So I just need to be aware and take care.

This shoulder thing is probably again caused by poor posture. Think about the picking – for me, the right – arm slumped over the body of the guitar for extended periods and it won’t be a surprise. No wonder it’s caused an issue. I feel it now not just when I’ve been playing but it also affects arm movement and strength generally. So I needed to get it properly diagnosed and see if there was anything to be done to mitigate it. A few days ago I took a trip to a local sports physiotherapist and she concluded that there was no problem with rotator cuff or bursitis (which I was concerned it might be); rather is seemed that there was some “tightness” my rhomboid muscles in my upper back. She prescribed me some exercises and a further appointment in a couple of weeks.

Of course, I know this is a common issue with guitar players and players of other instruments. I know I’m not alone. I guess that apart from the direct cause of playing guitar (with a poor posture!) that it’s also to expected of an ageing body. That said, I have been swimming a lot over the years and almost daily have done other stretching exercises so I am a bit disappointed – I naively thought I might avoid this sort of thing. But, nah! Ho-hum.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

This Outro is quite straightforward and is composed out of three simple tunes that are of various vintage. They conjure up for me impressions and mental images associated with the times when I came across them. Together – and in this form – they provoke slight feelings of nostalgia – and yet, just because they’re reconstituted this way, they seem quite new. It is pretty simple to play and I often do so when I pick up my guitar, just for pleasure.

Have a listen here.

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Despite my best efforts to follow my muse, this tune has seen fit to waltz off on its own. Indeed, there are parts you can just about sway along to. This is the risk off writing in 3/4 time. Comes with the country, I suppose. If you listen, you’ll hear that I did try to bring it back down to earth and make it behave itself. But off it went again. Until I finally had to put my foot down. Along with those feet belonging to chancer dancers, I hope! It is in D minor as described above- but – and please accept my apologies – it wandered off a bit on a couple of occasions. I hope you can forgive. Maybe best to ignore it and maybe it’ll go away…

Listen and download here!

As promised, I’ve published the first “Outro”.

Having written before that many of my Outros are unused embryonic song accompaniments I have to now publish this which I think you will agree could never have tolerated a melody with words on top of it. This tune could never have evolved into a song. It needed to move on without words. Have a listen here and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

It’s available as mp3 and FLAC downloads. The guitar score & tab can also be downloaded.

Since the re-release of my first record (c.1976) as a CD earlier this year, we’re looking forward to “I Can See Dover” to follow. I’m expecting to hear from Seelie Court Records on a release date soon. I’ll let you know.

Seelie Court have proposed to issue a box-set containing the CD versions of the “Dave Keir” and “I Can See Dover” albums but also including Interim Reports, Uneasy Listening and Good Grief! They have also proposed to include in this box set 30, or so, songs that I have recorded but have not published / released.

I am waiting for final confirmation on the above, but I can say the Seelie Court have sent me the digital re-masters of the “I Can See Dover” master tapes I sent them, so I will, in any event, be able to re-release the album independently, if need be.

“Outros” is a project I’ve been thinking about for some time. Outros are tunes that have gathered (dust) over the years. They may have developed into songs had I found the words that suited them. Or the other way around. Since I have abandoned songwriting for the present and foreseeable future these tunes needed to find another purpose or function. Hence “Outros”. It’s true that I had previously published some early and embryonic versions of them here using virtual instruments derived from the written guitar scores but I’ve removed these because (a) they were not fit for purpose; (b) they have all undergone considerable development; and (c) I have taken the time to get them under my fingers on the guitar so as to be in a fit state to properly record. At the moment there are about a couple of dozen of these Outros and several are recorded.

So, over the coming months, I have a plan to publish both the recordings and the finished guitar scores (in notation and tablature), certainly here, initially, before wider distribution, if there is enough interest. I will publish these individually and not as a set or album – at least at first. Again, level of interest will determine the decision on that.

So please keep tuned for the first Outro release announcement which should be very shortly.

Pending solution to world-wide vinyl shortage, the CD version of this 1976 album has been issued on CD. The CD can be bought here, of course, and from many other fine outlets. Those interested in the US can go to waterloorecords.com. UK, EU and worldwide customers are invited to get their copy here.

Thank you to Seelie Court who have made this reissue possible.

I’m pleased and proud to announce the re-release of my 1976 LP “Dave Keir” courtesy of Seelie Court Records. It is available on pre-order from Rough Trade. This will be available initially as a CD with a vinyl version to follow.

Also my 1982 LP “I Can See Dover” will be available very soon!

Very exciting times!

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