Ahead of his appearance at the Belfast Music Week showcase at the Limelight tonight, alt-folk singer-songwriter David C Clements is the latest local artist to allow Belfast-based photographer Joe Laverty (responsible for the wonderful portrait photo above) insight into the “firsts” of their listening, loving and making lives.
First album you bought?
Bathroom floor by Booley
First single you bought?
‘Spaceman’ by Babylon Zoo
First live concert/gig?
Phantom of the Opera in the Point, but my first actual gig was Stereophonics supported by Turin Brakes.
First album you properly loved?
Biffy Clyro – Blackened Sky
First artist/band to change your music-listening/making life?
I learnt guitar from the songbook of The Man Who by Travis
First local band you got really into?
Element
First festival experience?
Flevo Festival in Holland
First favourite film soundtrack?
I had the soundtrack to Evita on tape for some reason when I was a kid. When I passed the 11+ my parents took me to the cinema to see it, although that was probably more for them!
First band t-shirt/jumper?
Biffy t-shirt that my wife bought me when we had just started going out.
First song to make you cry?
‘Left and Leaving’ by the Weakerthans
First time you knew you wanted to make music?
From the first jam I had with my friend Neil Gillespie playing Oasis songs in his roof space.
First instrument you learnt to play?
Piano
First riff/song/piece you learnt from start to finish?F
Travis – ‘Writing to Reach You’
First original song you wrote?
A terrible song called ‘Homeless and Depressed’ that was partly written by our drummer at the time. If I’d let him write the whole thing it probably would have been way better.
First gig or performance of your own?
It was above a gym in Harmony Hill in Lisburn. It was ridiculous – we probably played for a couple of hours.
First musical hero/idol you ever met?
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro
First music magazine you ever bought?
I got the Smash Hits magazine when I was in primary school before I realised it was a ‘girls’ magazine. A topless picture of one of the members of Take That was a bit of a give away.
‘First Of The Gang To Die’ by Morrissey – great song, right?
I couldn’t possibly comment…
