The official release of LIFEBOAT is Wednesday, Sept. 21st -6pm on the patio of The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC.

LIFEBOAT is my 11th self-released full-length album. On this collection of songs, I play a number of instruments including guitars, bass, piano, attempted drums, textures of Hammond M3, but with a heavy foundation of 4-string cigar box guitar and baritone ukulele. Also, heartfelt songs lyrics and short explanations are included on the inside cover. Other musicians contributing their talent on this recording include longtime band mates and friends Josh Gibbs and Andy Gibbon, the incredibly skilled Michael Ashworth (Steep Canyon Rangers), WNC powerhouse Laura Blackley, and the distinctive spoken voice of Ben Hardy. Adding his two cents and outside of the box thinking, the mastering was done by Seth Kauffman (Floating Action). I titled this album LIFEBOAT because in all of the complexities and uncertainties of life, music will always be there as a safe place…. A sturdy vessel designed for use in saving lives…

First of all, if you are reading this, thank you for being here. Second, any and all feedback on the following subject is appreciated..... Here is the question(s).... How do you get your music? How do you listen to music in this day and age? Do you buy CDs? Do you stream music for free? Do you purchase downloads?

As a hard working DIY independent musician in these strange musical times, I am trying to keep up with the digital-tech curve. It seems there has been an extreme drop in the overall support and purchase of music. It seems the more people I talk to about this, the more I find the general public simply goes to their smart device and touches a button. You know the main ones I'm talking about... -Pandora and Spotify as well as a small handful of others- .... I do understand why this is... it is simple and takes little thought or effort.... the convenience factor. So for someone like myself who has been doing this a long time, it is a serious transition and a tough pill to swallow as I have seen CD sales and digital sales decline dramatically. And again, I get it, I do understand why this is happening in this inter-web driven world. So how do you get yours? AND what is the most effective way for a hard working DIY singer/songwriter such as myself to get mine to you and those you think would enjoy the new music? MARKET RESEARCH... Thank you!

 

Many thanks to Lucas Cipkowski for recent filming of a couple of my songs for a video series called Rooted Collection. It is a series that features Asheville and WNC regional artists. Also thanks to The Grey Eagle for hosting us. And of course thanks to you who continue to support independent and original music. Here is one of the videos shot on that cool and windy day in March.

Friends.... Andy, Josh, and myself have a musical side project we have started. This project is completely different from what we normally do as a folkrock/americana/singer-songwriter trio. This band is in it's infancy, however if we are not careful, we may spread slowly like butt paste on diaper rash. The songs we are writing are loud and strange and we are thinking we must be some form of a hard rock power trio. The live shows are few, but we do have a performance coming up at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC on Tuesday, March 22nd. Come see/hear us in our rock and roll glory (scabs and all)...... We are calling ourselves The Ointment Appointment. Here is a very brief bio...
 

The Ointment Appointment is a smooth arrangement of loose and edgy rock and roll rubbed into the open wounds of music. The balmy members that make up this engagement are Andy, Josh, and Dave……. Collectively they are also known as being a boil on the ass of society. However, with a little help from electric guitar distortion, heavy bass lines, and a junior drum kit, this self-inflicted injury has a chance to heal. Nobody is immune and we all get slashed, gashed, cut, and lacerated from time to time. So make a date, gel with your inner lesion, and rendezvous with The Ointment Appointment.

On the Bio page of this website I have added a 'more real bio' to share in addition to my standard artist bio. It is a glimpse beyond the normal bio and is intended to be a bit more real and give a touch more insight beyond the stage. Just click on the Bio tab at the top of this page and have a quick read. Continued thanks to you dear music listener....

Dave Desmelik - Stretch - copyright 2014 (BMI) from the album 'We Don't Want A Dying Flame' - www.davedesmelik.com
Filmed and edited by Tommy Wakefield - wakefieldfilms@gmail.com

The basis of this song is belief in hope. The thought that a look inside ourselves can bring renewed awareness. The feeling of accomplishment through life.
Here are the lyrics:

Stretch - out my legs
Catch - a deep breath
I don't feel any pain

Hit - a home run
Risk - all you've done
You won't walk in the rain

Play - by the rules
Make use - of your tools
We can't all be the same

Keep - your chin up
Bleed - out your blood
No one gets easy change

Take - some time sometimes
The game - can be a grind
We don't want a dying flame

Have strength - to keep your head
Give thanks - to the dead
You will not forget your name

Think - of all those years
Blink - back the tears
I don't feel any pain

Pretty neat to be a part of this series... I was recently contacted by Silber Media QRD about being a "Musician Dad"... here is the interview.... http://www.silbermedia.com/qrd/archives/73ddesmelik.html

'Old News' is my 10th self-released, full-length album to date. I am very happy to announce the official release date is scheduled for -6pm on Wednesday, July 1st at The Grey Eagle Music Hall in Asheville, NC. This will be a family friendly show on the patio (weather permitting - if it rains we simply move inside). I hope you can join us... however if you are reading this and live outside of the western NC area, please stay tuned for info about online purchase and digital downloads or simply email me for more info and to support the CD. dave_desmelik@hotmail.com ... now about 'Old News'....

In an effort to capture the energy created while performing live, I wanted to record an album of myself, Josh Gibbs (lap steel), and Andy Gibbon (bass) in a simple format... the formula being relax, push record, and just play. So we gathered in Vince's room one day at the end of December 2014 with only our instruments, four microphones, an out-dated recording device, and the drive to play music for the sake of playing music. I also wanted to revisit some songs previously recorded that have grown and changed a bit through the years... hence the title 'Old News'. These are songs we perform often when gigging and they remain in slow flux. This recording is raw, yet ripe with the spirit of music.

When you eat real vegetables grown with love and care and not produced for the masses.... your mind, body, and spirit may thank you for it.
When you drink real beer brewed with love and care and not made for the masses... your mind, body, and spirit may thank you for it.
When you read a real story written with love and care and not penned for the masses..... your mind, body, and spirit may thank you for it.
When you listen to real music performed with love and care and not played for the masses..... your mind, body, and spirit WILL thank you for it.

I am happy to announce I will be working with Hemifran for promotion in Europe of my new album
"We Don't Want A Dying Flame"   http://www.hemifran.com/

Hemifrån is an independent A&R, promotion and marketing company, based in the heart of Sweden, specializing in, what we call, “gut music” – The kind of music that you can feel in your gut, no matter if it’s power pop, soft singer-songwriter, heavy rock, blues, gentle westcoast-pop, country, AOR, jazz, americana, electronica or just plain, simple, good ol' rock’n’roll.....

This company has an impressive list of artists it has worked with including David Rawlings, Ani DiFranco, Jackson Browne, and Brian Setzer just to name a few. I am excited and hope you will visit their website and have a look.

Many continued thanks to you who support "gut music".