For almost 20 years, Darren Middleton was guitarist and songwriter with famed Australian band, Powderfinger. Darren has since released 2 more albums and an EP—this time under his own name. Darren’s first solo release, Translations (2013), showcased the breadth of Darren’s musical chops and opened a lot of eyes and ears along the way. The liner notes read like a ‘who’s who’ of the Australian music industry, with guests including Bernard Fanning, Paul Dempsey, Pete Murray, Clare Bowditch and Nic Cester. The follow-up, Splinters (2015), sees Darren experimenting with new sounds, instrumentation and darker moods. The end result is an emotive record with a lot of depth.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Darren Middleton. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
I’ve climbed my way up the tree once, came down and am climbing again…I’m pretty damn persistent. I have a great love of what music does for people, how it connects through sharing stories and that is what I try to do. Am I ‘Great’ at it? Well…I try my best.
Who inspired you to make music?
Life inspires me to make music, just living and paying attention to how I ‘fit in’. I figure if I can work that out, then I can share it with others so they might get closer to working it out. There were plenty of bands/people who directly influenced me… Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley…so many and many current ones too.
Your latest release is 'HOME'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
It was borne during the lockdowns we had here in Australia. Being unable to make an album the traditional way, I was forced to do it remotely, including getting friends involved. I’m always including other people when I make music…it inspires me plus it is way more fun. This time round, I had Suzi Quatro, Suze DeMarchi and a bunch more. At one point I was emailing both Suzi and Suze and happened to get them mixed up in an email…Suzi Quatro was very quick to put me in my place…
Can you shortly describe each of the tracks that are on the album?
‘Precious Things’ musically-Led Zeppelin vibe going on, lyrically-quite introspective of the last 10 years of my life. ‘For You’ is about really being into something or someone. ‘Fire Burns’ Again, this song is an intimate portrayal of a relationship. ‘Tomorrow Doesn’t Know’ I went for a James Bond kind of thing here…it’s all about the fun. ‘The Stars Where You Dwell’ this song is about love lost, or a person no longer with us and that you always hold a space for them in your heart. ‘For This’ This is a super positive song about being into someone…no matter what. ‘Penny’ Fictional story of someone who continues to make the same mistake. ‘Anymore’ A friend of mine took his life in 2020, I wrote this the day after I heard, imagining the point you would be at to consider something so final.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest musical trends?
I go by word of mouth for the most part. Social media obviously makes it easy to see what people might be gravitating to….but I absolutely love going to see a live performance and ‘discovering’ someone new.
What makes you different from others?
Perhaps that I am very comfortable with what I do and who I am as an artist. I’ve been doing this for more than half my life and I’m very grateful.
What’s an average day like for you?
It varies wildly but right now…it’s pretty chilled. Get up, drive my son to school, attend to bits of business, play guitar, see if something good happens…go for a swim…. repeat until something good happens.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
I try to respond to almost everyone online via social media formats. I keep my personal boundaries in place and also a little of the mystery of music (because it’s important) …but generally, if you reach out to me, I’ll get back to you!
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Walk your own path…look at what others have done, see what you can learn and apply it to your own journey/music. There’s lots of guidance and support out there…so keep at it!
What are your plans for the future?
To play live as much as I can this year, finish a few new songs, travel if I can…one day I’m going to pack my guitar and just hit the road…land somewhere and see where it leads me again.