S1 Episode 164 - Interview Darren Michael Boyd - Canadian Guitarist and Songwriter
They say that laughter is the best medicine, but for Canadian guitarist and songwriter Darren Michael Boyd, music has been the ultimate cure. After a life-altering car accident, the Ottawa and Toronto-based musician created his debut album, “Lifting The Curse,” as a therapy for the physical and psychological complications that followed the accident.
Painstakingly writing, recording, and producing the 9-track album himself, Boyd only called upon outside help for one track, “Was It Something I Said,” which features drums by Emily Dolan Davies (The Darkness, Kim Wilde.) Mastering was done by Harry Hess at H-Bomb Mastering (Barenaked Ladies, Danko Jones, Monster Truck.)
Watch “The Earth Is B Flat” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VbNI5y054c
Watch the brand new video for “was it something I said” (filmed in isolation) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AIs9iv5yNE
Darren has toured and recorded with a variety of artists, such as Black Ju-Ju, Creeping Beauty, and Famous Underground (featuring Juno award-winning vocalist Nicholas Walsh). He was invited multiple occasions to privately audition for platinum-selling artist Fefe Dobson, and asked to write songs for Alice Cooper’s daughter Calico Cooper, and long time bassist Chuck Garric’s band Beasto Blanco. Darren received a scholarship to Guitar Workshop Plus in Toronto, with some of the best players in the business as instructors (Paul Gilbert/Billy Sheehan/Sue Foley). He has shared the stage with such acts as One-Eyed Doll, Wednesday 13, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stryper, Beasto Blanco, and Lee Aaron.
In the spring of 2019 he joined the Mississippi Mudds Theatre Group to play guitar for a sold-out run of Queen’s We Will Rock You. The Mississippi Mudds won the Ottawa Faces Magazine Award for Favourite Theatre Group for that year. In the spring of 2020, Boyd was voted best local musician, and best guitar teacher, in the Ottawa Valley/North Grenville Readers Choice Awards.
He is currently hard at work on a follow up to “Lifting the Curse”, with an early fall release in sight.
Learn More About Darren Here:
- Website: www.darrenboyd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darren.michael.boyd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darrenmichaelboydmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/THEwHORRORcanada