PART 2 of 3

Q: "Do you ever long for Britain again?" David: "Living in England has been enormously influential. How could it be otherwise? I have lived here for the first 34 years of my life. Informative and very important. The move to America coincided with so many other events happening in my life. The period that I moved to the States and the first five years on from there have been very eventful, very enriching. It's very hard for me to say what aspect has been the most influential or how living in America has influenced the work. There are so many factors coming into play. It' very hard for me to separate them all: There's meeting Ingrid, marriage, moving to America, having children, meeting spiritual teachers and guides. And then there is America itself. It's just part and parcel of a life. I can't separate all those different entities.

Sandall: "A lot of people, myself included, wondered whether you might have lived in California because of Californian's strong meditative Buddhist traditions." David: "I was drawn there because there were certain teachers there I wanted to be close to. But from the Hindu culture. There were a couple of ashrams there I was interested in. Living in closer proximity to. And we benefited from that enormously for the three years that we lived there. But for a number of reasons we felt we couldn't put roots down, so we moved on. But to come back to original question: Yes, I do miss Britain. I miss aspects of the European culture in general."
Sandall: "What aspects of European culture? Football presumably."
David: "Yes, of course. ... The most obvious one, because I like movies, is that you do not get enough of French movies, French directors. So you just don't get enough of that in States, you have to actually search them out."
Sandall: "You have lived pretty well all across America. You have lived in and around the Mid-West, you've lived in California and now you are living in New Hampshire." David: "And I've driven all over it too; a number of times." Sandall: "Any preferences? I mean America is such a vast place to talk about it as one country is almost a nonsense."  David: "Yes, I know. The landscape in America is so diverse. Some of it is so incredibly breathtaking! Not like anything I've seen in any other part of the world. Driving through Wyoming, through Arizona... For me the desertscapes were the most impressive." Sandall: "They haven't any good deserts in Hew Hampshire?" David: "(laughs) But the problem was I really missed the seasons. The seasons really shape a life. The winter is a time for introspection. And you don't have time for that in California. Nothing wrong with that but it wasn't suited to our lifestyle."

Sandall: "Bit of an evergreen question here David, but I think it's never a mistake to revisit it because it is quite important to you. You tried so hard to avoid celebrity status. What are you reasons for it? I mean, do they change?" David: "No they don't. You are either comfortable being in the public eye or you're not. You chose to live a private life or you don't. I chose to live a private life, it's really that simple." Sandall now hints towards the fact that he depends on publicity or public interest. David: "Yes. That's problematic for me. Given the choice we wouldn't sit here doing this. But I thoroughly enjoy the work that I do and this is part and parcel of that. To be able to do what I do I have to be available to promote the work - in some capacity. So I have to be prepared to come out and speak about it. Does it need me to speak about it? No. It's perfectly capable of living a life on its own. But for obvious reasons, the way the industry works, it draws attention to the work."

Q: "David, have you found the answer to the questions you ask in your music?" (long pause) David: "I wonder what that question would be." Sandall: "There is a strong sense of a journey, of an ongoing spiritual enquiry." David: "Yes, in that sense we've already answered the question: It's ongoing. There is no end to it. All I can say that I have rooted myself in a lifestyle, philosophy, values that enable me to continue to grow. And I was very fortunate enough to find that footing when I did. So my life and my work is fairly rooted in that respect. I can look back onto the work that I've done, at least back till 82, 83, and still make a connection. I would express myself entirely differently now; in all probability. But I can still make a connection to the work that I am currently doing. Thematically there is that. There is something of a linear journey there I suppose. But I must say that spirituality is anything but linear! Somebody asked me today where would I put myself on a map towards the goal of enlightenment. It's an odd question to say the least. And of course there is no such things. You really don't see where you stand. All you can see are the beneficial effects on your life and the people that surround you and you know that you have made some kind of progress."
Sandall: " I suppose what all these questions do highlight though is that for a lot of your listeners, your fans they do see you as, if not spiritual guide, at least a person whose spiritual enquiries are of relevance to their lives. Do you feel comfortable with that role?" David: "Yes, I think so. Because there is nothing dogmatic about my work; it's really open to individual interpretation. It can embraced on a number of levels. So I don't talk extensively about my own believes. And I don't think it's necessarily relevant that people know of them to enjoy the work, to take something from it."

Q: "Does it still amaze you that you still have such an large fan base around the world, despite not being the traditional kind of pop star and not in the lime lights so much?" David: "I'm grateful that they are there. After being out of the public eye for so long in terms of not releasing any material for number of years. And I did wonder was anybody still out there, would anybody still be interested in the work. Does it surprise me? Yes, it does." Sandall goes on if he has a certain audience in mind when writing the pieces. David: "No. Not at all I would say. With the exception of the compilation where I did envisage an audience if you like. But otherwise, no. Regardless whether anyone hears it or not, is has the possibility of transparence; of people sharing in that experience to some degree. So it is not necessary to think of any individual. I am often surprised by people that come up to me and tell me that they enjoy the work. The ages across-the-board, races across-the-board. I am surprised an delighted by that fact. If anything, if I was to hold a listener in mind, it would probably be to do with the mindset than any other consideration."

Sandall: "Lots of enquiries about the roots of your inspiration. People want to know where you might be looking for future inspiration. Do you actually go around quarrying for musical fuel?" David: "Well I absorb a lot. 'Cause I listen to a lot of music and right across-the-board. But I'm not really intentionally listening for possible avenues which I may follow. It's really not with that in mind. It's really the pleasure of being a listener searching out new voices. I've no doubt it plays into my work in some fashion but I don't recognize the influences in my work anymore. Although I don't doubt that they are there. I don't recognize them as such. I mean the main influence is life experience, what is going on in my life, and that feeds directly into the work."

Q: "Do you listen to classical music and if so what are your preferences? Also have you thought of venturing into any modern orchestral projects?" David: "I haven't been listening to classical music as much as I have in the past. (long pause) Let's leave it at that. It's not calling out names from the past. Don't think it's really relevant. Mainly 20th century composers, without a doubt. But yes, I would like to be involved in orchestral works in the future. I'm not quite sure how that would take shape, but it's actually that's been in the back of mind for a short time now." Sandall: "Would that involve writing music and mastering that rather tricky business with dots and staves ?" David: "(chuckles) Nothing as complicated as that Robert! I would actually like to tackle works by other people." Sandall: "When you mean 'tackle', you mean sing them?" David: "Yes."

Q: "What do regard as your most favorite song you have written and why?" David: "(even longer pause) Ya, it's always difficult, isn't it? I consider 'Dead Bees' to be the clearest statement I have made, so my most successful album, most gratifying. Favorite song? I would pick 'Wanderlust' maybe, 'I Surrender' is very important. One of those two."

part three