On the road, lots of Myles

On By Fredericton PlayhouseIn Shows
(reposted from http://herenb.canadaeast.com/music/article/1010433)

Singer/songwriter touring incessantly in support of new CD

by Paige Aarhus
 
No one knows the bleak and bloodshot despair of insomnia in a strange hotel room better than David Myles. The Fredericton-born guitar hero and singer/songwriter usually performs 100 shows a year, but he’s already at 65 concerts four months into 2010. An insane winter tour sent Myles free-wheeling back and forth from one end of the country to the other – and like any good musician, he learned the intricacies of time-zone hopping the hard way.

“It was the first time I ever got a sense of what it means to be burnt out and exhausted. For three or four days I didn’t sleep, but I’ve never had sleeping problems before. So I was sitting in a motel at 3 a.m. thinking ‘Oh my God, I can’t do this, I’m not built for this career. Maybe this is not the thing for me,'” he said.
 
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It would be a lot for anyone to handle – in Feburary he was off to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he played 48 shows in 15 days, then back to his  home in Nova Scotia to attend the ECMAs, off to Northwestern Ontario for a handful of theatre shows, back home for a couple days, then back out to Whistler for a series of shows at the Paralympics. All on top of releasing a new album, Turn Time Off, which was recorded in Joel Plaskett’s Dalhousie studio.

Every time he went to sleep, he dreamed of sound checks. Every time he woke up, a new show was looming. But friends and a supportive band got him through the worst of it, and today Myles is back to his old self – ebullient, funny, quick-witted and well-spoken. Now, on the heels of a dynamite new album and after one hell of a tour, the critical buzz surrounding this Maritime musician is reaching a fever pitch.

“It’s been a busy couple months. Actually, it’s been the busiest couple months that I’ve ever had. It’s kind of funny because all this happened before the record even came out. What a way to start the year,” he said.

Using his indomitable work ethic, genuine musical talent (critics describe him as “a little bit jazz, a little bit folk, a little bluesy and a lot easy-going charm with solid singing and arranging”), and a little help from his friends – Plaskett included – Myles is set for what could be the biggest year of his musical career.

Turn Time Off is a departure from his previous efforts, Things Have Changed (2006) and On The Line (2008). He took his time creating the perfect medley of vocals and musical backing, creating a bluesy, 60s-feeling album with broad appeal.

“It’s different for me because we really thought about everything, and working with Joel obviously steps things up. We didn’t rush anything,”he said.

As the reviews roll in and the publicity machine ramps up, he’s once again hitting the road with a trio of shows set for New Brunswick this month. Myles said he couldn’t be happier to return to his old stomping grounds.

“I’ve been excited about the New Brunswick shows for so long. For me, growing up in Fredericton, the Playhouse has always been the venue.Whether you want to admit it or not, you feel a little bit like when you play the Playhouse, you’ve made it,” he said.

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