Dave Wright

The Facts:

• I am an independant singer/songwriter from Melbourne, Australia.
• I front an unruly group of talented individuals known as Dave Wright & The Midnight Ramblers who play uptempo Australian folk music. 
• Dave Wright & The Midnight Ramblers have just concluded the process of recording our debut full length album entitled Turn Out The Lights.
• My aim with this campaign is to raise $5000 so we can press and release 150 copies of Turn Out The Lights on 180 gram coloured vinyl.
• Turn Out The Lights will feature ten original compositions written by myself and will run for approximately forty- four minutes.

Dave Wright (Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica)

I grew up on a small farm in Kawarrren, 20 kilometres outside of Colac in the Otway Ranges, and whilst I loved the solitude of the bush from an early age I was drawn to the bright lights and noise of the big city. At the age of 7 I took my first piano lessons and although I don't remember much in the way of popular music in our house I quickly became obssessed. I devoured the few records and tapes my parents had that weren't classical: Elton John's Greatest Hits, The Beatle's Sgt Pepper, Chris De Burgh's Into The Light, Bullamakanka's self titled album, and The Best of The Fureys. A varied and meagre collection. And yet the seeds of my musical loves are all there, fantastic pop writing, attential to lyrical detail, psychedelia, country, bluegrass, fine storytelling and a pride in Australia. I started writing songs on the piano, horrible, wordy dirges that aped Springsteen, Dire Straits, and Pink Floyd. By the time I turned 17 it was 1994 and at the height of grunge. I realised no one was playing keyboards so I taught myself guitar on a battered old nylon string classical guitar I found lying dormant in a cupboard that belonged to my mother. I spent the wretched summer I finished High School working in a timber yard and then I moved to Melbourne as soon as I had enough cash to fund a semester of University. Bands came and went, all sorts of bands. From Door's tribute band Break On Through to original skate punk rockers The Fallouts, Synth Pop artband The Kissingers to a spell on keys with Khristian Mizzi and the Sirens, I managed to play most of the venues in Melbourne. I kept writing songs, honing my craft, trying to find my voice, all the while playing other people's songs in other people's bands. And then, suddenly I was 34 and married, and I realised I had to get out and play my music, my way. Enter The Midnight Electric.

Now, if you are here, you are probably familiar with my rock band Dave Wright & The Midnight Electric, and whilst this is not their story it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the part they have played in the last 8 years. With that band I have self financed and released 2 EPS, (Suicide Season in 2012, For King & Country in 2013) 2 full length albums, (The Lucky Country in 2014, HWY in 2017) and a concert film and companion double CD (HWY Soundstage Show in 2018). We have played shows all over Victoria with so many great bands and have toured Interstate. And it was on a trip to Adelaide that The Midnight Ramblers were born.

We were a travelling circus- 2 vehicles and a trailer lugging 7 musicians and their gear to Adelaide. I was lamenting the fact that we could just not get in a single car or hop on a plane with the bare essentials to do a show in another State. Touring was expensive, time consuming, and not practical for a seven piece band with zero funds. And then it hit me. Why not do the same songs, but bluegrass style? No drums/keys/horns. Just a bunch of blokes with acoustic instruments and their voices and as much exuberance as they could muster. I even came up with the name- The Midnight Ramblers. 

Robert Barber (Mandolin, 6 String Banjo, Guitar, Vocals)

Rob is a member of The Midnight Electric and plays with an unparalleled ear for detail and an enthusiam that is infectious.

Tim Cavanagh (Upright Bass, Vocals)

Big Tim Cavanagh is a founding member of The Midnight Electric and has taken to the Upright Bass like he was born to it. He also sings like a (hairy) angel.

Connor Ross Hicks (Fiddle/Vocals)

Connor brings the weight of his professionalism and the seriousness of his beard to the Ramblers. A true virtuoso and perfectionist, he also serves with The Melbourne Opera and Harrison.

The Timeline.

• Dave Wright & The Midnight Ramblers played their debut show as a four piece at The Labour In Vain in October 2017 with a ten song set featuring Connor Ross Hicks on fiddle.
• After a hiatus for the first half of 2018 DWMR reconvene with Stirling Gill- Chambers of (Rich Davies and the Low Road fame) helping out on fiddle and Agustin Salvador on five string banjo. This lineup play 2 shows only, however spend valuable time putting together the nucleus of their stage act as Dave writes some new tunes for the Ramblers whilst adapting classic Midnight Electric ones.
• Connor Ross Hicks rejoins for a show at Some Velvet Morning in November 2018 and is convinced by Dave that he is a Rambler, 
• A succesful residency at the wonderful Merri Creek Tavern is secured for Feb 2019 where the band play four shows to rapturous crowds. Songs for the debut album are road tested and Dave enlists Myles Mumford to help guide the band from stage to studio.
• Feb- June 2019. The band record eleven tracks with Myles Mumford at Rolling Stock Recording Rooms. Myles is patient, thoughtful, and gets what Dave is trying to achieve. He suggests a mainly live recording process with the core band in the main studio and Dave providing vocals and guitar from an isolated booth.  He coaxes some great performances from the lads and the album starts taking shape over the course of four major tracking sessions.
• Dave then re-does his vocal and guitar for all tracks.
• April 2019. Annie Walter begins work on art for the album package.
• July 2019. Myles and Dave mix the album and send it to Adam Dempsy to master for CD, digital, and vinyl.
• August 2019. Turn Out The Lights will go to Implant Media and Zenith for pressing to respective formats of CD and vinyl.
• October 2019. First single Murray River Outlaw Blues will be released to all digital platforms with a video in support.
• Monday November 11th, 2019. Turn Out The Lights released to all digital platforms.
• Saturday November 16th, 2019. Turn Out The Lights Album Launch Show.

About The Album

Turn Out The Lights consists of ten tracks, some Midnight Electric classics newly recorded for this project, and some new songs exclusive to the Ramblers. Heavy on the harmonies and with soaring fiddle solos and lashings of banjo and mandolin, the songs tell the stories of the down and out, disenfranchised, drifters, and battlers that make up the dark underbelly of this great land.

Turn Out The Lights Track List

1. Take Me Out 
2. Murray River Outlaw Blues
3. Trains
4. Sweet Caroline
5. The Drifter
6. Hazelwood
7. Play With Fire
8. Railway Song
9. Sylvia
10. Missing (Whisky Don't Work)
    
11. Death Of The Co-Op (B Side/ Bonus track)

The Gravy Train... or where your money goes.

• $3100 to press 150 copies of Turn Out The Lights on 180 gram coloured vinyl at Zenith.
• $800 to master for vinyl with Adam Dempsey at Deluxe.
• $650 Artwork, layout, and design.
• $200 for postage and incidentals.
• $250 Pozible fees.

Recording an album is an expensive process. Some may even say futile in the current climate and the way music is consumed in 2019. But I believe that still the best way to listen to music is on vinyl and so I will stubbornly and painstakingly continue to release my music on a physical medium for as long as I possibly can. 

The costs just to produce the vinyl are as follows. Please note this does not include the cost to record the album, produce CDs, pay for mixing or engage a publicist. We have raised money to cover most of this by playing shows and selling merch and so are looking to raise only the dosh required to produce the LP. Any extra funds raised will allow us to spend more on publicity to really promote Turn Out The Lights and give it the chance to reach as many new listeners as possible. I am looking to produce 150 LPs on 180 gram coloured vinyl with full colour sleeves, labels, download cards, and inserts. The cost of these will be $3100 pressed at Zenith. The album will also need to be mastered for vinyl at a cost of $800 at Deluxe mastering. Artwork will cost $650. Fees will come to $250 and rewards and incidentals for the Pozible campaign including postage will consume the remaining $200.

Belief. It's a strange thing. I believe in this project, this band, and in the power of music. Requesting support from the folks who support us time and time again is the only way to make this project happen, and is the best way a truly independant band with no management, label support or booker can put out new music that they can be proud of. We did it, together, in 2016 when we raised over $5200 to press HWY on vinyl. Hopefully, when you decide to support us this time your generosity and faith are rewarded yet again. Our greatest achievement when we reach our goal will be the pride you have when you listen to Turn Out The Lights, knowing that you were a part of the process.

Finally, if you want to stay up to date with all things DWMR, please like the band on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DWTME/, go to https://davewrightandthemidnightelectric.com/the-midnight-ramblers or follow Dave on instagram at midnight_electric. To check out more videos and subscribe to the band's youtube channel visit https://www.youtube.com/user/sirdave1977