Dez Dare: "I Need Your Fire" video

Dez Dare filmed himself in his home studio for the video for I Need Your Fire, an utterly danceable track from his These Days Are Wild & Blind album: "Darren Smallman keeps it a bit closer to home and more personal on (...) the latest album by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. That doesn't mean that he is no longer shouting at the heavens (and for good reason), but a bit of introspection has found its way into his music - some of it is even played on acoustic instruments."

» dezdare.com

HCTF review of These Days Are Wild & Blind

Dez Dare: "Insolvent Soldiers" video

Dez Dare filmed himself in his home studio for the video for Insolvent Soldiers, a track from his These Days Are Wild & Blind album: "Darren Smallman keeps it a bit closer to home and more personal on (...) the latest album by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. That doesn't mean that he is no longer shouting at the heavens (and for good reason), but a bit of introspection has found its way into his music - some of it is even played on acoustic instruments."

» dezdare.com

HCTF review of These Days Are Wild & Blind

Dez Dare: "You Woke Up On My Side Of Time" video

Dez Dare opted for a bunch of lovable puppets for the video for You Woke Up On My Side Of Time, a pastoral folk track from his These Days Are Wild & Blind album: "Darren Smallman keeps it a bit closer to home and more personal on (...) the latest album by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. That doesn't mean that he is no longer shouting at the heavens (and for good reason), but a bit of introspection has found its way into his music - some of it is even played on acoustic instruments."

» dezdare.com

HCTF review of These Days Are Wild & Blind

Dez Dare: These Days Are Wild & Blind

photo: Michiel de Wilde

Darren Smallman keeps it a bit closer to home and more personal on These Days Are Wild & Blind, the latest album by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. That doesn't mean that he is no longer shouting at the heavens (and for good reason), but a bit of introspection has found its way into his music - some of it is even played on acoustic instruments. He is pretty intense throughout, like a volcano that is about erupt, with a rumbling rhythm shift as a last minute warning.

Fuzz is still a huge part of his sound, but like the Stooges are already knew having a freewheeling sax player on hand, does not hurt either. He has expanded his musical palette and left the safety of his comfort zone behind, which must have been both a scary and liberating experience. Imagine Traffic having a jam session with Can and Sonic Youth.

Dez Dare: When I'm Alone (I Forget You're Real)

Darren Smallman expanded his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare to a trio for his new single When I'm Alone (I Forget You're Real), enlisting Mike Gale (Black Nielson, Co-pilgrim) and Maria Marzaioli (YOU&TH, Slum of Legs): to help him out with the backing vocals. He tries to get a grip on the weirdness of time, which seems to be shifting a bit, throwing him off course as he reaches out his hand to a helper who might be real or not.

Dez Dare: shows in Germany and Belgium

photo: Steve Gullick

Darren Smallman brings his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare to Germany and Belgium to promote his latest album CHERYL! Your Love Shines Down Like A Supernova’s Death: "There is controlled anger - Light Touch Of The Man Spreader describes a bus ride he did not enjoy at all, Brutalised Robotics is about dehumanizing everyday life, and not be taking seriously as a short guy with What Ya Gonna Do With Yr Days. Tackling insecurities by way of loud music might not solve anything, but damn, it feels good."

Dez Dare: CHERYL! Your Love Shines Down Like A Supernova’s Death

photo: Steve Gullick

Darren Smallman shows no sign of slowing on CHERYL! Your Love Shines Down Like A Supernova’s Death, the new album by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. There is controlled anger - Light Touch Of The Man Spreader describes a bus ride he did not enjoy at all, Brutalised Robotics is about dehumanizing everyday life, and not be taking seriously as a short guy with What Ya Gonna Do With Yr Days.

Tackling insecurities by way of loud music might not solve anything, but damn, it feels good. Smallman's intensity is in full swing most of the time, so it may come as a bit of a surprise that he got lap steel player Jonny Halifax and singer Laura Loriga on board to offer some respite.

Dez Dare: Light Touch Of The Man Spreader

Darren Smallman found himself on a bus ride he did not enjoy at all. He turned his predicament into a song for his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. Light Touch Of The Man Spreader is a hectic slice of loud electo-punk that hits the listener over the head for two minutes. What the fuck just happened? Better listen to it again then.

Dez Dare: Talk, Clown.

Darren Smallman becomes a powerful guy, scouring the heavens and taking out people with his laser eyes. Talk, Clown., the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare, has all the signature elements of his music: the fuzzy and scuzzy production, a little over the top but somehow still in control mayhem, with the gnarly guitar as the launch pad for his distorted vocals.

Dez Dare: Brutalised Robotics

Darren Smallman might well be one of the most intense musicians right now. Brutalised Robotics, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare, is an in-your-face dystopian skewed rocker, with mussy keyboards riding shotgun.

He has some serious issues with mankind not being to be kind to animals and the rise of technology is not going to help to make ammends. Take note of the backing vocals that will sound familiar to fans of Bananarama.

Dez Dare: on tour in the UK and mainland Europe

Darren Smallman takes his one-man garage-punk band Dez Dare on the road again to promote his latest album Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin album: "a rollercoaster ride without any of the nasty side-effects (nauseau, dizziness and the like). He is shouting at the heavens, calling in physics as well as science-fiction to make sense of it all. It is an album that is bursting at the seems with fuzz and reverb, and it sounds like it might fall apart at any second. Smallman is walking the thin line between structured mayhem and chaos, but it is worth the risk. The best art offers a challenge for both the artist and the public".

Dez Dare: on tour in Australia

Darren Smallman returns to his country of origin in June, playing four shows in Australia with his one-man garage-punk band Dez Dare to promote his latest album Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin album: "a rollercoaster ride without any of the nasty side-effects (nauseau, dizziness and the like). He is shouting at the heavens, calling in physics as well as science-fiction to make sense of it all. It is an album that is bursting at the seems with fuzz and reverb, and it sounds like it might fall apart at any second. Smallman is walking the thin line between structured mayhem and chaos, but it is worth the risk. The best art offers a challenge for both the artist and the public".

Dez Dare: "Josephine Says Explode" video

Darren Smallman has posted a no-frills video for Josephine Says Explode, a track by his one-man garage-punk band Dez Dare that can be found his Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin album: "a rollercoaster ride without any of the nasty side-effects (nauseau, dizziness and the like). He is shouting at the heavens, calling in physics as well as science-fiction to make sense of it all. It is an album that is bursting at the seems with fuzz and reverb, and it sounds like it might fall apart at any second. Smallman is walking the thin line between structured mayhem and chaos, but it is worth the risk. The best art offers a challenge for both the artist and the public".

Dez Dare: Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin

Darren Smallman gets loud and then even louder on Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin, the new album by one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. Amidst walls of distorted guitar, arcane arcade beeps and purss, mangled drum computers, he puts up a very public fight with his mental issues and trying to deal with the fact that a proper understanding what makes him tick by the public at large is a long way off. That being said Smallman has been successful in carving his own niche for a special kind of freak-out garage rock that is damn catchy, making him an underground favourite among hardcore music fans.

Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin is a rollercoaster ride without any of the nasty side-effects (nauseau, dizziness and the like). He is shouting at the heavens, calling in physics as well as science-fiction to make sense of it all. It is an album that is bursting at the seems with fuzz and reverb, and it sounds like it might fall apart at any second. Smallman is walking the thin line between structured mayhem and chaos, but it is worth the risk. The best art offers a challenge for both the artist and the public.

Dez Dare: Gotta Cold Feeling

Darren Smallman trust his gut feeling on Gotta Cold Feeling, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. He is quite sure that something is seriously amiss and although he knows for sure what it exactly is, one is for certain: the shit is going to hit the fan any moment now. Fuzzy guitars clash with an unrelenting backbeat as he works his way to the lyrics: "Gotta cold feeling, so freakin’ banal // Gotta cold feeling, day x day x day x day".

Dez Dare: 10,000 Monkeys + An Argument With Time

Darren Smallman inserted quite a lot of old school arcade sounds as a means of percussion into 10,000 Monkeys + An Argument With Time, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. He is running out of time this one (and almost out of breath) as he spits out the lyrics trying to deal with obnoxious, yet sad simians. The birthdays cats in the video are not much of a help, but they look really cute.

Dez Dare: Got a Fire In My Socket

Darren Smallman is sounding pretty intense on Got a Fire In My Socket, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. It is fast and fuzzy, as if he was in a hurry to get it out from his system before having second thoughts. Dare's vocal delivery comes pretty close to shouting on this one, which is quite fitting for a song about trying to stay ahead of things blowing up in one's face.

Dez Dare: "Uncanny Velocity" video

Darren Smallman has posted a no-frills video for Uncanny Velocity, a track by his one-man garage-punk band Dez Dare that can be found his Critical Mind Dump EP: "Smallman has carved his own niche in the UK guitar underground. He welcomes visitors, provided that they are willing and able to deal with his DIY attitude. It might get loud, but that is the gist of his special brand of off-kilter music that will strike a chord with fans of Pere Ubu".

» dezdare.com

HCTF review of Critical Mind Dump.

Dez Dare: Critical Mind Dump EP

Darren Smallman is quick to follow up the release of his Perseus War album with the short and intense Critical Mind Dump EP. Long time followers of his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare will be familiar with his energetic anxiety. Phase Transitions is a sonic blast that only needs 37 seconds to make a lasting impression and Uncanny Velocity only takes about twice as long.

CMD OK! and Weasel Breath are "proper" songs, but also bear his signature fuzz-heavy guitar and rumbling bass excursions. Smallman has carved his own niche in the UK guitar underground. He welcomes visitors, provided that they are willing and able to deal with his DIY attitude. It might get loud, but that is the gist of his special brand of off-kilter music that will strike a chord with fans of Pere Ubu.

Dez Dare: Perseus War

Darren Smallman once more took his inspiration from the ancient Greeks for the new release by his one-man band Dez Dare, naming his new album Perseus War. His special blend of trash garage punk is the perfect vessel for confronting his demons and pet peeves. He is autistic, adamant to set the record straight. Restlessness and anger compete for the place in the spotlights with a howling fuzz-heavy guitar and muffled vocals, sounding like he is shouting in a bucket at top volume in Bozo and Bloodbath-on-HI.

It is pretty intense, but there is also room for a bit of humour (I Know Why You Cry at Adam Sandler Films) and enjoying a day at the sea (BEACH!). His brain never stops working, which can be frustrating (STOP. STOP. STOP. TALKING.), but it can also be used to write a song wherein the simians are ruling the world (A Chimp, A Tricycle, New World Order).