New record - Julian Dawson's album celebrates the golden age of music
As Julian Dawson had to get his pass stamped for the first time in decades, due to Brexit, he was reduced to tears. The British singer, guitarist, and songwriter built his life and career with the open borders of Europe. The EU exit of his country is something he has emotionally not overcome yet.
He now lives in France but is still artistically connected to Germany. For his 70th birthday on July 4, he looks back on his career with a new album named after himself: "Julian Dawson".
Dawson looks back on his career with gratitude
It's a look back at over four decades as a professional musician, during which Dawson collaborated with German experimental-rockers from the legendary band Can and went on tour with BAP. He is proud that he was able to record a cover version of BAP frontman Wolfgang Niedecken's song "Codo" (I'm pushing, pushing in the sausage walk) for his album as a bonus track. The hit song from the German-Austrian band Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl (DÖF) from 1983 closes the album with twelve tracks.
He has re-recorded his hit song "How Can I Sleep Without You," with which he made it into the charts in the 90s, as a duet with the US singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. For a major breakthrough, it didn't quite work out back then, but Dawson looks back on his career with gratitude, which brought him into contact with some of his idols and resulted in the release of 26 albums.
"All of this was made possible through the support I received in this country," he says in an interview with the German Press Agency about his artistic connection to the Federal Republic.
Germany was once a springboard for rock and pop musicians
The fact that the artist was born in London and sought his luck in Germany is no coincidence. Germany was once a springboard for rock and pop musicians who wanted to make it on the international stage. The Beatles made it in Hamburg, and Dawson dreamed of it when he joined a band that played for US soldiers in Bad Nauheim.
He left the band soon, but he was able to realize his dream of living from his music through performances and later recording contracts in Germany.
Stylistically, Dawson's music moves between blues, English folk, American country, and the rock of the 60s, to which he has turned again for the jubilee album. The track "I Love You Like I Love Myself" is rocky in style.
Dawson is grateful that he grew up in a time he refers to as the "golden age of music." "As a teenager, your whole life was determined by music: your fashion sense, politics, everything revolved around your musical heroes," he says. That it's no longer the case is understood. However, Dawson remains true to himself, continues to do his thing. And true, he says, are his fans in Germany.
- Despite living in France, Julian Dawson maintains artistic connections to Germany, a country where he collaborated with rockers from Can and went on tour with BAP.
- Dawson's new album for his 70th birthday, titled "Julian Dawson," includes a cover of Wolfgang Niedecken's "Codo" as a bonus track.
- As Brexit has impacted him emotionally, Dawson cannot fully overcome the EU exit of his native Great Britain.
- Born in London, Dawson found a springboard for his career in music in Germany, a country that had once been a launching pad for rock and pop musicians such as The Beatles.
- Dawson's 26-album discography resulted from his artistic connections to Germany, a country that provided him with opportunities for performances and recording contracts.
- Later in his career, Dawson re-recorded his hit song "How Can I Sleep Without You" as a duet with US singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams.
