Interview with Dave Perry of Fear of Water

May 03, 2024

Interview with Dave Perry of Fear of Water

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, Dave! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.

CV: Being born clinically deaf and then having it restored to a level where creating sound has become your career, do you feel that with all the criticism artists and music receive nowadays, most fans take what they are hearing for granted; not fully grasping the gift they have been given?

Dave Perry: Yes, but I don’t hold it against them. As important as our core senses are, most people don’t really appreciate what they have until it’s gone, myself included. I’ve always valued my sense of smell & taste, but it wasn’t until losing it for 2 months after getting the first round of COVID that I realized how joyless of an experience eating is when those core senses are taken away from you.

I was somewhat fortunate in starting at a place of hearing damage instead of losing my hearing later in life. There were years that went by where I didn’t truly understand that everyone was hearing the world in a completely different way than I was. While that created a great deal of frustration and a long road to recovery in my early life, it has given me a life-long appreciate for hearing & speaking that has really sharpened my focus and intention when I speak and make music.

CV: Music is its own language; its own way of expression. For artists, music is an extension of their inner selves; the voice within that longs to be heard. Was that voice always there for you even before having your hearing restored?

DP: In a very instinctual way, yes. There are videos of me as a child gravitating toward vibrations and sonic sensations like the sub-woofers of a speaker, the echo chamber created directly underneath a piano and sitting on the kitchen floor banging on pots & pans. I truly had no concept of what music was at that point; I couldn’t speak & everything I heard was very similar to distant gargles heard under water. But I still found myself wanting to be in direct proximity instruments & speakers which translated nicely nice my hearing was restored into a very serious pursuit of mastering anything I could get my hands on.

CV: Tell us a little about Fear of Water. What's the significance of the band’s name? How do you feel it represents your message?

DP: The name “Fear of Water” is a reference to the human body being comprised of about 70% water. Early on in life I really struggled with the way people are categorized into groups & cliques throughout most stages of life. This persistent narrative of what is popular & attractive & acceptable vs what is taboo & ugly & unacceptable has such a negative effect on the way we all live our lives, myself included.

The message of Fear of Water is about resisting that powerful societal force; truly being yourself and sharing that with the world can be very difficult and vulnerable but life is too short to exist as a conformist who represses their true nature. I cover a lot of these topics as it relates to myself and the stories of those around me through my music.

CV: Fear of Water is a one man band, consisting of you. With only a single member, why not just be a solo act… why be a band? Are there future plans to bring other permanent artists into the fold?

DP: That’s an interesting way of phrasing it. Multi-instrumentalist songwriters like Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor & Wolf VanHalen likely have gone through that same thought process. I am not quite sure on the answer to that question yet. I find myself in an interesting & unconventional position where the primary focus is creating music, building a brand around that music and then raising awareness & a following without touring at the moment.

I am at a crossroads where one of two scenarios is possible and attractive to me: There is a possibility of putting a band together for the purpose of touring on Fear of Water music. I know exactly who those musicians would be and we’ve already discussed it but that likely won’t happen in the immediate future as I am more focused on creating art & a following. I am also very interested in using Fear of Water as an audio resume of sorts with the intention of being recruited into an already established band in need of any instrument for touring & recording. I am open to both of these roads but will just keep making music and networking until one of those paths reveals themselves as the most logical route.

CV: Your have had the opportunity to work with a number of prominent vocalists; Elias Soriano of Nonpoint, Aaron Nordstrom of Gemini Syndrome, Heidi Shepard of Butcher Babies and your upcoming collaboration with Clint Lowery of Sevendust. How has working with such artists elevated not only your appreciation of music but also your own creative process?

DP: I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to create art with such a stellar line up of talented musicians. Their involvement and faith in me as an artist is truly flattering. While I do take every step of my creative process very seriously, I find myself going above and beyond when one of these collaborators enters the picture; it creates a sense of anxiety that I channel into productivity & expanding my creative horizons. I will also continue to work with new producers & engineers who all have their own process & perspectives that will continue to push my creative evolution.

CV: Many believe that it's not what you say but who says it that creates the most impact. Do you feel music fans tend to gravitate more towards music with more star brand appeal and less towards music that doesn't have such big names accompanying it?

DP: Generally speaking, I do agree with that assessment but that still leaves hundreds of thousands of music fans who aren’t making decisions based on popularity and I like that. “Quality over quantity” has long been a mantra that I live by. If some of my music finds commercial success among a large audience, that’s great but that’s not my aim & intention which gives me the freedom to creatively explore outside the normal conventions around songwriting. I am very cognizant of the fans who have been discovering my during the early phases of my career and have joined me for this crazy ride. I like knowing that there are people out there connecting with my music without any kind of massive public exposure.

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from Fear of Water in 2024 and beyond?

DP: I am very excited to be continuing the process of creating new music in partnership with new producers and featuring a variety of talented artists. I will continue to release singles instead of albums and am in the process of supporting each single with videos that match the quality of the music being created. I will also be aggressively pursuing opportunities with other bands in need of my skill set so we might talk one year from now and I’ll be on the road doing something totally different than Fear of Water. Let’s find out!

CV: Thanks again, Dave, for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.

Check out Fear of Water at:

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4M7rqBQtjHDNbRkcUeUXLF?si=QPDutMNTSDioL_Pf0OaLeg

Codependent Parasites ft Elias Soriano video

https://youtu.be/H4wRmljrIeM?si=DMsGyo0LQ50hKZZ_

One Day ft. Heidi Shepherd video

https://youtu.be/u_QmULTwYTQ?si=FnBSK81endpB-6rU

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.