The Beatles
James Taylor
Neil Finn
Gordon Lightfoot
U2
Joni Mitchell
Peter Gabriel
Stan Rogers
Marc Cohn
Cat Stevens
John Mayer
Keith Urban
Jon Vezner
Eckhart Tolle
United Breaks Guitars: Story behind Songs 1 & 2 (short version below, please see blog for detailed versions)
In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn’t deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say “no” to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.
United: Song 1 (United Breaks Guitars) is the first of those songs and was released in the summer of 2009. It went viral and became an internet / YouTube sensation. It has nearly 5 million views to date.
...and the saga continues...
United: Song 2 (United Breaks Guitars: Song 2) was released in August of 2009.
On Tuesday August 5 we reconvened at the field behind the Station 41 fire department in Waverley NS to shoot the second video in the trilogy, United Breaks Guitars: Song 2. Once again, everyone volunteered their time and talent to produce an outstanding video; however, Song 2 was a much bigger production than United Breaks Guitars. In addition to the main roles, we had nearly 100 extras in the cast and in order to say everything we wanted to say with the video, we required a broken guitar, an imitation broken guitar, a 40 foot high scissor lift, a limousine (complete with secret service agents), one genuine imitation space capsule, a space suit, a tuba, 3 suits of German Lederhosen, a canoe, one white panel van and a woman willing to wear tights and a big dollar sign.
Dave Carroll
With a clear, warm and intimate approach to music that has
been delighting audiences for over a decade, Dave Carroll
is pleased to release his highly anticipated debut solo recording,
Perfect Blue. This collection of twelve refreshingly unique and
insightful songs, is injected with a "coming home" sense of
familiarity that subtly transcends musical barriers, bridging
the genres of pop, rock, country and folk.
Perfect Blue represents a new chapter for the Halifax musician
who has enjoyed a successful career as songwriter and performer
with the ECMA award-winning band, Sons of Maxwell. Dave has
written, recorded and released over 40 original songs on the
band's eight cds, shared in awards and nominations for multiple
ECMA and Nova Scotia Music awards and has toured Canada,
the US, Europe and China.
This project was recorded in the fall of 2007 in Halifax, Nova Scotia
using some of Atlantic Canada's finest players and was co-produced
with the highly regarded Jamie Robinson. Three of the songs were
co-written in Nashville with Bernie Chiaravalle, Grammy winner
Jon Vezner, and Canadian Steve Fox.
The recording is an eclectic combination of musical styling
showcasing Dave's growth as a songwriter and storyteller as
well as his maturity as a singer. Says Carroll: "My goal when
writing the songs for Perfect Blue was to sit down and create
music without expectations or limitations; to let each song have
its own voice. Jamie and I brought that same philosophy into the
studio when recording the CD and, listening to it now, we're very
happy with the results. Each song stands on its own but somehow
they all fit together as one project."
Dave's clear, warm vocal style has been compared to James Taylor,
Neil Finn, Chris Isaac and Keith Urban but more often than not what
strikes listeners is that Dave Carroll sings with his own voice,
telling stories and sharing his unique observations of the world in
which we live.
United Breaks Guitars
A Statement from Dave - United Breaks Guitars
Check out a video for Dave's song inspired by the book "The Power of Now," written by Eckhart Tolle.
Check Dave's first music video from Perfect Blue for .
Thanks for the ad Dave -- Delta busted up my Takamine a few years back. It mysteriously slipped under the wheel of the baggage trolley. I did however get them to pay........about 6 months later.
Keep up the good work and love your writing and voice.
Thanks for the add & greetings from Finland! We really know how it feels like when the flight company breaks your precious guitar: within a bit more than one year, Finnair has broken 2 guitars from us!!! One Ibanez, one Gibson, both great guitars... It sucks! Plus, we have also eye-witnessed how they throw the guitar cases while loading/unloading the plane. It's just like in your video, unfortunately...
Looks like you'll be at THE U.S. CONGRESS, Today, Tuesday, September 22, 2009 after 10:35a.m. ENJOY the experience and Thanks for being out there for us all.http://uspolitics.einnews.com/article.php?nid=744037
Dave Carroll is tremendous. What an excellent combination of thoughtful expressive music and magnificent melodic voice.... particularly on "Perfect Blue".
I'm plagiarizing some of Dave's lyrics as I share my opinion of his solo CD. (Dave...Hope this is okay.) I'm a proponent to seizing our moments. Don't wonder what might have been....Close your eyes while you hear how Dave Carroll smashes the perfect blue sky with this passionate and affecting CD. You'll wish your heart could change your mind and your mind could follow your heart through his mindful lyrics.
A poignant line in 'Perfect Blue' is, "I've mastered being right so well that everything is wrong." That's not the case for this musical anthology. Dave's expressive lyrics expose a depth of experience and feeling that an average person can connect with.
As Dave convincingly enlightens with lyrics of "Now never ends and now has never been," I suggest you listen - now. You'll have to catch your breath after surrendering to this powerful listening experience.
If you're on his website to listen to musical sound bites and/or to see what his fans think of him - listen and read his kudos. Wonderful audio experience.
Your "United" songs and videos made me laugh out loud a couple times. Good songs too. You're very talented. Your song "Now" is very beautiful also. I made a music video for my new song "In Neverland." If you get a few minutes you can check it out at:
Great fun, Dave! Chicago baggage handlers in sandals??? ... and I didn't realize how much I would cringe at the sound of crunching guitars. It just shouldn't happen. :( :( Congratulations on the millions of views of UBG #1 and by the way, I'm really enjoying the CD's I ordered! Thanks lots!
Who would have thought that out of such thoughtlessness and one broken guitar so many people would receive so much joy.
Dave and Friends you have turned it all around. You're the Best. Boo United and the Rest. Except for poor ole Ms I. who was only doing what she was told to do in that mess.
It's going on my blog. You're the Best! Merci Buckets.
Your voice is so beautiful and soothing to listen to, especially in the song "Now". Its the kind of voice that makes you feel like your a child being read a bed time story, safe and snug in bed. It's mesmerizing and I never get tired of hearing it. Dave you have a lot of talent and I love your music. It's very inspiring. Thanks for sharing it with me.
