Playing his first live concerts at the age of 11 in pubs on the Isle of Wight, he played in several rock bands during his teens - one of which, Targa, played regularly on the London circuit, finally getting their own headlining concert at London’s prestigious Marquee Club.
During the 1990s he was trained as a Bard, poet and storyteller in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and it was during this time that he found his artistic expression within folk music, forming the ‘Mystic Folk’ band Spiral Castle for a support concert with Robin Williamson (founder member of the Incredible String Band). Spiral Castle played regularly during the late 90s at festivals including the Pagan Federation International Conference at Fairfield Halls in Croydon.
He released his debut solo album, "Herne’s Apprentice", in 2002. He followed this with "The Hills They Are Hollow" in 2003, "Spirit of Albion" in 2006, and "The Cauldron Born" in 2008. In 200, he released "Tales from the Crow Man", an album of mostly traditional folk songs alongside Eric Bogle’s classic anti-war song Green Fields of France. In 2010 he the live album "As Nature Intended" (download only). His album "Antlered Crown and Standing Stone" was released November 2012, and "Sabbat" was released in 2014.
After the release of Sabbat, Damh began a multi-year project to create the Four Branches of the Mabinogion in audio format, with song, story and film-type scoring. Y Mabinogi – The First Branch was released in 2017 with The Second Branch coming out the following year. The Third Branch was released in 2020.
The Wheel
Damh the Bard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the shortest day
My crying greets the dawn.
Tears of dew form on the web
As I am reborn.
Feel new life spring
From the Earth,
As the Mother of All Life
Though I am a child
I will soon become a man.
Feel the warmth upon your skin,
Sense the animal inside.
As every creature on the land,
Feels the rising tide.
The natural rhythms
Of the land,
As the Goddess takes my hand,
Into the Forest Green
With the Horned Man.
The waves of corn
Have turned to gold,
My time is drawing near.
I see my Lady smile at me,
Inside I feel no fear.
As She raises the scythe
Above Her head.
Blood spills on the Earth
As I fall dead,
In the Otherworld
I guard Her throne
'til She returns
The Wheel, by Damh the Bard, is a song that explores the cyclical nature of life and nature. The opening lines describe the singer's rebirth at sunrise on the shortest day. The tears that form on the web symbolize the cleansing and new beginnings that accompany the dawn. The personification of the Earth as the Mother of All Life giving birth exemplifies the cyclical nature of all things, as one life ends, another is born. The singer acknowledges that although they are currently a child, they will soon become a man, presumably as they undergo the various cycles of life.
The second verse examines the connection between animals and humans with the natural rhythms of the land. The singer urges listeners to sense the animal inside them, to feel the rising tide that affects every living creature. The Horned Man represents the masculine aspect of nature, while the Goddess represents the feminine aspect. The two work in tandem to create balance and promote new life. The blood that spills on the Earth represents the sacrifice that is necessary for new growth and is a common theme in many ancient mythologies.
Overall, The Wheel encourages listeners to embrace the cyclical nature of life and to feel connected to both the Earth and the natural world around them. It urges reflection on the symbolism of the changing seasons and the rhythm that governs all life forms on Earth.
Line by Line Meaning
As the sunrise
As the day begins
On the shortest day
During the winter solstice, the day with the least amount of daylight
My crying greets the dawn.
I cry as the day begins
Tears of dew form on the web
Dew drops form on spider webs
As I am reborn.
I am experiencing a new beginning
Feel new life spring
Sensing new, vibrant life emerging
From the Earth,
Coming from the ground beneath me
As the Mother of All Life
The feminine force that gives birth and sustains all life
Gives birth.
Bringing new life into the world
Though I am a child
Despite my youthful perspective and limited understanding
I will soon become a man.
I will mature and gain experience
Feel the warmth upon your skin,
Sensing the sun's heat on your skin
Sense the animal inside.
Being aware of one's primal instincts and urges
As every creature on the land,
As all living beings on land
Feels the rising tide.
Experiencing the natural ebb and flow of life
The natural rhythms
The cycles and patterns we observe in nature
Of the land,
The environment around us
As the Goddess takes my hand,
The divine feminine guides my journey
Into the Forest Green
Venturing into a lush forest
With the Horned Man.
Guided by a masculine earth deity who embodies power and vitality
The waves of corn
The golden fields of crops that sway in the breeze
Have turned to gold,
As the grains ripen, they take on a golden hue
My time is drawing near.
I am approaching the end of my life's journey
I see my Lady smile at me,
A vision of the divine feminine shows me kindness
Inside I feel no fear.
Despite the natural fear of death, I am brave
As She raises the scythe
The goddess holds a symbol of death
Above Her head.
Preparing to harvest the souls of the departed
Blood spills on the Earth
The cycle of life and death continues
As I fall dead,
I succumb to the inevitable end of my existence
In the Otherworld
An afterlife realm beyond our own
I guard Her throne
Assigned to protect the goddess's seat of power
'til She returns
While waiting for the goddess to come back and judge the dead
Contributed by Kayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.