I was in the car with my dad, and he put on a cassette of Dire Straits' 'Sultans of Swing,'" explains the 21-year-old guitarist, singer and songwriter. "I just fell in love with the music then and there. That track changed my life, and I realized, 'I really want to be able to do that.'
Hailing from the Isle of Man, the tiny kingdom in the middle of the Irish Sea, might have posed a challenge to that childhood epiphany for a lesser talent. Instead, Davy just borrowed his father's acoustic guitar and painstakingly learned to play "Sultans of Swing" by ear.
As a teenager, he mined his father's record collection to learn all he could about 'the blues' and he discovered John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Rory Gallagher, to name a few. Then I began reading guitar player magazines and started seeing who the people I was influenced by had listened to, which is how I learned about Blind Willie Johnson and Robert Johnson Davy explains.
He played in bands throughout his school years - usually as the "kid" among older players - and, ultimately, formed Back Door Slam with his school mates. The band's debut recording Roll Away, which featured Adam Jones on bass and Ross Doyle on drums, was released by Blix Street Records in June, 2007. Knowles wrote all but one of the tracks on the record, which became a Top 5 staple on Billboard's Blues chart.
Ironically, now young(er) guitar players are reading about him in the way he did about his heroes. Nick Anderman of the Village Voice wrote: "Davy Knowles, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, is talented like very few bluesmen these days. He shreds like a young Robert Cray and wails like the love of his life was just hit by a truck," while Shane Harrison of the Atlanta Journal Constitution said: "If this were a more just world, the band's startlingly talented guitarist, singer and songwriter Davy Knowles would already be a star."
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Such acclaim continued as the band played clubs, concerts and festivals and shared billings with George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Who and the legendary jam band Gov't Mule. They also appeared on television's CBS Early Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as on NPR's World Cafe and Voice of America's Border Crossings.
After parting company with his bandmates Jones and Doyle early this year, Knowles began to record the follow up to Roll Away. Scheduled for release by Blix Street this summer, the recording is produced by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist Peter Frampton, who also features on the album.
Despite the thousands of miles he's already logged on the road - 300+ dates in 18months to support their debut CD in America - Davy's anxious to get back out there to play. "You should play music because you love doing it," he says, "If you can hang in for the long haul, you're doing what most people can't, and you're incredibly lucky."
He's begun to call America "home," but there's a hint of wistfulness when he speaks about the Isle of Man, a feeling addressed in the title song of Roll Away: "It's a beautiful place and I feel lucky to have grown up there - but you can't forget that there's also a world out there beyond it."
And for Davy Knowles, the next stop is the world.
Falling apart
Davy Knowles Lyrics
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The sleepless nights howling at the moon
You'll find out it's not all as it seems
Your constantly pulling and tearing the heart out of me
Ohhhh
I'm praying that you'll listen now
You kick and you scream
Lie through your teeth
This time you won't find me
Falling apart
You kept your feelings way out of sight
When you're looking for answers in the dark of the night
So long ago our fate was sealed
But the memory haunts me
The devil that taunts me is real
Ohhhh
I'm praying that you'll listen now
Cuz you get what you're giving out
You kick and you scream
Lie through your teeth
This time you won't find me
Ohhh
And it's so easy now
When i think of you
Haunting my dreams
They come torn in two
Nightmares where you came, I can't wake up
Ohhhh
I'm praying that you'll listen now
You get what you're giving out
You kick and you scream
Lie through your teeth
This time you won't find me
Falling apart
The lyrics in Davy Knowles's song "Falling Apart" express the hurt and damage caused by a toxic relationship. The singer is addressing their former lover, speaking to them about the pain they caused and how it affected them. The first lines express the extent of the destruction left behind by this relationship, emphasizing the sleepless nights and damage that was caused. The second line in particular paints a vivid image of the singer howling at the moon, highlighting the desperation and anguish they experienced.
The singer then warns their former lover that they will eventually realize the true cost of their actions, portraying them as constantly tearing the singer's heart out. The chorus asserts the singer's strength in the face of this pain, refusing to fall apart despite the emotional turmoil caused by their ex. The next verse reminds the listener that their relationship was doomed from the start, but that the memory of it still haunts the singer. The devil that taunts them is their own memories, a reminder of the love they lost due to their former partner's hurtfulness.
The final verse explores the idea of haunting dreams, with the singer struggling to move on from the pain of the past. However, they continue to find strength in their own resilience, declaring that they will not fall apart again. The song as a whole emphasizes the importance of recognizing the damage caused by toxic relationships and the power of personal strength in overcoming adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't think you know the damage you did
You have no idea of the pain and hurt you caused.
The sleepless nights howling at the moon
The agony I felt at night was like howling at the moon, hoping for some relief.
You'll find out it's not all as it seems
Things are not always as clear cut as you might think; there are hidden layers to unravel.
Your constantly pulling and tearing the heart out of me
You are always tearing at my heart, making me feel broken.
I'm praying that you'll listen now
I hope you will finally pay attention to what I say.
Cuz you get what you're giving out
You will eventually receive what you put out into the world.
You kick and you scream
You fight and struggle, unwilling to let go of your anger and pain.
Lie through your teeth
You are dishonest, and say things you don't mean.
This time you won't find me
I won't be easy prey for you to manipulate and break.
Falling apart
I won't crumble and shatter under your pressure this time.
You kept your feelings way out of sight
You hide your emotions, making it difficult for me to understand you or know how to help.
When you're looking for answers in the dark of the night
When you seek answers, it's during the darkness and uncertainty of the night.
So long ago our fate was sealed
Our destiny was predetermined a while ago.
But the memory haunts me
The past still lingers in my mind and troubles me.
The devil that taunts me is real
The negativity and pain you've caused feel like a real-life demon that keeps haunting me.
And it's so easy now
It's easier now to see how toxic our relationship was.
When i think of you
I still think of you even though I shouldn't.
Haunting my dreams
You continue to come into my dreams, reminding me of the hurt I experienced.
They come torn in two
My dreams are shattered and torn apart when you appear in them.
Nightmares where you came, I can't wake up
When you make an appearance in my nightmares, I struggle to wake up and escape the terror.
Writer(s): Davy Knowles
Contributed by Joseph H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.