Gregory Darling doesn’t do half measures. Whether it’s belting out skyscraper-high melodies, co-writing with Julian Lennon, or throwing himself into the deep end of production, he’s always chasing something bigger, something better. Now, he’s dusted off “A New Dream” and given it a fresh coat of synth-soaked melancholy. The song has taken on a new weight over the years, part nostalgia, part reinvention, part sheer sonic obsession. In this coversation with Jason Barnard, Darling talks about musical rebirth, and his decades long friendship with Julian Lennon.
What led you to revisit “A New Dream”?
Covid lockdown had arrived and business and time was slow. I didn’t feel inspired to write anything knew, so I revisited a few tracks form earlier recordings. The ones where ya think it could’ve been better or I could’ve done better, which ended up being more tham I care to mention. The original ” New Dream” came on and my son immediately gravitated to it, and it sparked a new life and inspiration for me.
The lyrics of “A New Dream” touch on themes of nostalgia, longing, and renewal. How much of that reflects your own experiences?
All of it! I’ve lived and breathed this song, which is why I’m so connected with it. When my buddy Anthony mumbled “ I need a new dream”, it registered instantly, which is why this song was written in an hour or so.. The words and melody came out so fluently. Wish they all came out like that.
The production of this track feels both intimate and cinematic. Can you take us through your process of giving it a new sound?
As I started getting more into producing other artists, it gave me a sense of objectivity, which can be difficult for the artists, as we are so close to our own creation. I learned that by reading the words without the music gave me a clear picture on how to create colours which reflected off the theme. So, while reading the words to “A New Dream”, I heard a totally different approach to the sound and arrangement.
The initial instrument I heard was the classic Prophet 5 synth, so I took the old school way of recording it with the volume pedals and pumping it through analog gear. I only had the click track, our voices and the synth to begin with, and once the vibe stared to gel with only the voices and synth, the drums, bass, gtr’s came easily. The trick was getting Julian’s voice and my voice to balance correctly, because our styles and ranges are so vastly different. Julian had a lot to do with making that work, by suggesting harmonic background voices which glued everything together on the last chorus.
The music video adds a heartfelt, hand-drawn dimension. How involved were you in its creation, and what message do you hope the visuals convey?
All credit goes to Charlie Warner, from the UK. I sent him the track and he gravitated to it. I let him roll with it. I think the only thing I said was “Let the words be your guide”. Something cheesy like that. A few weeks later, he sent it to me and I was blown away by the soul of his work, interpretation and vision.
Since Charlie is the sole creator of this video, I’m sure he has quite a few things to say about it. For me personally, I believe we’re never too young or too old for rediscovery, reimagining or reinventing ourselves and it’s not impossible to rekindle those childhood dreams and creativity we’ve all had as children.
Society has a way of reshaping the mindset, heart and soul at an early age, and diminishing creativity, which I believe is in all of us. A beautiful dream is a mysterious form of creativity, and we don’t have to be famous to enjoy it!
You’ve been friends and a collaborator with Julian for many years. How has your creative dynamic evolved over the years, and what was it like working together on this new version of “A New Dream”?
Yes, we’ve been friends for 34 years now, and the evolution of our friendship has developed from the brutal truth. We’ve never masked our opinions towards each other’s work, behaviour etc.. We’ve been in a couple of brotherly fights over the brutal truth and wouldn’t talk to each other for days or weeks, but it’s that honesty which has persevered.
Julian’s album Photograph Smile is one of my all-time favourite LPs. What do you remember from the making of it, including co-writing its title track?
We were in Italy recording tracks for the untitled LP at the time. Julian and I had not written anything together. I was just getting to know the other musicians on the record, so I was just sticking to my gig, playing the piano. Then one afternoon, after lunch, I heard Julian playing this sweet chord progression over and over again. In my head, I had the chord which would lead to the chorus but I wasn’t sure if it was my place to interject. My instincts eventually took over and I walked up to him and said I had an idea that could possibly work. I got on the piano, played his verse chord progressions and his melody, then I introduced the diminished chord and went to the chorus, singing “And she’s smiling and waving that photograph smile” and proceeded to mumble the rest of the melody throughout the chorus. In a few minutes, the chords and melody was done, and Julian went away to finish the words which is a challenge unto itself. Writing words to a melody is one of his many gifts!
After this breakthrough, we proceeded to write a few other songs in the studio effortlessly. We’d write it, rehearse it with the band and record it. It was a brilliant experience and a credit to the band and producer Bob Rose, as they had such an incredible feel for the project. One of the best recording and collaboration experiences in my life!
Both you and Julian are deeply involved in philanthropic efforts. How does your work with organisations like Reluvotion and the Gift of Love Foundation influence your music and its messages?
Immensely! My partners/ founder of ReLuv, Professor Nick Dungey and co-founder JR Smith brought me into this project during the Covid Lockdown. They both had a profound affect on me, as they both come from unknown worlds to me. I was all ears with loads of questions, which helped lead me to a higher understanding of the world we live in. All 3 of us come from entirely different backgrounds, but when the puzzle is put together, it all makes sense. JR likes to call us The Trifecta.
Recently, we have joined forces with Jody Folz, the founder of the Gift Of Love Foundation, and John Jenson of CCI. This collective effort will drastically change the course of the music written and the artists produced in the future. We will dive deeper into human spirit and the world we live in.
Your collaborations with Julian have spanned albums and tours. Is there a particular moment from your shared musical journey that stands out as especially defining?
Oh my, there’s so many, as we go back 34 years. I suppose the one story that will never fail my memory is the time we reconnected in Monaco in the 90’s. I had just finished recording a record in Italy, and I came back to Monaco to celebrate with Julian after a listening session. He took me around town where I had one too many drinks. I woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar room. Julian pops in and says “Cup a tea mate?”, and I said “Sure, but where am I?”. He said “You’re at my place. You’ve gotta get packed, as our flight leaves in a few hours”. I said “What are you talking about”. He said “Don’t you remember? We booked a flight to Barbados”, and I said “I don’t remember a thing”. Then we were off to Barbados, which was the birth place of the first record we would write together Photograph Smile.
Looking back, from your time in Darling Cruel to now, how do you feel your music and message have evolved? What’s stayed consistent?
Good question. In Darling Cruel, I was fresh out of music school, and I wanted to indulge in every chord change and counter melody possible. I also attempted to sing notes that only dogs could hear. In time. I’ve learned to appreciate that Less Is More, a deeper respect for lyrical content and a more sensible way of singing.
What follows the release of “A New Dream”? Any upcoming projects we should watch for?
Oh yes! Be on the lookout for a powerful upcoming release with ReLuv- GOLF. Also, an up and coming artist Ive been producing and collaborating with NOANNE, who’s been making some noise on the scene.
