FRONTRUNNER Music Editor David Pinkerton: An Introduction

When setting out to write this introductory editorial, a self-editorial, an entire drinks cabinet of thoughts, emotions, questions and anxieties poured itself inexorably through my core. My intention, through writing, had been to focus outwards to chronicling – hopefully, for your enjoyment and interest – my observations on the current and future state of music and its role within society. I wasn’t fully prepared, however, for that focus to first be directed towards me. Within the context of what I’ve just outlined, my “mission statement” if you will, why, then, should the lens not occasionally tilt in my direction? After all, anyone writing about a subject with a claim to authority – or, at the very least, knowledge – should be able to demonstrate how they came to acquire that knowledge through their own experiences. This is what I will set out to do.

There’s always been music in my family. From my earliest years (although, in my childhood I was largely unaware of, and/or disinterested in it), there was always a presence, in some form or another. Some of this stems from culture, as in the case of my grandfather. Eric Shepley Pinkerton was a cornet player and occasional conductor at his work’s brass band. Coming from the North of England, this was a very common practice during the mid twentieth century, where every factory, mine or engineering works would have had a brass brand. These musicians would regularly perform and compete against rival bands (the English call them “firms”) in regional championships. I’d heard many stories from Grandad of his band performing in places such as the Princess Gardens in Edinburgh, seaside resorts like New Brighton, and even The Royal Albert Hall. My mother also plays the piano, an instrument always present in our home, and some of my earliest memories are of her playing to me from a book of pop standards.

Despite this presence of music in my upbringing, it wouldn’t be until my teenage years that I took an interest in the subject and fully engaged with it. I became a fan of the pop-punk genre fad during the early 2000’s: Blink 182, Sum 41 and The Offspring. I received my first electric guitar at fifteen, and it was these bands’ songs that I set about learning. Looking back, I can laugh at how crude my first attempts were. There was something unique about that style that drew me in, generating feelings I hadn’t experienced up until that point. But, it was clear that I still wasn’t particularly motivated in learning the guitar. Then, I discovered The Beatles, and everything changed.

As disgracefully pretentious as this may sound, aside from being musical idols, The Beatles also served as excellent music teachers. Listening to their catalogue bestowed upon me the importance of concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm and chord structure. These experiences were my first forays into music theory, and I became increasingly curious. I wouldn’t understate the role that the Internet played in my musical development, also. As a self-taught musician who, to date, cannot read sheet music, websites like guitartab.com proved an invaluable asset in learning how to fret chords and play lead riffs and solos. In the same way, YouTube (from its earliest days) created an inexhaustible pipeline of music that I could listen to. I’m a member of the first generation of musicians shaped by the World Wide Web. Although it’s all too easy to look for downsides of its effect on the industry, learning skills and accessing music is a revolutionary asset. As my confidence grew, with a repertoire ranging from the 1950s to the 1980s, I started performing live at open mic nights in my hometown. By this point, I’d also acquired an acoustic guitar.

In time, I came to prefer an acoustic style of playing. I also began performing in folk nights at local pubs. This kind of performance is rather unique to Britain and Ireland, and can take the form of session playing. Very often, there’s no stage. Just a group of performers with acoustic instruments sat in a corner, or even sat around a table, will play reels, jigs and the occasional ballad. Performers are often paid in beer, which was an attractive proposition for my twenty-year-old self. I look back fondly on these times, although I must’ve caused quite an annoyance for folk purists. A typical night would entail a merry Irish jig, followed up by a rendition of “Mr Tambourine Man” by Yours Truly. Many an irritated eyebrow was raised. These early experiences cemented an interest in folk music, along with other forms of roots music such as American Country and blues. Like my grandfather before me, I was drawing upon my cultural environment for musical education.

Things changed, however, as I moved away and other shades of life began to take centre stage. For a time, performing ceased. But I played at home for myself, always practising, always listening. A constant throughout my musical life has been an appreciation of lyric songs, as opposed to instrumental music. I’m interested in song craft: what makes a song so great that it stands the test of time, and I’ve devoted many years learning to compose songs, myself. It took a long time until I wrote a song that I felt lived up to my own standards. Not to suggest that it’s anything brilliant, but it was the first song I was happy with.

The COVID-19 pandemic afforded me the opportunity to perfect my approach to songwriting. Furloughed and confined at home, I devoted all my time to music. During the first lockdown in the UK, I composed 20 songs. Even more came forth during subsequent lockdowns. I would test out new compositions by performing them over Skype to friends, with an overall positive reception. When things opened up, I moved to London and I made a concerted effort to once again perform publicly, which I do whenever I can.

It’s from this standpoint that I’ve taken up this editorial. By highlighting my own experiences with music, from early inspirations through to gaining confidence as a musician, I’ve encapsulated my love for the subject. I hope that I can also encourage other curious fellow travellers by sharing what I’ve learned. In the coming months, I’m looking forward to investigating the many facets that characterise the contemporary music industry. I hope that you’ll join me in this endeavour…as there will be much for us to explore.