D4P

When most rockers think of folk singers, you can see the twinge in their faces. It’s usually just too soft, too meandering for the Southern rock crowd. But I think a good mixture of people will enjoy D4P, short for “Dan for President”. “OnoTherIgo” has great instrumentals and a driving beat. This Floridian compares himself to Arlo Guthrie, but that would be if Arlo played like, a million instruments! Dan Miller has mastered Guitar, Bass, Synth, Djembe, Mouth harp, Slide whistle, and various percussion instruments.

Check out more info on www.dan4president.com . - Southern Fried Magazine

D4P has been described as "a one-man technofolk extravaganza!" We tend to agree with this description when it comes to this one-man band. He has creatively combined several instruments along with some first grade technology to form a unique sound. In this recent interview with our Webzine, D4P talks music with us. Let's see how everything pans out in this spotlight.

Isaac: How do you sum up 2008 for D4P?

D4P: I started off in Brevard, NC (near Asheville) where I actually made a living as a musician for a short period of time. It was a dream come true to pay my rent from money I made playing music. I also took an epic, cross-country, road trip with stops to play in Sedona, AZ and Portland, OR. Then I got a call from Mom, who is recovering from throat cancer, saying she needed me back home in Melbourne. I was on the road two days later and spent the second half of the year living in Mims, FL. I have definitely been playing less music here than in NC, but family comes first. I have also had some time to work on a new CD.

Isaac: Describe the music scene in Melbourne, Florida.

D4P: Well, there are some great musicians in Melbourne and there are a few pleasant venues. But filling up those venues is a little tougher here than in Asheville. I enjoy the more intimate settings of the coffee houses that I usually play around Melbourne. One time, some stranger in the audience busted out a saxophone and started jamming with me from his seat. We did a call and response improv based on the theme from 'Fraggle Rock' it was awesome!

Isaac: What is the concept behind D4P?

D4P: D4P (Dan 4 President) is the name I have given to my one-man-band, loop driven, multi-instrument, technofolk extravaganza. Keller Williams was the first person I ever saw using looping technology to jam with himself on stage. It looked like a lot of fun so I bought some toys and have been expanding on that idea for the past 5 years or so. I'm a pretty transient guy, so it has been impossible to gather a steady group of musicians to play with. I invented D4P so that I could jam and get people moving...it's just more fun to play lots of instruments.

Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2008?

D4P: My biggest accomplishment for 2008 had nothing to do with music. I put some of my own plans on hold to help someone in need. That feels good.

Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?

D4P: I appreciate people who do things that haven't been done before. I love the way Michael Hedges started beating the crap out of his instrument and creating sounds that nobody knew a guitar could make. Keller Williams is obviously my inspiration for my current live show. As far as influences on my musical style...How about Dave Matthews, Michael Franti, Sublime, G-love, Phish & Moe for my top six.

Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?

D4P: I bring the TechnoFolk. I bring happy music that does not take itself too seriously. Sometimes, I even bring a message or two about making the world a better place.

Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?

D4P: Keller and the WMD's. Jeff Sipe is just a ridiculously solid drummer and he is also one of the nicest guys I've ever met (he's from Brevard, NC). Keller is a personal hero of mine and I would love to know every little detail regarding the technical aspects of his show. The other guys in that band are cool too.

Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?

D4P: Upbeat, chipper, feel-good acoustic jams. I enjoy describing my live show as a 'one-man TechnoFolk extravaganza'.

Isaac: What is your definition for Acoustic Music?

D4P: This is a pretty lame question. I would like people to define it for themselves if they ever really feel the need to do so.

Isaac: What type of feedback have you received from your previous release, Passion Fruit and Bamboo (Garudio Productions, 2005)?

D4P: The feedback I give myself is that it is slightly overproduced for my personal taste. Other people tell me it is fine, but not quite what they expect after seeing my live show. It was really fun to make because I invited lots of my friends to contribute.

Isaac: What can fans expect from your next album, what is the inspiration behind the CD?

D4P: Fans can expect something much more organic. I'm the only one playing and singing on this CD. A few of the songs are a little mellower than people might be used to. I'm also recording some live stuff which will either become its own CD or be included as bonus material. Inspiration is behind the songs, rather than the CD. Inspiration for these songs came from a variety of sources including Green Volvo's, dirty toilet seats, Beautiful Beings, and the power of Dropped D.

Isaac: Where can fans locate you at online?

D4P:

www.dan4president.com or www.myspace.com/d4pband or
www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=90431

Isaac: What can fans expect from D4P in 2009?

D4P: More shows and hopefully a new CD.

Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans…

D4P: I am nothing without my friends and family. I would also like to say hello to Rudy and the Gang in Melbourne. This is probably a good place to plug my other passion in life which is instructing Outward Bound Wilderness courses. If you are looking for the experience of a lifetime check out www.outwardbound.org

Isaac: Final words from D4P…

D4P:

"Don't just cruise by on a tour bus taking photos no instead

Go and see it, feel it, be it use the camera in your head."
- Junior's Cave Online Magazine

D4P - Passion Fruit & Bamboo
2006, Dan Miller

Floridian Dan Miller has been doing the coffee house circuit for about ten years now, honing a laid back, neo-hippy folk style that fans of Bob Dylan or Keller Williams would appreciate. In 2006, Miller (performing as Dan4President, or D4P) took time out from the road to record his debut EP, Passion Fruit & Bamboo. Having discovered the wonder of looping technology, Miller was able to essentially become a one-man band, adding layers of sound and instruments to his heart’s delight.

Passion Fruit & Bamboo opens with the title track, a straight up acoustic rocker with some unusual instrumentation. Miller's vocals are gruff and soulful, serving to almost mask the lyrics, which seem to aim for a descriptive form of Zen but come across as awkward and clunky. Travelin' Song is a neat arrangement for acoustic guitar and drums. Steeped in a funky rock setting, D4P delivers the rapid-fire lyrics with precision and skill. This is a very catchy tune and a likely fan favorite. The West Is The Best is another ultra-catchy rock tune in acoustic form about a near-tragic brush with the law.

I Don't Mind finds D4P flipping on the amplifier for some funky, blues guitar work flourishes as accent to the acoustic setting. While You Were Gone is probably the most commercial sounding track on Passion Fruit & Bamboo; a pop/rock nugget that could easily cross over to country. The poignant lyrics and easy deliver of vocalist Dan Miller makes this song a hidden gem! ONoTherIGo is another acoustic rocker that will give you a strong desire to dance. Bombs Away has a bit more of an overtly political air to it. The musical composition is strong, but on the lyric side it’s a bit awkward in the same sense that the opening track was. It's almost as if you can tell which songs D4P is trying to have a message on as opposed to the songs that may have just happened. The songs with a forced message sound, for lack of a better word, forced.

D4P is very talented. Five of the seven songs here work wonderfully well. The other two are good, but a bit on the awkward side lyrically; almost as if the songs came to D4P, but in the process of creation Miller tried to make these two songs into something other than what they wanted to be. When, however, Miller listens to his muse and doesn't try to imprint himself on the songs, the results are incredible. D4P is a highly energetic and entertaining performer. Passion Fruit & Bamboo is a great introduction, warts and all.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)
- Wildy Haskell