“Red Giant” Album Track Listing
1. Friends (4:00)
2. Tell Me (4:11)
3. Why? (3:54)
4. Monsters (2:42)
5. Was It All My Fault? (4:00)
6. Don’t (2:00)
7. Free Me (3:35)
8. The Dark Of Me (3:10)
9. What You Gonna Do? (6:00)
10. You Say, I Say (3:35)
The Band
Dave Simpson – Guitar, Lead Vocals
John Joe Gaskin – Drums, Percussion
Carina Powell – Bass, VocalsProduction CreditsEngineered, Produced, Mixed & Mastered by Pieter Rietkerk
Recorded at Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire
Artwork by Dave Cosnette
Band photos by Matt Cunningham
All songs written by David Simpson, © Radio Silent Records 2024
Track By Track with Dave Simpson
Friends
This is a song that I wrote a few years back and never found a home. I’m now so happy to say that it finally has become what I feel it was always supposed to be. It’s just a great driving rock song. Heavily inspired by Thin Lizzy, the song’s subject is exactly what you’d expect it to be about. Friends.
Tell Me
Tell Me is a song that means a lot to me as it’s all about someone who has handed a raw deal and has no idea why. We’ve all been there, and this song is a product of those situations. It features a stunning bass guitar solo from Miss Carina Powell and has a great dynamic. I love the way it builds, falls, and builds again. It really keeps you on your toes.Why?
This is without doubt the song that means the most to me off this album and the one I’m most proud of. It’s all about being bullied and not knowing why they picked you. The lyrics take you through the mind of the suffering protagonist and let you know the hopeless feeling they are going through. I really hope this song can reach people who have suffered and are suffering and let them know that they’re not alone. I hope they can find comfort in this song.
Monsters
Monsters was a song I wrote in the 2020 lockdowns. I felt like we were not being told the whole truth and felt like everything wasn’t as it appeared. As things came out about the UK government’s antics behind the curtains this song took on a more powerful meaning and I will be forever proud of the lyrics and this song’s sentiment.
Was It All My Fault?
This song is all about the end of a relationship when you are no longer sure why it ended and start questioning yourself. It’s a beautifully powerful ballad that has a true meaning to me. I love its vulnerability.
Don’t
Love this song. Punchy, quick and to the point. I’m a firm believer in the fact that a sing doesn’t have to be long and complicated to get the point across. Don’t is a notable example of this. Heavily inspired by John Frusciante and Jimi Hendrix, the song takes you on a ride that makes you want to go again and again. It features a stunning drum break by Mr John Joe Gaskin who absolutely kills it.Free Me
This song is yet another one I am deeply proud of. It rises and falls and again gives you an insight into the suffering mind of someone who deals with mental health issues. The lyrics say it all – “Come free me from myself.” It’s an absolute cry for help in every sense of the word.The Dark Of Me
We all have a dark side. This is one I managed to write down. The idea of being trapped and lost in your own mind is terrifying and this song’s grungy and dark atmosphere really helps convey that emotion. It takes you from I can’t do this to yes, I can and back again. Being a long time suffer of mental health issues this song means a lot.
What You Gonna Do?
My love for the British Blues scene of the sixties is very apparent in this six-minute homage to one of my heroes Mr Peter Green. I played an incredibly special guitar on this song. It belonged to another hero of mine that is sadly no longer with us. He was also my friend and I miss him. I channelled all that emotion into this song. The subject matter is quite different though. That’s all about asking someone who is abusing the people around them. “What you gonna do when there’s no one left?”
You Say, I Say
Easily the heaviest song on the album and for the subject matter its perfect. The three verses of this song talk through the three stages of a relationship that’s always doomed to fail. You get the honeymoon period at the beginning. The middle is starting to show cracks, and the last verse shows complete failure and ends with the separation of the two characters. One of whom wanted this the other who did not.
Red Giant – Biography
Lead songwriter, guitarist and vocalist, Dave Simpson first picked up the guitar at 16 years old. Since that time Dave has been a prominent performer in several bands over the years and co-founded Red Giant at the beginning of 2024.Dave decided after years of playing in other bands it was time to follow his own musical style. The music he was writing did not fit the bands he was playing with, and he soon set up his own group, The Dave Simpson Trio.
The trio performed all over the UK for years and was a very established blues rock band, but in 2024 the band wanted a change. Not just in name but in style, opting for a heavier rockier approach to go along with the new songs Dave was writing.
Red Giant was born. Not long after the name change the band went into the studio to record their self-titled debut album.
Dave is a world-renowned YouTube presenter with a channel that has amassed over 137,000 subscribers due to his unique playing style and expertise on the instrument.
Dave has been incredibly open about his struggles with mental health and his blunt openness has helped countless others deal with their personal traumas. Dave’s work ethic is outstanding, tirelessly working on songs and videos while also performing and collaborating with other musicians.
John Joe Gaskin, the drummer for Red Giant, also started playing drums at the age of sixteen. As soon as he found the drums he wanted to do nothing else. He’s dedicated his life to the instrument.
John Joe is an absolute powerhouse of a drummer with a supernatural sense of time and is the bedrock of the band. Widely known as a dynamic and versatile performer, playing nationwide in the UK and Europe John Joe is comfortable with any style of music.
John Joe not only performs his duties as the drummer of Red Giant but is also the joker of the band with his wicked sense of humour he keeps everyone laughing.
The bassist on the album is Carina Powell who despite her compact stature of only 4’11 is an absolute powerhouse on stage and in the studio. Using her bass both as a lead and supporting instrument. Her hard hitting and percussive style are evident all over this album and it blends seamlessly with Dave’s guitars and John Joe’s drums.
RED GIANT
