Artist Spotlight: Baby Dave

From punk rocker to gardener to societal commentator, Isaac Holman is a chameleonic creative, a subtle writer and an intriguing persona. 

The Slaves frontman and drummer has taken some time away from the industry, but is now back with his brand new solo venture, Baby Dave. The debut full length project of Dave has just arrived, Monkey Brain, with Holman turning to past collaborator and UK legend Damon Albarn for his production wizardry. 

Sonically and thematically condescend, the combination of DIY style production, Isaac’s familiarly unique vocals annd painfully funny and honest writing ensure that Monkey Brain is an absorbing, introspective and invigorating experience. The album’s winding narratives play out like corner shop poetry; inherently British and beautifully grounded, Baby Dave depicts and cherishes everyday life. With tales that refuse to sugar-coat or romanticise, there is something dazzling in the normality of the album. A truly soul-rending listen. 

I ascertained the pleasure of sitting down with Baby Dave to discuss his revitalised love for creating, his soul searching spell as a gardener, witnessing the genius of Damon Albarn, and his unparalleled new project. 

Who’s influenced the Baby Dave project?

People like Baxter Dury, Ian Dury, The Streets. Obviously Damon has influenced it quite a lot. Baxter Dury’s album Happy Soup was always on repeat when we were touring with Slaves in the early days. I love that sound and I’ve always wanted to make something like that. 

Massive Slaves fan! How do you look back on that period of your life now?

It feels mad. It feels like another lifetime. So much has happened since we parked Slaves and I feel like a different person, but I still feel like I could get on stage and do that now. 

How have you evolved as a musician and creator?

I’ve had to adapt and create my own new little style of making tunes. I didn’t have much to work with when I started doing Baby Dave, but that’s become my sound. After Slaves, and when I wasn’t doing too well mentally, I kind of convinced myself that I couldn’t write lyrics anymore. Now, I feel a lot more chilled about it, and that I’ve got that bit of me back and I trust myself more as a lyricist now and try not to overthink it. I just write differently now. It’s more cathartic now than with Slaves. Back then we were just writing some punk tunes. Now I see writing as therapy. 

What led you to start the Baby Dave project? 

I’d written a few tunes in late 2019, but at that point I was just doing it like therapy to sort myself out. I decided that I was going to stop doing music properly, to become a gardener. After maybe a couple of months of working for a gardening firm, I had the realisation that I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. It didn’t feel like me, it didn’t feel right to me. So I quit the job and decided to do music again, which led to Baby Dave. 

It’s certainly one extreme to the other, going from a punk band to gardening!

Yeah it was very different. It came along at the right time, when I was feeling in need of some purpose and graft. I still love it now, I want to continue doing it. 

So you’ve come back from the hiatus and effectively had to start again with building a fan base and making a name for yourself. Has it been a tedious process or is it exciting to you?

I think it’s exciting. I naively thought that everyone would love Baby Dave and there would be an instant buzz around it but it hasn’t been the case, I have had to build it back up again. I’m grateful for that experience, having to work for it again. It’s been grounding. 

Has it been easier this time around, considering that you’ve had the experience of starting off with Slaves and that you have that recognition and esteem already there?

Yeah, because people know who I am they are already interested, but this project isn’t for everyone. Slaves fans won’t necessarily like the project. It’s made it easier, but certainly not smooth sailing. 

When you set out to create the album, did you have a set idea for the stylistic direction?

Not at all! I was just on Garageband on my laptop, I’ve never had any interest in getting Logic or anything better because I get overwhelmed. I like having the limitations and simplicity. That style was just what came out when I started making tunes. I didn’t have any idea of how I wanted it to sound, but now I can see the influences. The sound just developed naturally, which is something I’m going to take with me going forward. As long as it’s got my voice on it, it’s going to sound like me. I’m not going to worry about genre. 

In terms of the production on the album, there is a real DIY feel around it. Was that out of ease or was it a set aesthetic you were trying to convey? 

At the time, I thought that I was making demos. I went in the studio with Damon and he said that he’d liked what I’d done and he’d just do his thing on top of what I’d done. It wasn’t until he’d said that to me that the stylistic direction was born. Basically if I’d have gone to someone else to record it, it’d be a different project. Him saying that to me gave me the confidence to carry on doing it in that way. 

How did working with Damon come about?

I’d obviously worked with him before with Slaves for the Gorillaz tune and got on with him really well and he liked what we were doing. So I had the tunes and took a long shot, messaged someone from his management team and asked if he would be up for working on them with me. He was into it and was up for getting in the studio to work on them. I think most of me was expecting a no so it was a pleasant surprise. We did it all in like two days, he’s a very quick worker. Watching him is just crazy. He just hears little things, laying down all these parts super quick. 

In terms of theme, what are you trying to convey with the album? 

Honesty. The whole thing is honest, from the deep stuff to the stupid mundane stuff. It’s the whole point of this project, to tell it how it is. 

You’ve done a few shows recently, how did they go?

I’ve had four recently, two in my hometown, one in London and then I had my first solo festival last weekend. That was wicked! Very different because until then I’d only played to venues of people who had come to see me so it’s cool going to festival where some people in the crowd don’t know you and you’ve got to work a bit harder for it. I really like my band, I’m feeling good playing with them. It’s still got a massive live aspect to it, it’s quite chaotic and punk rock, but at the same time is quite polished as well. 

If you were introducing yourself to a new listener who had never heard your music before, what track would you play them?

Probably Washing Machine because I feel like it sums up the sound in a way, even though they are all sonically different. 

What’s to come from Baby Dave? 

I just want to get busy. Play loads of gigs; I’m going to do a UK tour in the summer. I want to keep making stuff, keep putting stuff out, whether its videos, tunes or remixes.