Solo artist Dan Rose is an exciting songwriter and performer, who puts his thoughts on things such as sustainability, climate action and a minimalistic approach to life, into songs using only his acoustic guitar and his characteristic DIY approach.
Rose’s songs could be called modern protest songs, and he is never afraid of sharing his feelings of inadequacy or his frustration about the state of the world with his listeners – always with a sense of down to earth charm and warm presence.
Rose has played more than 100 shows and performed his songs and stories in more than 10 countries.
What first got you into music?
The realization is that music can be used to communicate important ideas and help inspire change. As a kid, I pretty much just thought that you played guitar to impress girls and I thought it was shallow and fake.
Sitting there and playing a bad version of ‘Wonderwall’, not for me. But when I started listening to artists like Manic Street Preachers, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan and Billy Bragg I found something that I could connect with. Someone who wrote songs about the issues, maaaaan.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Indie-folk, alternative indie-folk. A singer/songwriter who uses all the strings on the guitar but likes to keep it simple. A lo-fi loving tree-hugging troubadour. A DIY spirit with an acoustic guitar and something to say. Shall I go on? No? Okay, we’ll leave it there, haha.
Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
I love to perform in both proper venues and in those alternative locations where anything can happen. House concerts, underground events and such. I’ve played gigs at a skate-punk bar in Moscow, a Christian (and alcohol-free) rock festival in Sweden, a public school in Iceland, Denmark’s biggest sustainability convention and various activist and charity events. I’m always up for playing my songs and sharing my stories wherever I’m invited to do so. Call me!
What is your favorite song to perform?
Right now it’s my upcoming single and song from my next album. It’s a song called ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’. It’s a tribute to the organization Music Declares Emergency and it’s a kind of semi-poetic piece about standing together in the fight for a greener future. I like to describe it as a song with a lot of moving parts because the structure is a bit out there. It’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s got something to say. It has a conscience and heart.
Have you got a ritual of sorts when writing and thinking about your music?
Well I wouldn’t call it a ritual, but I really do like writing on actual paper, handwriting words and sentences. I’ve written lots of song lyrics on a computer, but in the raw and early process of writing a song, I like notebooks and a good pen. Does that make me sound like an old fart?
Which famous musicians do you admire?
The Bobfather himself, Bob Dylan. Such a long career with lots of twists and turns. I like to see myself have a long career, rather than a shortlived explosive one. I want to be able to do music as a real artist for the rest of my life. That’s also why I’ve never competed in any X-Factor shows and what else they’re called these days. I really don’t think I’d win it, I absolutely wouldn’t, but if I happened to do something on such a show that people would notice for any reason, I’d be struggling to free myself from the image for the rest of my life. No thanks. Give me longterm obscurity instead, hahaha.
What sets your music apart? What is unique, or at least uncommon?
I don’t use auto-tune and I don’t use cocaine! That sets me apart from a big chunk of the music business, know what I mean?? Hahaha, maybe it just means I’m boring so the joke is on me!
Has your musical journey had a deliberate direction, or did it simply gradually evolve in whatever direction it found?
I’ve always believed in having something to say, rather than reaching for attention for the sake of attention, know what I mean? I started writing songs before I knew how to play a single chord and that was because I had some harsh words for the world about how cruel it is. That was the teenage years, but the world is still fucked up! Obviously, there’s always a certain randomness and evolution on how things are shaping up, but I always have a direction based on what I want to say, what I have to say. There’s a lot of focus on a greener future these days, but I am committed to helping push that even further along. We can do better and it really is a fact: there is no planet b.
What are your musical plans for the next 12 months or so?
I’ll be releasing a lot of songs and I want to play as many gigs as possible. I’m quite known for performing all over the place and I’d like to keep that going! I’m aiming to play internationally again in 2024. Since the pandemic, I haven’t toured outside of Denmark. I love to be on the road with my guitar on my bag, so anyone is welcome to reach out if they want to suggest where I should go. Bars, pubs, clubs, venues, coffee shops, cafés, schools, house concerts, anywhere I’m welcome is going to be a good time.
What is your current music project about?
A sustainable future, the climate crisis, a minimalist lifestyle. Being aware of our place in history. Who stands to profit when the trees are all gone, know what I mean? These ideas and values matter to me and I am sharing my thoughts about them through simple acoustic guitar songs. Hopefully, that resonates with people, because it’s most definitely not going to resonate with the big playlists and music tastemakers of the industry. Remember what I said about auto-tune? Haha, I’m never going to be accepted in the mainstream, but I like the underground.
Would you like to collaborate with anyone? If so, who and why?
Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst have always been a creative inspiration in that they have made so much alternative and independent music on their own terms, with clever lyrics about politics and the state of the world seen through the eyes of ordinary people. It would be so exciting to do a song with them. Manic Street Preachers are the best ever rock band in the world in my book. You think I could contribute something if I were in their studio? Or would I just be in their way, ruining everything? Haha, the real question is this: Would anyone really want to collaborate with me??
Do you plan your music releases, or do you just finish a song and release it?
Oh, I plan out as much as I can, otherwise, I think I’d get overwhelmed. I try to plan ahead and prioritize what needs to be done so I don’t have to rush things and I can enjoy the process more. It’s exciting to have new music coming out and I like to feel that energy. Positive energy rather than pressure and stress.
You are a new addition to a crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Something as black as coal and as green as the hope I have for our future. Things are pretty bleak, but there’s a tiny ray of light out there. I believe we have what it takes to turn things around. That’s my colour.
Do you have a cherished childhood teddy bear or other stuffed animal sitting on your bed at home?
No, but my wife has a teddy bear version of the poop-emoji that I got for her one Christmas. It reminds her of me, in case she forgets!
What was the last TV series you watched on TV?
I actually just watched all 5 four-minute episodes of the climate crisis-themed series “So Hot Right Now” on the streaming platform WaterBear. Yup, big time binging, haha. They have a lot of inspirational films and series about life on this planet.
Which are cooler? Dinosaurs or Dragons?
Dinosaurs. I was 10 years old when “Jurassic Park” came out and it was SUCH a big deal.
What is your favorite board game?
Right now it’s “Ticket To Ride”. I don’t explore many board games, but I came across that one by accident and it’s just fun.
What would you bring along to an idyllic picnic?
A blanket and some organic white wine. Is it just me or are more people coming? How much wine should I bring??
