Tempting Fate Duo / Members
Duncan Dakin
Guitarist Songwriter VocalistFrom an early age I was encouraged to listen, play and sing music and sang loads of tunes I'd heard from the Radio / TV etc, before I could talk! (according to my mum!) I started playing the piano as soon as I could reach the keys but when I had to start learning actual pieces, I soon lost interest. When I'd passed grade1 piano, I switched to the Violin. I enjoyed the Violin and at 11 years old, started lessons and joined an orchestra. I became the lead violinist, and moved quickly through my grades. It was also about this time, that I joined the choir at St Andrew's Church where I learnt to hone my singing skills. The Choir took me around Britain and Europe and I was frequently asked to sing solos or duets for various religious occasions. By the time my voice broke, although I was told that I had developed a strong and much sort-after bass voice, I was getting tired of all the hymns, psalms and religious paraphernalia and decided to leave. At 14 years old, I had reached grade 5 violin but didn't take it any further as I found music theory too much like hard work and I always had 'better' things to do with my time. A Change in Direction In the early 90s, at 18years old, I developed a taste for Rave music and decided to try my hand at DJing. I was good at it and became a freelance DJ. I made pocket money doing that but had a lot of fun. By 1995, I decided the rave scene was getting a bit heavy and I left DJing to travel the world. During this time I was drawn towards the sound and feel of the Acoustic Guitar and loved it. It was the traveller's instrument. Whenever I heard any chord pattern, I could almost instantly envisage a tune, lyrics, bass-line...a whole song. It was then that I decided that I must start writing. When I returned to England in 1998, I bought my first guitar, enrolled on a pop music course at the local college and started writing songs. I have been writing songs ever since, most of them inspired by the places I've been.
Gary Smith
GuitaristAs a 14 year old teenager I can vividly remember seeing one of the art teachers from school playing the acoustic guitar at an open day and deciding that I would like to learn to play as well. It seemed a challenge and quite mysterious how he was producing these amazing sounds just by moving his fingers around on the fret board. My general interest in music, particularly rock music, was also just starting to emerge at this time. I can often recall going into a particular music shop in Rugby, since shut down, and lusting over the various guitars, amps and effects. Most of my friends were into new wave music at the time, but I thought the sheer scale and musically of the progressive music I was listening to was on a different level. I guess, in truth, there is room for all musical styles. Nothing is really better, just different.The following Christmas my mum and dad bought me an ebony Antoria Les Paul copy. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an amp, but later that Christmas day my next door neighbour ( very kindly) turned up clutching an old amp he was willing to let me have. Looking back I should probably have learned to play on a descent acoustic. The electric guitar was an ideal instrument to create the most un-musical sounds possible ! The years that followed must have been pretty grim for my parents and immediate neighbours, as I was often in my bedroom playing along to Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin at maximum volume. My mid to late teens were a difficult time for me and at some point I lost sight of the part of me that influenced my creativity and became more interested in women and wine. Looking back I think these were a substitute for things I’d been missing in my life. A long term failed relationship and general life re-evaluation put me back in touch with my creative side, which I had submerged for a long time. I began to learn the guitar again, I went for some lessons, which really opened my mind to the true potential of the guitar and got involved with a few bands. So prior to meeting Duncan I’d been in a few bands, played a few gigs and done a bit of home recording. When I met Duncan, I was immediately impressed with his voice, sense of melody and the lyrical content of his songs. He is very talented. I think we work well together, because although we’ve been influenced by the same things, Duncan has taken away something slightly different from those influences. I tend to bring something dark to our material and conversely he brings something lighter and melodic. Our styles complement each other well. I really believe in Tempting Fate and with our first album completed, feel sure we are in the throes of fulfilling our potential to do something exceptional. I hope you get the opportunity to hear our album or catch us live.
