Found this interesting interview: David talking about his 'cultural life'...
Published Date: 24 February 2008 Source: Scotland On Sunday Location: Scotland My cultural life: David Gray
What is your favourite film and why?
My mind tends to go blank whenever I try to think of one particular film – I do love Humphrey Bogart movies, though. However, a movie that I really like is The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, by Julian Schnabel; I just saw that last week. It's about a French journalist who suffers a stroke, meaning that he can only communicate by blinking. He manages to write a book, though, with help from his assistant who translates his blinking. It's like a piece of art – beautiful photography combined with simple ideas.
The piece of music that means the most to you?
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison in its entirety is like a sustained moment of inspiration – it's probably the record I've listened to the most. I haven't listened to it for years, mind, but I'd have to say that's my number one. It's a strange and beguiling record – if most records are made out of electric guitars and snare drums, this one is woven from some weird fabric, like honeysuckle and moss.
The best performance you've ever been to?
I've seen a lot of pretty good shows, but one that meant a lot to me though was The Cure at Glastonbury 1985, on the main stage. The sun was going down while they were playing, and half way through the performance, a thunderstorm started – lightning and all. I was a huge fan of The Cure at the time – it was sort of a life changing moment for me, it was amazing to see.
The book you have read more than once?
Moby D ick by Herman Melville – I love the descriptive brilliance of it. I love these adventure stories about the ocean and the world before we knew it, before it was televised. I find the mystery of the white whale compelling; likewise Ahab's obsession with finding it. It wasn't a book that was successful at the time, but now it's one of the greatest books ever. It's an amazing piece of writing.
The fictional character whose life you would like to lead?
I've never really thought about being somebody else – although, when I was an eight-year-old reading football comics, maybe I wanted to be Jon Stark, wishing that I had these incredible footballing skills. I probably wanted to be a footballer more than a fictional character.
Your idea of classic TV?
Comedy – something like Father Ted, which is always good to go back to. Or something like Hancock's Half Hour or Porridge – which have some really good dialogue. I liked it when television used to be like televised theatre; Porridge is all about the brilliance of Ronnie Barker against the characters around him.
Your favourite work of art?
The painting I keep going back to is an imaginary landscape by Philips Koninck, a 17th-century landscape artist. I love landscape paintings, it's what I ended up doing at art school. There's also Las Meninas, by Diego Velázquez; that blew me away, I stood in front of that for a full hour, it's such an amazing piece of work; easily the most impressive painting I've ever seen.
Prediction for star of the future?
Santogold – a Brooklyn-based artist who does dubby, dancy pop music. She was recommended to me by Amazon because I'd bought some other weird record. Out of curiosity, I listened to a few snippets on her MySpace page and thought they were really good; especially a track called 'L.E.S Artistes'.
The entertainment gadget you can't live without?
My radio – for Five Live. If I couldn't listen to the football on a Saturday afternoon, I don't know what I'd do. That and my car stereo – it's good to listen to something when you're driving.
Essential website?
There isn't really one – I'm not that webbed up. I used to use some websites a lot, but I got really fed up, because something would always happen, like I'd order something because they said they had it in stock, which would always turn out to be a lie; then the price would change for no apparent reason; things like that. I only buy music from tangible stores now.
"I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch." LC