Once upon a time there was an artist named David Edwards who charted new musical territory few other Christian musicians dared to explore. His first album simply titled David Edwards was unlike anything else. It was catchy, well produced, well written, and delivered with honest passion.

Welcome to the 80's, and Jesus Music was beginning to take the baby steps that would eventually become an industry not big on looking back and acknowledging it's debts. Sure people in the know site Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, and Daniel Amos as pioneers. But it's important to note that before Steve Taylor became the "New Wave" messiah, there was David Edwards going boldly where agents feared to tread.

His follow-up album Get the Picture was even better. Darker, more thoughtful, and showed an artist about to hit his stride and take his place at the forefront of Christian music. Then he committed the commercial suicide he eloquently referred to on his debut album. He released Dreams, Tales and Lullabies. An ambitious effort inspired by David's love for George MacDonald, and C.S. Lewis. Of all his albums (so far, let's not write the guy off) this will be the one to stand the test of time.

Then David disappeared (probably closer to the truth he settled down, had a family and had to make a living). Over time I lost my beloved vinyl copies of his first two albums, and David's music drifted into the nostalgic music of my past.

Fast forward to the Spring of 2000, and for whatever reason I was thinking about David's music. The Internet being the vast suppository of collected knowledge and pornography, I found David had his own site (I expected to find hundreds of sites dedicated to this pioneer, but sadly there was very little to mark his contribution to the industry he helped shape) called Studio Edwards - so I looked around. Low and behold there were a few .mp3 files (many of them very good), and a blurb about a reissue project for his first two albums. At the bottom there was a contact e-mail address.

Over the last year and a bit, David and I have exchanged a few notes, and recently with the release of his Christmas Carols, I was privy to an advance copy, which is one of the best collections of Carols I've heard. My Mom likes it too which means he's made it big in my house.

This page is my humble attempt to right the wrongs of the past and put forth my uninformed two cents worth about an artist who will one day be looked on as a pioneer in an industry that owes him a debt of gratitude.

banophernalia.com interview with David Edwards from December 2001

Official Links:

David's Official Page

The Collected Archives (©2001 Blind Records 27 of 300)

Disc One: David Edwards (©1981)
Best Friend / Rather Be Wrong / Commercial Suicide / Nagging Optimism / Hollywood High / The Getaway / Kicks / Disposable Love / The Tongue Is A Fire / Don't Ever Say / Not Going To Fall Away / Song Of Wholeness
Bonus Tracks: Part of Yesterday (unmixed demo) / You Got Me Now (unmixed demo) / Disposable Love (unmixed rough track) / Nagging Optimism (unmixed rough track) / Tongue Is A Fire (unmixed disco version) / The Feeling Part (Live at Greenbelt) / Commercial Suicide (Live at Calvary Chapel)

Disc Two: Get The Picture (©1983)
Anything But Love / Someone To Trust / The Feeling Part / Watch Over Your Heart / How Could You Throw It All Away? / Break The Big One / (I Love It When You) Put Me Down / All I Want / True Confession / Girls Like You / A Fool's Condition
Bonus Tracks: Befriended (2-track demo) / Hope Lies Still (2-track demo) / Friend Of Old (demo) / The Way Of The Sea (a "new" Christmas song)

Finally released in July 2002, David managed to (successfully) reissue his first two albums on CD. I'll admit to being somewhat anxious to hear these again. After all, these two albums were a big part of my life, and songs like The Getaway, Not Going To Fall Away, and A Fool's Condition were big influences on my own songwriting. Could they stand the hardest test of all - nostalgia? In a word yes. It took me back in time, with better sound quality - except for one little flanged glitch about 10 seconds in on Anything But Love. Still, considering the self destructive nature of recording tape from the 70's and 80's the fact that this sounds as good as it does is amazing. I guess quality really does last.

The first disc holds up pretty well, and features some great new wave influenced tunes. However this is more than just skinny tie Elvis Costello-ish pop, it's got some depth. It's interesting what twenty years will do one's tastes. Kicks which I really liked before, doesn't work so well anymore. But Commercial Suicide which was a tune I used to skip over, really sounds great. Sadly I still can't make myself like Song Of Wholeness. Don't know why, I just don't. The bonus songs are great snapshots. My favourite being the disco version of Tongue Is A Fire. I was listening to this cranked on headphones the first time, and when the guitar solo kicked in, it scared the crap out of me it was mixed in so loud. That's really funny.

The second disc, is still my favourite. Amazing to see what two years will do to an artist's development. The sound is more stripped down, and has a rougher feel. Someone to Trust is one of the best rock ballads I've ever heard. I wore out my original vinyl and cassette copies. David loaded this one with bonus stuff too (whoops, I just jumped. That danged disco version is playing right now, and the guitar solo just came on. It really is hilarious, who said the guitar can't be funny? This is the best as in worst solo since the Cover of the Rolling Stone by Dr. Hook) his version of Friend of Old is better than Randy Stonehill's.

All in all well worth the wait.

Hats off to Myrrh for taking a chance on this guy the first time, and kudos to Word for providing the master tapes for an independent release. Can I get an Amen?

Reviewed July 19, 2002

Dreams, Tales & Lullabies (©1985 Light)

the songs: My Empty Pockets / Diamond's Lullaby / When Morning Comes / The Son And The Angels / I Saw Your Prayer / When He Comes / Grandfather's House / When At Night

The first thing that struck me was this didn't pick up where Get The Picture left off. What the heck was this! Holy cow - David had suddenly turned into an artist, full of the trappings and ambitions that such lofty aspirations bring. Musical hubris? Commercial suicide? This effectively ended his musical career. Actually, I think that the Christian bookstore distribution mentality killed it. Uh, does this go in the "praise strings" section? I never knew this album existed - not the first time around in 1985, and not when it was reissued on CD (hey, full marks to Light for putting it out on CD). If it wasn't for David himself I still wouldn't have a copy of this album. Thank you.

Listening to this I have a hard time believing that it was recorded in 1984. Of course listening to it fifteen years later, I can't help but judge it by my tastes today. The songs are Dreams, Tales and Lullabies, and lyrically this is pretty rich stuff - dare I say beautiful at times? This is a demanding release. You have to pay attention. There are no big hooks, no sing along choruses, no flaming guitar solos. Just an ambitious, lush, and well written album.

Is it good? Yes it's good. It's very good. Here's to the artist formerly known as David Edwards.

Reviewed August 30, 2000

A note from David:

Jevon, Thanks for the DTL review. Out here in New England, where "sentimentality" is a crime just a little less heinous than child molestation, recipients of this CD have been known to literally stop speaking to me after listening to it (I am not making this up).

Inappropriate (©2000 Wind Records)

the songs: Watching the Checks Roll In / We Have the Victory (David Edwards conducting the National Manly Men's Victory Chorus and Marching Band) / Watching the Checks Roll In (live in Rome at the Pontius Pilate Festival of Love)

Boy howdy, here it is the year 2000, and after 15 years David peeks out from his shell and delivers a body blow to the pretentiousness of Christian music. Once upon a time there was a DA tribute CD called When Worlds Collide (yeah it's a clever, or not so clever reference to the Wylie and Balmer classic). A certain early 80's pop icon submitted a great tongue and cheek ditty, that was accepted and then subsequently rejected by said project as being "Inappropriate." David riding upon high horse, gets a lot of mileage out of the rejection, and releases the song himself along with a couple of other songs to flesh out a 3 song CD single that marks a new chapter in the David Edwards saga. Now we have David the satirist. Oh man, pour acid on my head and call me Clive.

David really had something in his cornflakes this time around and the results are perfect. Along with the National Manly Men's Victory Chorus and Marching Band this is an excellent, if all too short return of an artist who's been quiet for too long. ". . . there're some bad bibles out there circulating. Some words have been changed, so watch out for those bad bibles."

Awaken the beast! (little "b" - wouldn't want to offend anyone with what could be construed as an inappropriate evil allusion.) Get this while you can, there are only 1,000 of them being made.

He managed to assemble a pretty amazing live band. Graham Lee, Levar Kottke, Archie Dimeola, Lance Devito, and Ronald Wakeman. At least that's my best guess as only their first initials are listed in the credits . . .

Reviewed August 30, 2000

Christmas Carols Old and New (©2001 Jondeaux)

the songs: The First Nowell / The World Was In His Hands / It Came Upon a Midnight Clear / Away In A Manger / What Child Is This? / I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day / O Come All Ye Faithful / Miriam / Oh Holy Night / Silent Night / Ave Maria

This is a wonderful collection of Christmas favourites, and a couple of new songs that fit very nicely.

Recorded at David's own studio, there's a warmth and gentleness that permeates this recording. David by necessity played most of the instruments and is in fine voice through out. What makes this so special is that it is overall a quiet and peaceful recording of Christmas songs. David has grasped the fact that we need to sit back and appreciate Christmas and reflect. To that end there are no fast in your face tunes. The original tunes are excellent, and his interpretation of What Child Is This is worth the price of the disc.

Randy Stonehill helps out on guitar and backing vocals on a number of tracks, and the performances are very good throughout. For a self produced effort this is a crisp recording. Sure there are some shortcomings in terms of production, but they aren't distracting enough to be - well, a distraction. The vocals on one or two tracks sound aren't as brilliant, and occasionally his guitar work has some scratches, which is more a byproduct of recording than playing. He's a solid musician.

This recording is truly an inspired Christmas collection, and very much worth seeking out. I don't believe this is widely available, but it is available from Jondeaux, and at 15 bucks is a steal.

Reviewed December 1, 2001
Featured album December 2001