• Name – Neil Davidge
• Production Co – Freelance / 7hz recordings
• Email – james@jabamusic.co.uk
• Web – http://www.neildavidge.com/
• Web – www.jabamusic.co.uk/neildavidge.html/

Born in Bristol in 1962, Neil Davidge began his musical journey as a self-taught guitarist. He would later go on to learn the craft of sound recording through sheer trial and error. After studying Graphic Design at Bristol’s Brunel Technical College, Davidge began producing for DNA, a West Country dance act which provided official remixes for the likes of Kylie Minogue, Suzanne Vega and Vanessa L Williams.

Whilst working at Bristol’s infamous, and sadly now defunct, Coach House Studios in 1996, Davidge struck a relationship with Massive Attack. This would lead him to produce the group's esteemed cover of the Marvelettes' The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game for the Batman Forever soundtrack. The relationship with the group subsequently strengthened, and Davidge was instrumental in shaping Massive Attack’s critically claimed third album Mezzanine - including Teardrop the UK Number 10 and current theme tune for U.S. hit TV series House.

Following Massive Attack’s global success, Davidge has carved himself a career as a freelance producer, songwriter and composer. His credits are numerous, boasting film scores for Danny the Dog, Bullet Boy, Battle In Seattle, Push and Clash of the Titans. He’s scored documentaries - including In Prison My Whole Life and the Oscar-nominated Trouble The Water. He’s collaborated with acclaimed artists such as UNKLE, Elizabeth Fraser, Damon Albarn, David Bowie, Mos Def and Snoop Dogg. He also scored the highest charting video game soundtrack ever - Halo 4 -which reached Number 10 in Billboard’s independent album chart.

Spring 2014 saw the release of Davidge’s critically acclaimed solo debut Slo Light, an album ‘deeply-schooled in Bristol, beats, electronica, soundtracks, orchestral music and more’. The album capitalizes on crystal-clear production coupled with diverse vocal talents ranging from 60’s poster-girl Sandie Shaw to new school talent like Cate Le Bon and Karima Francis. Slo Light has already started to make waves in the sync sector and with Riot Pictures chosen as the closing title track for Monsters: Dark Continent. Adbreakanthems' Ollie Squire caught up with Davidge to quiz him about the album and other activities as well as hear his take on all things sync.

What was it that made you gravitate towards the sync sector after the commercial success of Massive Attack?

After Mezzanine was released there practically wasn’t a film or TV show that didn’t have a track featured from the album or something that sounded strangely similar. In many ways that album kickstarted the concept for artists / publishers to view an album’s potential financial rewards not simply in terms of how many records it sold or how much airplay it recieved. I’ve always continued to make music that for some reason marries well with visuals, that captures a feeling and can communicate it without having to have a lyric hammering it home which I guess would limit its sync-ability. I’ve scored a number of movies as well as the video game Halo 4 and found that transition easy. So, both financially and artistically, recognising the sync business as a viable outlet for me has been a no brainer.

Do you feel the music scene in Bristol has/continues to influence your work?

I assume so. It was always a tenuous thing anyway, not so much about the actual music that Bristol has become famous for but more the attitude that spawned it… London is where people go to become ‘famous’, Bristol is where you go to create (unless you were lucky to be born there, of course).

On the whole I think Bristolians are slightly disdainful of success and sharing that attitude helps keep me fresh, keeps me from following a method, from going in for the easy cash. Somedays I wish I could simply view what I do as a job. But I just don’t think I could do what I do and have so many people like it if I felt that way.

If your new album was created with sync in mind, how did the creative process compare previous albums?

I wouldn’t say I tailored it towards the sync market but I certainly recognise that the sync market enables me to make an album that doesn’t have to follow traditional song structures but can still be viable financially. The process has always been the same, the most important thing is to communicate a feeling or idea authentically to as many people as I can in as unique a way possible… it’s a delicate balance.

What would you say sets you apart from your competitors?

I’m not sure how to answer that… I’ve done things that other people haven’t. A number of those things have been very successful as well as widely respected. It’s not easy to make good music, it’s not easy to make successful music… it’s even harder to do music that does both.

Who are your key clients?

It changes from year to year. I’ve worked for EMI, Universal, Microsoft, Warners, Summit, Vertigo, Eurocorp, and many other companies. Producing albums primarily for Massive Attack. Various film scores including Push, Clash Of The Titans, Monsters Dark Continent and the score for the Xbox game, Halo 4.

Could you name your five most successful syncs?

Teardrop (Massive Attack) - theme for the TV show House and many other movies and TV shows.

Angel (Massive Attack) - Armani and many other movies and TV shows.

Gorgeous for Jaguar

Two Rocks And a Cup Of Water - trailer for
I Am Legend.

And a Smirnoff campaign for JWT in New York that I can’t remember.

What is your favourite piece of TV ad music and why?

Coca Cola's I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing because my uncle [Roger Cook] wrote it.

Finally, what advice would you give to composers aspiring to make it within sync industry?

I guess you need to always care about the music you make, otherwise how can you expect anyone else to dig it… especially the client and the consumer?

It’s not just a job and methods and gear will only get you so far. Passion and commitment is essential, it’s not a quick and easy route to a private jet and a house in the Med… it’s bloody hard work.

Also, value what you do and don’t allow yourself to get bullied around into working for nothing. The opportunities for musicians to earn a living have been eroded significantly over the years by… musicians themselves who keep offering their services for nothing just to get a gig.