Today marks the beginning of something I’ve been meaning to create for a long time: a place where all the strands of my life finally meet. If you’ve found your way here, thank you — whether you know me as a veteran, an academic, a musician, a performer, a public speaker, or simply a curious visitor.
My journey has never followed a straight line. I served as a soldier, learning discipline, resilience, and the ability to stay calm when everything around you is trying to knock you off centre. Later came the academic world — years spent researching, writing, and trying to make sense of people, history, and the systems we build. Alongside that, my life in music and performance never faded. Whether on stage with an instrument, speaking to a crowded room, or giving a lecture, I’ve always been drawn to the power of expression: sound, story, and human connection.
This website will be the home for all of it.
I’ll be writing about the lessons I’ve carried from the military into civilian life; about the academic ideas that continue to shape my thinking; about creativity, performance, and what it really takes to stand in front of an audience and hold their attention. I’ll also share the occasional behind-the-scenes look at ongoing projects, research interests, and the odd musical moment that deserves a place beyond the rehearsal room.
Most of all, this blog will aim to do one thing: offer something useful. Whether that’s a thought that makes you pause, a story that makes you reflect, or a practical insight you can take into your own work and life.
Thank you for joining me at the very start.
There’s plenty more to come — and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you.
— David