Artist description Singer songwriter Dick Moffat and friends produce a varied, relaxing and melodious sound based on Dick's many and varied compositions.

Music Style Indie Ballads

Musical Influences Neil Young, Van Morrison

Similar Artists Neil Young

Artist History Playing on the local folk circuits for many years and givng many impromptu performances, Dick has entertained all age groups. Originally from Merthyr Tydfil, but now living in St Albans, Hertfordshire, Dick Moffat has been writing songs since he was about twenty. Through his teenage years he was unaware of this musical ability although previously having singing and piano lessons when quite young and to which he put up great resistance. Mik Brenton moved to St Albans when he was about five and he and Dick have been friends since then with a gap of about twenty years in between. Mik started life in Perivale and he was aware of his own musical talents from a very early age and was also into electronics. The latter became his overriding interest and also his profession, after university. Living in Newcastle, Mik embarked on his own life but tried to stay in touch with Dick, occasionally meeting up. About ten years ago, Mik and his family moved back to St Albans and as his children became older and the business more settled, realised that he wanted to involve himself in his other great passion, ROCK AND ROLL! He suggested to Dick that they get together sometime and so this resulted in their jointly writing a couple of songs. Another three years went by until, one night, Mik had a party at his house at which his band played. For the first half, Dick played an acoustic set and many people remarked to Mik that they preferred it to the Rock and Roll set. In the intervening years Dick had been playing at various folk clubs, beginning with his unaccompanied comic songs and such was the unexpected enthusiastic response that he continued to do this for several years. However, what he really wanted to be doing was writing easy going melodies and accompanying himself on the guitar. Eventually he got together with a guy who had started out with Donovan. This was Mac MacLeod, the original Hurdy Gurdy man of Donovan’s 1960’s hit. He and Dick put together a band called Nightsign and did several gigs during the three years that this lasted. He also accumulated one or more suitcases full of the words of his songs. How many in total will never be known. One day, after returning from the Edinburgh festival, Mik came round to tell Dick that he’d seen Dougie MacLean in concert there and had suddenly realised the potential for Dick’s songs. They got together and wrote a couple of songs but another year went by until Dick lent Mik a copy of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. After hearing this, Mik was hooked, realising the easy, laid back mood that Dick was trying to achieve. The musical collaboration began here, a trial tape was made and then Rendezvous, the first CD was produced. There have always been people around who appreciated and seen the potential of Dick’s songs although to others they are a complete surprise. On getting in his taxi, you may be greeted by a harmonica emerging from his pocket or a concertina from under the seat or a manic recital of a poem whilst driving along. The passenger may say, ‘Who’s that on the tape?’, to which Dick, more often than not replies, ‘Dunno, a mate of mine taped it off the radio.’ Silence! ‘What do you think of it?’ Passenger, ‘I like it. Are you sure you don’t know who it is?’ ‘Well, actually it’s me.’ ‘**** off! Give us a couple of bars then.’ Dick obliges. `Blimey, it is you. Got any for sale?’ ‘Yes, I’ve got a CD in the boot.’ And this happens many times.

Group Members Dick Moffat

Instruments Acoustic and electric guitar, various backing instruments

Albums Strange Rendezvous

Location St Albans, Herts - United Kingdom

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