Who McNairs wins

You’d want to watch David McNair. The shaggy mop-top, the hushed, unassuming manner, the willingness to embrace the ‘singer-songwriter’ tag, the citation of Elliot Smith as a major influence – taken in isolation, many of the Belfast lad’s constituent parts would suggest nothing more than another mildly drawn boy to add to the great throng already shuffling amongst us.

That, though, would be doing the 24-year-old a great disservice.
While McNair can conjure up a winsome, heart-bruised ballad with the best of them (if it’s a cover of ‘Hey Ya’ you’re after, you’d be better looking elsewhere), please don’t dismiss him as one of those moping introverts plaguing open-mic spots all across the land.
Because, behind the polite exterior, lies a steelier, more battle-hardened sensibility.
In the four years since he made his first tentative steps into writing and performing, McNair has been seriously busy – hooking up with local boy made good Iain Archer, touring Europe with The Amazing Pilots, and carving a niche for himself as a respected and imaginative local producer. All without having to raise his voice.
Perhaps he isn’t as meek as he first appears.
“No, I’m not,” he confirms. “But then I wouldn’t say I was cocky either. I maybe just believe that I have something to say and I’ve been encouraged by some really great people along the way. People who see music the same way I do, and see it was a way of making a connection.”
The aforementioned Mr Archer was the first to lend support. After being handed a demo by a mutual friend, he offered to produce a selection of McNair’s acoustic numbers. It was an experience that left a deep mark on the younger musician
“He was great,” he says. “Very generous and he always had loads of ideas and suggestions. He just does what he does and tries to be as honest and upfront with it as he can.”
The good impression must have been mutual. When the demands of Archer’s burgeoning solo career meant he had to quit his second job as lead guitarist for The Amazing Pilots, he suggested that the Wilkinson brothers could do worse than give McNair a call.
Within a matter of weeks he was getting to grips with the intricacies of the brilliant Hello, My Captor and gaining an invaluable insight into the day-to-day life of a band on the make.
“It was a really positive, eye-opening experience – seeing how the Pilots dealt with PR people and the logistics of going on tour. Getting up at five am for an Easy Jet flight, sitting on a bus full of screaming kids, dealing with a crew and roadies.”
It’s easy to deduce why The Amazing Pilots would make liberating company. Thus far their career provides a perfect example of creative resilience. Disastrous record deals and frequent line-up changes have failed to damage belief in their collective calling.
“The Pilots got their deal when Paul was driving a van for another band,” reveals McNair. “He handed a tape to their manager, and they gave it to someone else who listened to it, loved it and decided they wanted to put it out. I think that’s a great story. Unless you have a real passion for it, a career in music is just not sustainable. There are so many knock-backs and disappointments. You need to be in it for the right reasons.”
That McNair has planned for the long haul can be seen in his decision to lend production skills to a number of local bands.
First to benefit were Six Star Hotel, soon followed by the now-defunct Element. And while he admits to having little in common musically with the acts he has worked with, McNair claims to have learned many lessons that have fed into his own material.
“It taught me to be open to try things that you’d never think would work,” he says, “We would record in the shower, use beer bottles as percussion instruments. When you work on your own stuff, you can become obsessive and hung up on details. I’ve learned to trust spontaneity and to run with my instincts a bit more.”
An upcoming recording stint with Paul Wilkinson will allow McNair to put his new M.O to the test. With a Phd to complete, it’s maybe ironic that, musically speaking, he’s trying not to think too much.
“I think my stuff is lining up to be a bit more poppy but also a lot sparser and more pared-back. But to be honest, I just want it to be organic and truthful. It’s very easy to get caught up in the mechanics of writing and recording,” he states. “I like the thought of having an idea and going for it. Trying to keep it as spontaneous as I can.”