Dave McPherson is a UK singer-songwriter, drummer, guitarist and vocalist from Brentwood, Essex. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist in InMe and as the drummer in Centiment. He also works on solo material and a number of experimental side projects.

Career

McPherson performs in alternative rock and metal with InMe, and in heavy metal with Centiment. He also records under his own name and works in acoustic, folk, folk rock and experimental styles. His solo output includes a series of EPs and rarities collections, much of it self-produced, self-recorded or self-mixed.

Solo releases

His early solo EPs include Crescent Summer Sessions (2004), recorded at home and entirely self-produced, and B.S.W.U.E. (Beautiful Stories With Ugly Endings), an entirely acoustic release that includes the fan-favourite “Glass White Flag”. That EP is co-produced, engineered and recorded by Rob Gurton at DrunkMonk Studios, with two tracks re-recorded by McPherson at 3Kings Studios.

A Bridge for Burning (2007) is also fully recorded, produced and mixed by McPherson. It includes songs originally intended for the unreleased Soft Terminus EP, which he decides not to put out. I Don’t Do Requests (2008) is the first of his EPs to feature Ben Konstantinovic on guitar on several tracks, with additional music on the title track from his brother Greg McPherson. McPherson describes that release as deliberately varied in mood and structure.

He also releases Rarities 1 in 2008 and Rarities Part 2 in 2009, both drawing on older recordings, demos and live versions. Rarities Part 3 gathers material that he says consists largely of old potential InMe demos, all written and recorded by him. His first live EP, Unplugged Live Support Machine, follows in 2009 and includes live versions of songs such as “Hearts Need Blood”, “Glass White Flag” and “I Don’t Do Requests”.

Other projects

McPherson runs several experimental projects. A Devil’s Devil begins in 2007 and issues Introduce The Devil To Your Mother in 2009. Primordial Soup is a techno project; its first EP, Listen Closely, contains vocals and is written, sung, programmed and recorded by McPherson.

He also works with his brother Greg McPherson in the side project initially called Herald Moth, later renamed Scoliopteryx Libatrix to avoid confusion with InMe’s Herald Moth album. The material is recorded in 2005 and released in 2010 as three instrumental CDs in an opera metal style, with plans for a further vocalised release titled Larvae Residue.

Writing style and material

McPherson’s solo songs often move between acoustic writing, folk-based material, social commentary, humour and personal subjects. Several tracks begin as possible InMe songs before becoming solo pieces, including “You Shouldn’t Give Up On Her”, “Ditto” and “Hearts Need Blood”. His recordings also include electronic interludes, orchestral instrumental pieces and other experimental arrangements.

Background and collaborations

He comes from the United Kingdom and is born in 1982. Within his solo catalogue and related projects, he works with Greg McPherson, Ben Konstantinovic and Paolo Morena, and he records many parts himself. His releases also show a strong DIY approach, with material recorded at home, in hotel rooms, and in various studios, and with songs often later appearing in demo, live or alternate versions.