David Hirst

David Hirst

David Hirst is an English singer-songwriter and, in another professional context, a British brass conductor and arranger. He comes from the north west of England and performs as a solo artist, often in and around Liverpool.

Songwriting and style

His songs use traditional English folk influences, acoustic guitar, sensitive vocals and lyric-driven writing. He is associated with melancholic melodies and strong narrative structures, with songs that often tell detailed stories. His performance setup includes nylon-string guitar and vocals, and he also plays subtle electric guitar, dulcimer and steel-string acoustic guitar.

Influences and writing themes

Hirst cites a wide range of influences, including folk revivalists Martin Carthy, Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention; British songwriters John Martyn, Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, Donovan and Laura Marling; and American artists Neil Young, Paul Simon, Bonny Prince Billy and Bill Callaghan. He also draws inspiration from literature, especially the late-1960s New Wave science fiction writers Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Harlan Ellison and John Brunner. In addition to writing about his own life, he works on songs inspired by historical texts and fiction about the First World War, focusing on ordinary people affected by conflict, including soldiers, nurses and civilians.

Live work and organisation

He is a frequent solo performer and organises the annual Folk in the Park festival in Southport.

Misery Guts

Hirst is also known as the frontman of Misery Guts, a Liverpool-based group. The band releases three singles: “Trying to Be the Sun”, “Spiders” and “More Human Than Human”. It tours in support of Cherry Ghost.