His name is inherently associated with one of the most influential music projects of the 80s, Eurythmics. Dave Stewart, a visionary and a multi -instrumentalist, was behind the formation of a unique sound that influenced the generation. Few know, however, that his journey to music began with an unexpected knee injury, which forced him to postpone football boots and seize the guitar, which he confirmed in our conversation.
This course change led to the legendary partnership with Annie Lennox, with whom, despite his personal breakup, they managed to create seven albums in seven years and sell millions of recordings around the world. Today, at the age of 72, he remains equally active and inspiring, producing new albums for world stars and concerts with new energy alongside Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi.
In the interview you will read:
– what were the initial visions of Eurythmics and how was the song Sweet Dreams;
– What was intrigued by Vanessa Amorosi and what is unique;
– what songs will be heard at a concert in Bratislava;
– What he says about the development of the music industry in recent decades and artificial intelligence.
Dave, in one interview, you mentioned that you grew up in a country where you met music through your neighbor, a former prisoner of war. How did it affect your approach to music and your work?
I wanted to play football first. I was 13, 14 years old, but one boy caused me a knee fracture. At the same time, my mom left my father and moved out. I couldn’t play football anymore. My brother went to college, my father worked a lot and was depressed and I just didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t interested in the music at that time. I’ve never listened to any music. I was only focused on football, football, football.
Fortunately, my cousin, who was nine years older, was always obsessed with Elvis Presley and Memphis. He got to Memphis and sent us a box in which there were two pairs of delicacy jeans Levi, which we never saw before. Below them were two blues albums. I took the albums and my father made a home player. I played one because I was really bored. Thanks to this, I got into a kind of trance. At first I didn’t even understand it was music. When I realized it was music, I went to the kitchen and turned on the radio. And then I heard the Beatles, Kinks, Who, Rolling Stones and thought, “Wow.”
My brother left, but he left a small guitar with five strings in the closet. And I pushed my guitar with that leg and tried to play it. I could only play about two blues tones, but then I remembered that the man around the corner, Mr. Gibson, survived four years in a Japanese prison camp where he made such a small fake guitar from the pieces of wire and wood to try to keep the hope and happiness of all prisoners. version of guitar.
So I went to see him and he was the beloved person. He showed me how to strum and play certain chords. Then I became obsessed because I couldn’t walk – my knee was broken in three places, so it wasn’t just such a normal broken leg. I had to wait months and months so I could even walk. So it gave me a chance to get to know the music – it changed the negative thing to a positive thing. And then, when my condition improved a little, I stood up with the guitar in front of the mirror and I thought, “That’s it”.
Then, when I was about 15, 16, I was already playing in folk clubs and singing, for example, blues songs and early songs of Bob Dylan.
Beginnings of Eurythmics and creative dynamics
When you look back at the beginnings with Annie Lennox in Eurythmics, what were your first musical vision or expectations? Remember what you wanted to bring to music?
You know, we didn’t write songs at that time. We just lived together as a couple. We played in The Tourists and one guy wrote us songs. When the band fell apart, Annie and I decided to live separately, but we would make music together. And then we wrote 120 songs about the breakup… It was a very strong thing that we stayed together and made music. Although we lived together as a couple before, then we lived separately, but we went out, lived or married other people, we were still doing albums.
In fact, in seven years we have released seven albums and performed around the world. Then we paused for eight or nine years and later released another album Peace. At that time we both had children with different people. We recorded the album, traveled the world, and we gave all the money to organizations like Amnesty and Greenpeace.
Yes, a relationship with Annie is long. I met her when she was 21, now she is 70 years old. Two years ago we were introduced to Rock and Roll’s Hall of Fame, and then man thought, “Oh, how much time has passed?”
Today I am much older, I am 72 years old, but in my mind I still have 18 or something similar. I still like playing concerts and I don’t feel different than when I played in the 80s and 90s. I love to play, write, produce music. I recently produced a new album Daryla Hall from Hall & Oates. I still write, record and work in my studio. It’s like fulfilling my dream.
What was your creative dynamics and how did you overcome any artistic disagreements together with Annie?
The funny thing is that when we wrote songs together, we had almost no disagreements. We wrote songs, recorded them, finished the album and I produced it. It usually took three weeks or a month. I think because we had lived together before, we had such a psychological connection with each other. I played something, she put some words in it or played the piano and it was. Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum.
For example, Sweet Dreams was literally created in 20 minutes. Annie felt a little sad, depressed, lying on the floor. I just got a new kind, a prototype of a drum slot machine and I had a small, tiny synthesizer. And when she lay on the ground, I made such a sound-a boom, a-do-do-do-do.
And she seemed to have left the floor, she was no longer depressed, then she played on other keys, and suddenly we had the whole introduction of the Sweet Dreams song, from which we play live around the world or when I have a tour, everyone is crazy, even at the first four tones. It had something magical in it. And then Annie came up with the Sweet Dreams verse and made this. Literally 20 minutes later we had all the styles. It was literally a dystopically sad look at humanity.
I suggested that we should do something hopeful there, putting words and chords that encourage. It simply disappears on the recording or on the plate, but when we played live, we always ended with the words: “Hold the head up”. And I still do that. Except that now I did it more epic. We have a purely female band and we wrote that the song Song Sweet Dreams ends up as an orchestral that is escalating.
Cooperation with Vanessa Amorosi and current projects
How did the Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi, who performs with you today?
About 14 years ago I met a girl named Vanessa Amorosi. She is probably one of the best singers in the world. We have become great friends, a kind of relationship has arisen among us. We started writing songs together and I produced recordings. With his voice and power, he can give huge emotions. And then I chose all the women, brilliant musicians.
Last year we played 60 concerts, a year before about 30 or 40 concerts. Now it’s so dead and we’re a bit like a rock and a roll band.
What attracted you on her voice and speech?
When Vanessa came for the first time, I didn’t know much about her. She became a huge star in Australia, singing at the opening of the Olympic Games and so on, but I didn’t know any of this.
Once when she was at my home, I played an acoustic guitar and she started singing, inventing. And I had goose bumps. I realized that he had an incredible amount of emotions in his voice and that you have gone through many struggles in her life. Everything started to go out, we wrote very deep, meaningful songs about all possible things. So I slowly began to realize that Vanessa was someone I could play with Eurythmics, which we didn’t do at first. We wrote songs and I recorded albums with Vanessa. And then we just started to play with our songs. When she sang Here Come the Rain Again, she had goose bumps… and it was already possible.
Are you considering shifting cooperation with Vanessa to the studio level and creating a new album under the auspices of Eurythmics?
No, I think the songs of Eurythmics are enough. In one set we can only play about 16 or 20, but together about 140 them. I wrote them a few with Vanessa and I made an album. Two years ago we released an album and I took it to Memphis. We recorded in the studio in which he recorded Al Green. And then Vanessa sang with Tennessee Mass Choir – 50 gospel singers with Vanessa in front. It was amazing.
Will there be songs from this album at a concert in Bratislava?
No, basically we only play the songs of Eurythmics on this current tour. We played a little with them, we changed them a little, took the sections and made them longer or started differently. It’s like to come to a women’s rock and roll band concert in which I play. Vanessa has its beginning, she is the one that attracts the attention of the audience. I really see their mouths fall when they sing.
Further cooperation and view of the music industry
You have worked with artists such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Stevie Nicks and Sinead O’Connor. Is there anyone else you would like to work with in the future?
I wrote and produced songs for all by Gwen Stefani, Sinead O’Connor, Boba Dylan and many others, but I also work with really unknown young artists. I work with the Duo Jack and Daisy, now I’m going to work with Grace Bowers. She has just reached the age of 18 and is one of the best guitarists. It is very inspiring for me to work with both parties. If I constantly worked only with artists who seem to be legends, I might lose a bit of the “edge”, but when you work with brand new and enthusiastic artists who really want to start their career, you will get a different excitement.
What is your opinion on the development of the music industry in the last decades? And what is his future?
I think it’s a double -edged weapon. Now hundreds to thousands of songs are recorded daily. And a lot of mystery from the artists’ world has disappeared because they must be on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, people want to see how everyone else is doing things. In a sense, it’s interesting, but David Bowie, for example, would never do it. It is about the difference between you as an ordinary person and you as an artist, the difference between one and the other. It’s hard to explain.
For young artists, the world has become terribly difficult, and to get somewhere, you have to realize that there are many obstacles on the road that can be difficult to break through. Sometimes artists who have been doing it for years and people think they have just come, but they break through because of amazing coincidence or opportunity.
And what do you think about the impact of artificial intelligence on music?
With the advent of artificial intelligence, this has changed radically. All musicians and music unions are on their feet, which means they don’t like AI that AI learns in a musical way and can make music and so. But I say one thing and that you can’t stop it. You can’t. It’s like the Internet. Imagine people try to stop the Internet. It won’t work.
I still do what I do. AI can’t come to the stage, take a tour and play a concert with the band. Yes, someone could create a virtual version. It’s like the virtual show of ABBA, but it required a huge cargo, it cost a hundred and something millions. And it was very complicated.
Eurythmics has a strong impact on many musicians. How do you perceive your message? Do you feel proud to hear about artists who have inspired you and your music? What do you think about your music that still resonates with listeners?
As a person who creates music, I think it is difficult to respond to how someone else perceives it. But I love the fact that the music is still here, and I love when a 14- or 15-year-old has a concert and sings Sweet Dreams. Then I feel good.
Sweet Dreams will also sound Bratislava
Bratislava is also located on the Tour List of the European Cities of Eurythmics. And so we can all look forward to another musical experience. We will have the opportunity to see it on July 27, 2025 in the Peugeot Arena in Bratislava. In the case of favorable summer weather, this crowded concert will take place under the open roof of the arena, which will further enhance the experience of the evening.
Concert tickets can be purchased at Ticketportal at www.vivien.sk.
