Darius McCrary (Malcolm, Y&R) talks about his band’s upcoming album (dropping on April 12).
How would you describe your music? “It’s really soulful but it’s got a little bit of rock. It reminds me of the music back in the day, how those bands could work harmoniously, and produce a sound that brought people together. So that’s what we’re going for, without losing the edge.”
Who have been your musical influences? “Jimi Hendrix, Terence Trent D’Arby, Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Bob Marley and Steely Dan. I’m trying to figure out a way to put all those sounds together and that’s what the music reflects.”
Will it appeal to all age groups? “That’s what we’re going for. We want to be able to touch everybody. Back in the day, it wasn’t about demographics, it was just about people. And then when people started figuring out that there was money to be made, they started targeting [different age groups]. But I’m a firm believer that true art transcends all of that.”
Tell us about the album. “It’s a collection of songs that I’ve lived through, to put it mildly. I write true stories. I’m not one of these guys that’s going to write about models I haven’t had. I mean, I believe we should be able to live out our fantasies but I prefer to write about the issues that I’ve been blessed to work through and some of the things that have made me who I am.”
What is the name of the album? “‘The Dissertation of D’. The band is called The D-List.”
That’s not because of Kathy Griffin, is it? “No, no [laughs]! This was way before her, but I love Kathy Griffin. She’s awesome. If she ever asks us to come and rock out with her, we would turn her out. But the band entails myself and my brother Donovan and Dave Foreman, who is an incredible musician. He’s played with everybody [like] Boyz II Men and Anthony Hamilton. There’s also Derrick Walker, who has played with Snoop Dogg. So we’ve got some serious cats that we’re working with. My sister’s in the band as well. Her name is Daun, so it’s just a bunch of Ds.”
What is the name of the single? “The single is called ‘I Do’ and will be released on February 5. It’s not necessarily my favorite record, but it’s something that everybody responds to. It’s slow and moody but the rest of the songs on the album are all to get the party started. We didn’t want to have the party kick off and then bring it back down. So we figured we’d start out with ‘I Do.'”
I understand that you and your siblings have music in your DNA. “My father [musician/actor Howard McCrary], is a legend. He’s worked with everybody from Stevie Wonder to Earth, Wind & Fire, to Michael Jackson to Andraé Crouch so I grew up around this. I’ve actually sang background vocals on a Michael Jackson session because of my father. That’s how I was raised.”
Where will people be able to find the single and the album? “They can go to iTunes. We’ll also be selling it on the web site, www.tmcentertainment.net.”
Is there a tour in the works? “Yes, we’re working on that now. We’re going to be looking to tour through the summer and later this year.”
Would you ever perform on the show if they asked you to? “Well, I do everything they ask me to do here. I’m going to tell you honestly, this is one of the few places that I’ve had the pleasure of being able to give my talent and be uninhibited, and giving.”
