Biography
"Bands come and go, and good gigs come and go, but a good song you get to keep for as long as you want. Really, at this point, I'm just trying to write some really great songs". While Dave Olson's standards for a great song are pretty high, he says that he gets closer all the time. For Olson, a good song can transcend genre or style, and it's something anyone can appreciate. "A good song will linger with you for a while."
Olson started writing and performing when he moved to Iowa in 1995. He brought with him a guitar and a mixed bag of influences: the Dead, Bruce Springsteen, the Stones, Dylan. Iowa City had a pretty strong roots music scene, and Olson soaked it up, taking cues from roots rock acts like High and Lonesome and Bo Ramsey and the Backsliders, but especially from folk songwriters like Greg Brown and Dave Moore.
In 2001 Olson formed the One-Timers to support his first album, #80. The album won local praise for its lean production and catchy songs, and the band brought Olson's brand of folk and roots music to venues across Iowa and the Midwest. The One-Timers shared billings with Neko Case, Robbie Fulks, Big Sandy, Martin Zeller, among many others, and in 2004 finished a follow up to #80, called "The One-Timers".
"The One-Timers" was never released- Olson moved up to Saint Paul and a series of financial setbacks put the project on hold. "Good fodder for songwriting," he jokes. Olson eventually started picking up gigs again, armed with a series of new songs that reflect a more mature and dedicated process. He performs solo, and more recently in a combo that features bassist Atom Robinson (of the One-Timers) and drummer Richard Medek.
Olson plans to continue gigging locally and regionally and hopes to eventually release the long-delayed "One-Timers". But Olson's emphasis will continue to be on songwriting and honing his skills. "When I record again I want it to be a collection that work as a group but also stand up on their own; songs that really blow people away. That's what I'm working on now."
Instrumentation
Dave Olson-Vocals and Guitars
Atom Robinson-Bass and Vocals
Richard Medek-Drums
Discography
"#80", 2001
"The One-Timers", Awaiting release
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/daveolsonmusic |