Update : February 2008.

Since the release of ‘A Brief moment of Panic’ in 2006 Damon has involved himself in many different projects. His main aim has been to produce a second album from ‘Room 15’. This objective has now been achieved with the up coming release of ‘Vultures and Sheep’. Again, the album contains eight original pieces by Damon, of varying styles and subjects. However, much like ‘Brief’ each piece is directly linked to the title of the album. Damon plays, and arranges the album music and is assisted with performances by his sons Elliot and Rowan who both play and sing on the album. Youngest son Joel even has a speaking part on the opening track ‘How You Want It’, along wife Lorrie who also has a cameo spot on the opening track. Ray Shulman has yet again contributed his superlative skills to the project by performing post production and a superb final mastering. The album is available on gentlegiantmusic.com through Alucard publishing.

Apart from the extensive work that has gone in to making the new album, Damon has had a few peripheral projects besides. Four videos have been produced for the album ‘A Brief Moment of Panic’. These are for the tracks Telead, When We Were, Self Pity at the Guildhall and Soul Seeks Rebellion. The latter two videos were co-produced with Mike Muscarella from San Pedro, California. Mike certainly does a great job with the editing and effects and really gives something to the music. Again, Damon has found his family to be a limitless resource of talent with his son Elliot doing a great deal of the camera work on all the videos as well as starring in ‘When We Were’ with brother Rowan and even Damon’s nephew Sam Shulman makes an appearance in the video ‘Soul Seeks Rebellion’, playing double bass and showing off some of his Firepoise skills.

In addition to this Damon continues to play with The 4WJ. This is a project band with its roots set firmly in experimentation of sound and jamming. Damon’s co-members are Tim Didymus, Toby Phillips and Steven Grainger. Together The 4WJ create some extraordinary sounds and hope one day, to release an album or two of their work. Check out their MySpace to see and hear them at play.

What next?

Damon is in the midst of planning a new project. This time he will be sharing the writing duties with his father Phil. Damon and Phil have written together before producing the episodic piece ‘Then’. ‘Then’ was based on Phil’s childhood in Glasgow. Phil wrote prose (which he speaks on the recording) and Damon wrote the music. ‘Then’ was scored for an ensemble of instruments but the only recording in existence features Phil’s voice set to the original parts played by Damon on the keyboard . 

This time round Damon and Phil are writing a rock album loosely based on a ‘freak show’ witnessed by Phil on his last tour in the United States with Gentle Giant. It’s an idea Phil has wanted to put to music for some time and with Damon taking care of the music this album should certainly take some interesting twists and turns. So, the plans are laid.    

Background History

Damon Shulman is part of a long musical tradition.  His father and uncles were the founding members of sixties beat band Simon Dupree & the Big Sound and later progressive rock pioneers Gentle Giant.

Damon started playing in bands at a very early age.  At the age of eleven, he played bass in a punk band called Chaos, the creation of Damon's older brother Calvin. They were reasonably successful and played regularly around the music venues of London and southern England gaining some plaudits in the national music press.  As a teenager in the 1980's, Damon found himself attracted to a growing live scene in his hometown of Portsmouth. He and school friends would meet regularly to play and write music which eventually culminated in the formation of Bande a Part. The line up included his brother Calvin and dad Phil. Though a short lived project Bande a Part gathered a large following of fans and again received plaudits in the national press. In 1987 Damon formed The Working Stiffs and gained a fine reputation by playing inexorably across the country. However, the Stiffs main objective was to achieve commercial success, but, they proved too quirky and aggressive an act to attain success in the mainstream pop world.  In 1993, Damon formed Different Trains and in 1994 released the album (CD) ‘On The Right Track'. The album was well received and conveyed Damon as a creative and adventurous songwriter. The band split in 1995 after a strenuous year of touring both at home and abroad.  Damon took a break from music altogether concentrating his time on his wife and children. 

In 2003 Damon returned with the album ‘In Pieces'.  The album included performances from his father Phil and IQ's John Jowitt and Paul Cook.  His uncle, Ray Shulman, mastered the CD. The album was literally pieced together, consisting of the last recordings made with Different Trains in addition to sessions recorded with John Jowitt and Paul Cook. ‘In Pieces' was never officially released, but many copies were obtained by curious music fans giving rise to many reviews and interest in Damon's music.

Damon now produces music from his own studio, 'Room 15'. ‘A Brief Moment of Panic' was the first album to be produced from 'Room 15' and was released in February 2006 on the 'Alucard Music' label. The album is eclectic, conveying a progressive, jazzy, funky, punky feel, but ostensibly maintains a musical and lyrical theme. ‘A Brief Moment of Panic' conveys Damon's musical individuality taking the listener through an emotional journey of ups, downs and roundabouts. Again, Ray Shulman has done the final mastering on the album giving it a depth and space, which is very pleasing to the ear. Special thanks are given to Lesley Minnear at Alucard for organising the release and administration of the CD. Damon also acknowledges the assistance of Dan Barrett, who created the Gentle Giant web site.

Damon is currently writing and planning various music and video projects.