Set your Alarm for Dave Sharp’s appearance

Preview: Dave Sharp, Tin Tins, Robertson Street, Sunday, 9pm.

“MUSIC has lots its connection to the timeline,” Dave Sharp tells me during a conversation I only partly understand.

The one-time five million record-shifting guitarist from The Alarm is bringing a raft of new material to Hastings - a town he hand-picked after n enjoyable showcase at the America Ground festival earlier this year.

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His former band, one-time mod revivalists cum celtic contempories of U2 (who they supported during their 1983 War tour), revelled in Welsh culture, Stephen King inspired lyrics and the explosion of the post punk rock music genre which would so dominate the alternative playlists of the next decade.

Now, the Mancunian who set off on his road to rock denizen of Rhyll more than three decades ago, is driven by a new mission - to help freshen up music and rid the world (or at the very least a small corner of it) or what manufactured, conveyor belt style McPop.

“The thing always was with music that it fitted into a timeline, carried on from what was left before and had a cultural heritage,” ellaborated Sharp.

“But punk destabilised and de-connected things. At the time it needed to in order to push the boundaries somewhere new. But now nothing seems to fit and I think music is the poorer for that,

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“These days you can get a record which sounds brilliant here and now but is so far removed from the musical timeline that in ten years it will be devoid of context and no longer reach out people.
“The good thing about the way music used to be was that it translated universal themes which could speak across generations and say the same things.

“We have lost that now - someone needs to reconnect with the timeline and if I can help in my own little way I will be happy.”

Sharp, having waved goodbye to the band days of The Alarm, moved to the United States where he trod the boards with greats like as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and George Porter.

Now he is back in his native north west and readying himself for the release of his new record, on which he is set to work with Britpop stalwarts Theaudience.

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So will that blend of old and new finally lead to the reconnection between modern music and the songs of yesteryear Sharp speaks to passionately about?

He certainly hopes so. “I think it is important to preserve that link to the past as a way of contextualising our move forward. I think that is what I can bring to the table.”

And, according to Sharp, there is no better place to launch his musical manifesto than here in Hastings.

“I love the town,” he told the Observer, “it has such an eclectic vibe to it and is bursting with very talented, original songwriters and musicians.

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“There is a real sense of a blossoming bohemian style scene here and venues like Tin Tins are putting their necks on the line to help promote the sort of music that touches the soul and speaks to the heart - shunning the commercially profitable McPop which is found in such abundance these days.

“I can’t wait.” Neither, it is fair to say, can Hastings.

Dave Sharp is also at the Senlac Inn at nearby Battle on Saturday from 9pm. Entry to both acoustic solo gigs is free.