They say that laughter is the best medicine, but for Canadian guitarist and songwriter Darren Michael Boyd, music has been the ultimate cure. After a life-altering car accident, the Ottawa and Toronto-based musician created his debut album, “Lifting The Curse,” as a therapy for the physical and psychological complications that followed the accident.
Painstakingly writing, recording and producing the 9-track album himself, Boyd only called upon outside help for one track, “Was It Something I Said,” which features drums by Emily Dolan Davies (The Darkness, Kim Wilde.) Lifting the Curse was mastered by Harry Hess at H-Bomb Mastering (Barenaked Ladies, Danko Jones,)
ABOUT DARREN MICHAEL BOYD: Darren has toured and recorded with a variety of artists, such as Black Ju-Ju, Creeping Beauty, and Famous Underground (featuring Juno award-winning vocalist Nicholas Walsh). He was invited multiple occasions to privately audition for platinum-selling artist Fefe Dobson, and asked to write songs for Beasto Blanco, featuring long-time Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric and Alice Cooper’s daughter Calico Cooper. Darren received a scholarship to Guitar Workshop Plus in Toronto, with some of the best players in the business as instructors (Paul Gilbert/Billy Sheehan/Sue Foley). He has shared the stage with such acts as One-Eyed Doll, Wednesday 13, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stryper, Beasto Blanco, and Lee Aaron.
In the spring of 2019 he joined the Mississippi Mudds Theatre Group to play guitar for a sold out run of Queen’s We Will Rock You. The Mississippi Mudds won the Ottawa Faces Magazine award for Favourite Theatre Group for that year.
In the spring of 2020 Boyd was voted best local musician, and best guitar teacher, in the Ottawa Valley/North Grenville Readers Choice Awards, and was nominated for Rock Artist of the Year by the Josie Music Awards (The world’s largest independent music awards show).
The single “The Earth is B Flat” from Lifting the Curse reached #57 on the World Indie Music Charts.
During the 2020 Covid Pandemic period, Boyd created and released his sophomore solo album entitled Wonders of the Invisible World, along with five self-shot and directed music videos.
Three of Boyd's self-produced music videos from the Wonders of the Invisible world album were nominated for Independent film festival awards. Arachnochakra won for Best North American Music Video in the Toronto Alternative Film Festival.
He recently completed studio recording for the new Famous Underground release - In my Reflection, including a music video for "Like an Animal".
Darren released a new single called "Spider Jewel" in June 2021, while recording songs for his third solo album “Last Seen in Canada”, which was released in October 2021.
Halloween weekend of 2021 saw Boyd’s long awaited return to the stage!
Darren just returned from Nashville, Tennessee in October 2022 as a nominee (Best Musician – guitarist category) at the JMAs (at The Grand Ole Opry) in time for a few local shows, and the release of his new album Thought & Scares.
The music video for the first single. Misty Mundae, was released on November 10th.
Links:
Website:
https://www.darrenboyd.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/darren.michael.boyd/
Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/darrenmichaelboyd
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/darrenmichaelboydmusic/
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/THEwHORRORcanada
Contact: darrenboyd@magma.ca
