Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Darling
Hi Rebecca, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For that story, we need to revisit the annals of 2014 where the guitar player and I met on Craigslist. That’s right….Craigslist. I had just moved to the Charleston area and was trying to connect with other musicians. This proved to be hard as I am innately misanthropic and don’t get out into the “scene” as much as I should. Craigslist was a last-ditch effort to find a musical partner. I had given up on the musicians page, but out of boredom, I decided to revisit the website. Mike and I connected, met at a coffee shop, and next think you know, I’m at his house making music (yes, it was questionable judgement on my part).
We started off as an acoustic duo and made a decent living playing covers and originals at locals bars and retirement homes. The old ladies just loved Mike. As years passed, our sound developed, and we eventually cultivated our post-apocalyptic goth vibe. We eventually suckered Mike’s brother into playing bass with us, and we hired a questionable drummer. After the usual band turmoil, we fired the drummer and asked our current drummer, Danielle, to fill his shoes. Danielle and I had worked together for years at a music school, and she is an extraordinary all-around musician who specializes in percussion, trumpet, piano, and can also fake her way through a myriad of instruments. Mike is the guitar player and the real engine behind the machine. He’s also developed his skills in the studio and is the “man behind the curtain” on all of our studio endeavors. Mr. Minister brings his unique creativity and bass playing skills to the table. His grooves and his ability to lock-in with Danielle has solidified our sound over the years. I am the singer, key player, and sometimes acoustic guitar player. We all write collectively and each add a unique flavor to our sound and presence.
We’ve been collectively making music together since 2018 and we have since released two full-length studio albums, and have gone on numerous tours throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands the East Coast. Ultimately, we have endured over the years because we treat this as a creative, and collaborative project. We love working with each other, and we sincerely value everyone’s input. We are all good friends, and we found out the that we even travel well together, but we did recently mandate a 2 bathroom minimum in all AirBnb rentals.
We love this band, we love this town, and we love the music we make. As we get older, we have explored our various musical tastes and have expanded our palette with each album. We love playing to our Charleston fans and we hope that many more will come support us at local shows and beyond.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been anything but a smooth road for us! In addition to juggling 9-5 jobs and other daily pressures, I had breast cancer in 2017. I needed about a year of intensive treatment and we needed to put the band on the back burner. I was afraid the band would disappear without a consistent gig and rehearsal schedule.. I was wrong! Mike kept me going by forcing me to write music throughout the whole ordeal. We even managed to play a few gigs, which was momentous! Cancer literally stole the music right out of me. I was so ill that I could no longer muster the energy to sing.. I had to relearn how to sing after my ordeal and had to work to build vocal and physical stamina. I eternally grateful for the support of my band during those trying times.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We always joke that we are a great band who is in the wrong town! While we love Charleston, we are surrounded by country and Americana music artists. Don’t get us wrong, we love those folks too, but our distinct sound has trouble finding a home here in the south. In recent years, more venues have opened up in Charleston that are looking for something “different”. This is where we come in! We’ve had a lot of fun breaking the scene wide open here in Charleston and urging people to get weird with us! We’ve joined a community of like-minded musicians and fans, who are dedicated to creating and cultivating a unique town in the south.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I spent six years playing music and bartending in the Virgin Islands. I lived on St. Thomas, and attended the University of the Virgin Islands where I got my music education degree. While I was there, I played in quite a few different bands. It was a bit of a big fish in a small sea situation, but I had a great time doing it. The crowds down there let me stretch my musical wings, and I learned a lot about myself as a writer and a musician.
I had a standing Monday night gig at a small bar on Bolongo Beach in St. Thomas. As we were playing through our dinner set, Stevie Wonder and his family walked in. We were explicitly told not to mention anything, so I didn’t bring any attention to him. However, my band at the time covered one of his songs, “Living for the City”. I called the song and we played it. I looked towards his table for his response, but I got none. We started playing “House of the Rising Sun” after that, and he sauntered up to the stage with his harmonica. He joined us on harmonica for that song, and a few others. Ironically enough, Dave Mason of the band Traffic was also in the crowd that evening. He got up and jammed with us as well. It made the front page of the local paper. I was dumbfounded for a week straight. In case anyone is wondering, Stevie Wonder was gracious, complementary, and a total gem. He didn’t have to come up and play with us, but he did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://darethedarkness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivedaresthedarkness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivedaresthedarkness/
