An unavoidable part of existence, right next to death, taxes and hangovers. One can try to fight it or let it flow and move with it. For the three men involved, the journey of forming blues rock stalwarts Free Born Soul has been a lesson in personal growth and development. Today, singer/guitarist Dave Gorman is all smiles and easy charm. But back in 2018, it’s fair to say the Irish ex-pat was burn
ed out. Over the past 6 years, he had grown his 70s worshipping rock act, Aviator Shades, into a well-oiled machine. The band had made two records, broken into the Canadian Rock Charts with several singles, and criss-crossed the country with an energetic live show. As time went on, though, living out the Phil Lynott fantasy started to lose its luster, and the band began to fall apart. Simply put, rock n roll had become a grind.
“I didn’t believe in what I was doing anymore. It was starting to feel like I was playing a character, and I didn’t like it at all.” Gorman's sense of restlessness was only compounded by reconnecting with bassist and Calgary local Riley Cobb. Having served as a bass player for thrashers Throne of Vengeance, and bluesy swagger merchants The Outer, Riley Cobb had long been a fixture of Calgary's music scene. "It had gotten to the point where I couldn't go to Walmart on a weekend without running into a friend from another band!" But, with a handful of charted singles and a storied gig history under his belt, Cobb began to feel like a fish outgrowing his pond. Upon realizing their common musical threads and their desire to change their situation, a bond started to form. Even though we had no songs, no direction… we didn't even live in the same city. But this was the way to go." With his old band laid to rest shortly after, Gorman did what he hadn’t done since he was a teenager; holed up in his room with a guitar and started to play. As he put in the hours, the sound from his hands started to match the sound in his head. Incidentally, that sound mixed the plainspoken lyricism of Chris Stapleton with the expansive lift of U2 and a touch of fist pumping classic rock. Eventually, Cobb made the jump to Vancouver and the pair's musical bond developed further. The songs molded their disparate influences into something that was full of energy and vitality. The momentum started to build… only to have the rug sharply pulled out. The Covid-19 pandemic, compounded by layers of personal turmoil, left the pair rudderless. Rather than give up, however, they doubled down and turned inward, honing their songs further and further . Gorman lets out a bark of laughter at the memory. "It kinda worked out that we haven't been able to play gigs for the past two years! We've been able to grow in private, rather than on stage. It's really allowed us to clarify who we are and what we want to say as a band." As the pair started to define their sound, they cast their net for additional players. Guitarists, drummers and even the occasional keyboardist came and went before the pair found their final piece. Rob Wheeler came up studying the drums under some of the UK’s premier session musicians, developing a subtle, balanced technique. His “serve the song” philosophy appealed to Dave and Riley, and before long, the trio had gelled into a cohesive unit. But, with regular concerts still a ways off, the energy in the rehearsal space needed an outlet. So, naturally, recordings were the next step. For that, Gorman contacted an old friend from the Aviator Shades days. The legendary Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith) took the group into the studio and set to turning their songs from intriguing sketches to inspired anthems. “He took his time, making sure everything was in tune and sounded at its best. Then it was just up to us to bring our best performance!” Gorman grinned. Before long, the trio had four songs, ranging from the bluesy swagger of "Movin' On", to the heartfelt cry of "One Day At A Time". As the holding pattern breaks and the world starts to find its way back to some semblance of normalcy, the group is poised to make their mark on Canada's music scene, but after all of this, the question still remains; just who are Free Born Soul? Gorman gives an uncharacteristic pause before answering. “It’s funny, we’re still discovering that. We’ve grown so much in the past few years. Spiritually, emotionally, musically… as much as hard rock music about having a good time will always have a place for me, that’s just not who I am anymore. These songs we make now, this is who I am. Take it or leave it, this is me.”
One thing is clear; Free Born Soul is the sound of three people rediscovering their fire, and making the kind of music that resonates with them. Music to chase a dream to. Music to fall in love to. Music to live to. Like the song says, they just take it one day at a time.
