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LETTER FROM DARREN
G’day All
Just a quick explanation for those wondering why I’ve been quiet of late, well I literally had to go QUIET. I’ve been battling with a voice problem, cause unknown, for some years now with it getting steadily worse. I’d tried everything from specialists to naturopaths to hypnotherapists .You name it, I tried it - all to no avail.
It started as just something which made my vocal recovery a little slow. Then actual singing became a labour. I was playing solo and doing some pretty vocally demanding songs and just put it down to fatigue. I changed mics thinking it was problems with my gear. Then I started losing my range, particularly my “head” voice. I lost it badly while doing the vocal for my first album, Beyond the Paling Fence. We put that down to an allergy to the perfume of a friend sitting in on the session.
From there it rapidly deteriorated .A three hour gig would take two weeks to recover from. The songs I wrote for my album Come By Chance were written to accommodate what voice I had left only to find them a struggle too. Two 15 minute spots, two days in a row at Mildura was enough to make the rest of the festival a nightmare. Talking became difficult. A half hour conversation with a friend could result in no voice for 4 days. I started having to cancel gigs due to “laryngitis” or some other illness. Throughout all this, I have been constantly seeing health professionals, including Ear, Nose and Throat specialists. Some treatments actually made me feel better in some way but nothing helped my voice .I became a nervous wreck and was very depressed (quite normal for people with this problem I’m told).
Well, by the end of this years Tamworth it all came to a screaming (or whispering) halt. Lucky for me a dear friend of mine, who was in Tamworth, gave me the name of someone in Melbourne who has GIVEN ME MY LIFE BACK. It turns out I’ve got a vocal problem called muscle tension dysphonia caused by reflux. Sounds yuk doesn’t it. Well it is but its not reflux as most people know it. Just a little acid getting into the larynx and playing havoc with the vocal cords.
The great news is its treatable and the better news is that my voice is coming back beautifully and I’m about raring to go! I’m already doing things with my voice that I haven’t been able to do for 3 or 4 years and with a bit of gigging the vocal stamina will return too .WOO HOO!
So while I’m “rehabbing” please don’t forget me. I’m counting on you all being there when I “come back”!
My first serious hit out will be at the Gympie Muster in August. Can’t wait!
See ya there Daz
