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David McWane on Keeping the Magic Alive After 30 Years with Big D and the Kids Table

The Big D and the Kids Table frontman reflects on songwriting, staying inspired after three decades, the philosophy behind the band's sound, and why loving the work matters more than chasing success.

By Eugenia RoditisMusicngear Editor

Photo credit: Mark Stern

Dave McWane has spent more than three decades proving that longevity doesn't have to come at the expense of curiosity.

As the driving force behind Big D and the Kids Table, he's watched scenes rise and fade, toured through a changing America, and continued pushing the band's sound forward without losing sight of what made it special in the first place. With The Good Ole American Saturday Night, that mindset remains as strong as ever, not because the band is chasing reinvention for its own sake, but because they're still eager to see where new ideas can take them.

In our conversation, McWane reflects on the philosophy behind his songwriting, why he deliberately looks outside the usual musical influences, the unseen work that keeps a band alive for more than thirty years, and the simple idea he hopes people carry with them long after the music ends: love more.
 

Eugenia Roditis, Musicngear: The Good Ole American Saturday Night celebrates joy and community without pretending life is always easy. Over the years, have you developed an internal "filter" for deciding when a song is simply expressing a feeling and when it's saying something people can genuinely carry with them?

That’s a really great question. I mostly just follow what it is I want to say/needs to be said.

I have decided that I don’t really need to write straight up protest songs, because the ones we have written say it well and I don’t need to necessarily re-write the same message into new songs. Also, I don’t think any of those protest songs really helped anything, as things just got way, way, waaaaay worse. Said is jest, maybe everything is my fault; maybe I’m making everything worse.

For this record, I decided to speak my mind more deep in the soil - “Love More” - is something people really can’t or shouldn't oppose. And if they do, then you can see that those people are worth avoiding in your life.

So I don’t know if I purposefully write lyrics that people can ‘genuinely carry with them’, but of course, I love it and feel honored when they do. I believe I am sharing my experiences with people and when people relate and connect with that, then that’s where the spark starts; that’s when the magic is created.

Musicnear: People often assume that experience makes everything easier, but after more than three decades as a band, what's something that has actually become harder with time? Not physically, but creatively, mentally, or even philosophically.

Well, seeing Americans get tricked and join that grifter’s cult has to be the most uninspiring, most depressing thing I have witnessed. I didn’t know people were THAT daft.

Also seeing America change by making every state look the same. What I mean is, when we started touring, there was only McDonald's & Burger King. Target, Taco Bell, Subway, Home Depot, etc., weren’t around yet.

I miss touring the United States and having each state be different, with Mom & Pop restaurants, clubs, record stores, and more. Everything is the same now, when everything used to be pleasantly different.

Musicngear: Your vocals have always carried a huge amount of energy. What does your live vocal setup look like today and have you discovered any unexpected pieces of gear or stage habits that make a massive difference during a long tour?

When I was a drummer, I noticed that all the other drummers played the exact same way. They do this because they all have the same influences and heroes. Once I noticed this, I intentionally didn’t study all the players that everyone else studied. Instead, I studied DJ’s like DJ Krush, DJ Shadow and many, many more. This way, as a player, I was coming from a completely different place. People started to really champion my playing and I became known as a good drummer.

I try to do that same thing with vocals. Because I never aspired to be a singer and because I really don’t enjoy the sound of pop singers or their messages, I am a lot, a lot, a lot different from most singers. My top vocal hero is Yako from MELT-BANANA, so you can see where I am coming from. No, I don’t study singing and I don’t do warm-ups.

I want to see what happens when a human strictly expresses themselves through music and singing, while not trying to become what everyone else out there already is. Also, many artists get ‘too good’ in my opinion and I feel that you can see with them that the magic of music is lost. They’re too good.

I believe in the youthful idea; I believe in keeping the magic of music alive and I do really like how I am approaching music and singing. My 16-year-old self would be proud of me.

Musicngear: With guitars, rhythm section, multiple horns, organ, and vocals all competing for space, Big D's arrangements somehow stay clear instead of crowded. During rehearsals or recording, are there any techniques, gear choices, or production tricks that help everyone find their place without sacrificing the band's explosive sound?

I believe that BIG D has always known to write parts in the empty space rather than on top of someone else. We have always known to showcase each other and to not be a ball hog.

In a proper Superhero team, people know it’s about everyone; it’s a team.

Musicngear: Looking back, what was the biggest challenge BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE had to overcome, not just creatively, but as people, and what advice would you give to younger bands trying to survive their own difficult seasons?

I believe the biggest challenge for any SKA band is financial. When you are getting paid $150.00 a show or even $300 or $500 a show, it’s nearly impossible to pay for gas, van rental fee & hotel, while trying to pay band members and save some money for future problems.

My advice to any younger artist is to love the music you are playing. If you don’t, you may find yourself playing music you don’t really dig night after night.

Also, I’d stay away from people who are purely money hungry. You need to play with players that really love music and who don’t make you have to pay them just for picking up their instrument. It’s uninspiring and doesn’t work.

Musicngear: Fans usually notice the songwriting, performances, or live energy. But what's a skill you’ve developed over the years that almost nobody notices, even though it's become one of the most valuable parts of keeping this band alive?

Loving the band so much that I don’t mind, but in fact love, spending the weekend, doing mail orders, folding merch, cutting hair out of the wheels of the amps, spray painting new banners, and all the other small things that go into keeping a band alive. I love it!

Musicngear: Was there a moment during the creation of the album when you realized, "We're still discovering new things about who BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE can be"?

Absolutely, every time we write a new album I feel that way. I often garden new beat feels for us, just to see how we will sound on a new groove.

Rockers Way on the new album is just that. I said, “Let’s play with this feel and see what happens". It’s important for artists to get out of their comfort zones.

Musicngear: After thirty years, you've watched fans grow up alongside this band. Some have met lifelong friends at your shows, some have introduced their kids to your music, and others have kept coming back through completely different chapters of life. Has there ever been a conversation with a fan that genuinely changed the way you looked at your own music?

There have been so many out-of-this-world kind things people have said to me over the years.

But I believe it’s the fact that people really look at us as a real band, with real songs that they really like; that’s still not only a mind F for us, but it’s our dream come true.

All we wanted to accomplish was to be a band that played clubs and that people kind of heard of. And we have accomplished that, so our general attitude is very positive, because all of this is extra for us!

Connect with Big D and the Kids Table
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Big D and the Kids Table will be on the road for an extensive North American tour, including a series of special "A Nightmare Before Halloween" shows this fall. For tour dates and ticket information, visit the band's official website.

About Eugenia Roditis

Eugenia's passion for music was ignited from an early age as she grew up in a family of musicians. She loves attending concerts and festivals, while constantly seeking fresh and exciting new artists across diverse genres. Eugenia joined the MusicnGear team in 2012.

Contact Eugenia Roditis at eugenia.roditis@kinkl.com

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