From Manchester to Hollywood: Ciaron Davies on Renaissance Artistry, Hip-Hop Orchestrations, and Directing 'Geezers'

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of speaking with actor/musician Ciaron Davies in the heart of Manchester, discussing both his latest music and life as an actor. After getting a few shots and enjoying the scenery of Deansgate Docks, we sat down to begin our interview.

Ciaron Davies

Jack: Hey Ciaron, it's great to have you here today! So tell me, who is Ciaron Davies?

Ciaron: Actor, musician, filmmaker, stunt person, producer, artist and adventurer. My favourite term to describe all this is 'Renaissance Man', as it sounds like it originated from ancient Bohemia in the times of legend and adventure. I like to explore art and ideas and express my perception of the culture around us through myriad forms of different artistic expressions. Why limit ourselves?

Jack: Wow, that is a lot! But you're 100% right. Why should we limit ourselves? Talking about your music, what artists would you say inspired you?

Ciaron: The music that we play with the Plan is ever-expanding and not limited to any one genre. I very much like pushing boundaries and breaking limitations, preconceived ideas, and misconceptions. Our current album is a hip-hop album that draws on old-school hip-hop (Public Enemy, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, House of Pain) and mixes it with massive epic orchestrations and some organic electronic rock. I wanted to use the vehicle of hip-hop, as I had some big subjects to express, and there's more room for words in hip-hop than in lyrical songs. Many of these tracks have split timings, and the words are spat like bullets on the battlefield. Aptly titled, Hollywood is dead. Our next album, which is currently being recorded, has gone down a completely different route. Resurrecting old Irish ballads and obscure blues tracks, we have completely reinvented the sound on a large atmospheric scale, again keeping with an orchestral vibe and infused with Pink Floyd-esque guitar (beautifully orchestrated by Geoff Wilson) and a big band sound. This is an eerie selection of ambient folk and murderous sea shanties, reminiscent of Nick Cave. I listen to a lot of different music and am inspired by many. This new work may be inspired by Nick Cave, Tom Waits, The Doors, Faith No More, and Creedence. I love any music which is real. You can hear it in the voice and the tone of authenticity of the instruments, like a screaming phoenix burning its last feathers.

Ciaron Davies

Jack: Expertly put! I enjoy listening to artists who constantly experiment with different genres, especially when it gives the artists a real chance to express themselves. I gave a couple of your tracks a listen too before arriving today; I must say I enjoyed them! Sometimes I'm guilty of sticking to the same bands for a long time; I don't try to push myself into new styles of music. I'm hoping to break this cycle soon. Who are some artists you're currently listening to right now?

Ciaron: I'm currently listening to a lot of Rammstein and Lana Del Ray; their truth and authenticity speak to me. They are themselves and themselves alone. Music is an amazing art as it reaches out to you from the soul of the creator, and it is almost as if they are speaking to your heart and only yours.

Jack: I'm a giant fan of Rammstein myself! Oddly enough, I've never actually listened to Lana Del Ray before. I'll have to give a couple of her tracks a listen too on the way home later. Moving on from your music life, I'd love to hear more about your acting life. Tell me, how did you get into acting?

Ciaron: The music videos that we create celebrate my love for filmmaking, which is an integral part of my day-to-day work as a filmmaker, producer and actor. I like to explore music videos that feel cinematographic. I have always been involved in movies, theatre and acting. Currently, Infinite Summer (starring alongside Hannah Gross from The Joker and Mindhunter) is in cinemas, The Manson Family Massacre (I play Charles Manson) is on Netflix, and our latest pirate epic, Grainne Uaile (which I wrote and directed), is streaming in the USA with more platforms being added weekly. We have just wrapped Geezers, a global gangster movie, in which I played a part and directed. This one also stars Shaun and Bez from the Happy Mondays, Sean Cronin (Mission: Impossible) and an incredible UK cast. Currently in post, this should get released later this year. Dubbed as 90 minutes of carnage, it does exactly what it says it does on the tin. Movie-making has always been a passion alongside music, and I always look forward to the next cinema-based adventure. Perhaps the next project could be a gothic musical?

Ciaron Davies

Jack: That's an incredible story, Ciaron! Especially this new film, Geezers? How did you find the change from acting to directing in this film?

Ciaron: I think the different forms of art are like branches on a tree. Being a filmmaker is like being the orchestrator of madness; the actors are instruments, and when you put the right ones together in the right circumstances, magic ensues. I love how the movie changes from page to filming, from filming to editing, and then to what you see on the cinema screen. In some way, we are all vessels for a narrative that wants to be told, and often watching it unravel before your eyes is majestic.

Jack: Well, you've certainly sold me! No doubt, when this film hits theatres, I'll be right there on day one! I do wish you the very best of success for Geezers. Before you go, Ciaron, one last music question I have for you. If you could support any band on tour, who would it be?

Ciaron: I'd love to be part of a super band; putting fifteen legends together would be interesting.

Jack: Excellent! Well, thank you so much, Ciaron, for coming down today. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your new album when it drops. Have a lovely day!

Ciaron Davies

Spotify Link

Facebook Link