Damian has played the classical guitar since he was 13-years-old. Quickly though, suspecting that he might be the “Second Elvis,” he graduated to the steel string acoustic so that he could sing Elvis in the mirror without fear of interruption. Busking in London and continental Europe through his early twenties, the rent money started coming in from acting and the guitar was parked up as a hobby until the time of CoVid lockdown and quarantine. The busking experience has stayed with Damian ever since and is reflected in his debut album.
Damian linked up with one of today’s most exciting jazz musicians, Giacomo Smith, who in turn introduced him to a collection of brilliant London-based musicians, many of whom had played with Smith in the hugely loved and admired Kansas Smitty’s House Band. Damian wrote songs and found himself in the recording studio cutting tracks that were curated for his debut album titled, Mission Creep, which was released June 16, 2023. Damian stated:
“It helps that the players are all insanely accomplished.”
His band of five with jazz roots has a bluesy sound and the album is described as a thoughtful collection of rootsy, rock and jazz-tinged songs that reveal a deep love of music and a deep need to communicate. Damian said:
“I wanted the album to give a sense of a journey to this point, from busking ’til now.”
Speaking about the release of his debut album, Damian explains:
“My album Mission Creep was written at a very particular time in my life. So sure, there are some personal, tender sounds in here, but my first real music love was 50s rock-n-roll and so I hope there’s songs that are gonna make you wanna sing and dance too. It’s rootsy and bluesy and recorded with my magnificent band who bring a jazz vibe with them, but it ain’t a jazz album. It’s, well, a collection of songs with a varied vibe, held together beautifully by my producer, Giacomo Smith. We’re really proud of it and we’re excited to share it with the world. Am I nervous? Sure. But ‘He who dares, wins, Rodney, he who dares, wins.’”
Commenting on Damian’s music and his debut album, Co-Presidents of Decca Label Group Tom Lewis and Laura Monks say:
“We are so delighted that Damian chose Decca. His songwriting is poetic, poignant and deeply personal. The album, recorded just down the road in Kentish Town, has a raw and refreshing honesty to it. Damian really opens his heart and invites us in. It is a thing of great beauty.“
Like Damian’s first album Mission Creep, his second album Sweet Chaos is produced by his publishing company Thin Red Duke, but differs in that it’s distributed by the music agency Kartel Music Group. The album was recorded in West London with renowned producer Guy Chambers, alongside collaborators Dave Archer (guitar) and Will Cleasby (drums), and captures a more expansive and dynamic sound.
The album came together following a turning point collaboration with Guy Chambers, whose work helped reshape the project after earlier sessions stalled. The partnership brought a renewed clarity and focus to the material, with Damian crediting Chambers’ experience and honesty as pivotal to the album’s direction.
Written with live performance in mind, the Sweet Chaos album unfolds on a sweeping, cinematic scale, built around the idea of a life disrupted by chaos, only for that upheaval to unlock something liberating and transformative.
From the brooding, blues-infused opener ‘No Man’s Land’ to the swaggering pop-funk storytelling of ‘Pentonville Prison’ and the anthemic pull of ‘Traffic Jam,’ Sweet Chaos explores themes of love, loss, frustration, and release.
Highlights include ‘Leech,’ a sharp indie-rock critique of media intrusion, the haunting and intimate ‘Question Mark,’ and the electrifying closing track ‘Fix Me Up,’ featuring Alison Mosshart of The Kills.
Written in the years following profound personal loss, Sweet Chaos marks a shift from the tenderness of Damian’s debut album to something more urgent, restless, and at times confrontational. There is anger here, but also warmth, humor, and moments of uplift – particularly in tracks like the spirited ‘Advent’ and the expansive, reflective ‘King.’ With vivid lyricism and a distinctive vocal delivery, Damian leans into storytelling that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Reimagined and rebuilt in the studio with a more contemporary approach, the album reflects Damian’s continued evolution as a songwriter and performer.
Inspired by the energy of live performance, Sweet Chaos feels immediate and immersive – an album that embraces unpredictability and transformation,
where moments of upheaval give way to something unexpectedly powerful.
The album was recorded in two studios – Durham Sound Studios, which is where Damian’s debut album Mission Creep was recorded, and Sleeper Sounds Studio with Guy Chambers.
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