Advertisement

Features Music

We go birdwatching with July Talk’s drummer Danny Miles

JULY TALK at the Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), Friday and Saturday (October 28 and 29), 8 pm, all ages. $29.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketmaster.ca.


It’s been a big year for Danny Miles, drummer of July Talk. His band’s excellent second album, Touch, is earning rave reviews and radio play since its release in September, and it’s all culminating in a two-night stint at the Danforth Music Hall, something few local rock bands can pull off. 

Miles also has a new hobby: while on tour he’s been snapping photos of different types of birds from as far away as Ireland, Australia and Alaska and uploading his birdwatching work to his Instagram account. On a brief break in Toronto, he took us to High Park, one of his favourite birdwatching spots. 

“It started as a joke,” says the London, Ontario, native. “I kept telling everyone that if I was going to be the best birdwatcher in the world by the time I’m 60, I better start now.” 

His interest grew after he took some photography classes and got a professional camera. He’s now posted 100-plus pictures, with the hashtag #drummerswholovebirds

If the diversity in age of Toronto Ornithological Club members is any indication, Miles might have some competition. In addition to what vice-president Justin Peter calls the “white-haired crowd,” there’s been a trend of younger people joining or dropping in on their outings, which are open to the public.

July Talk - Miles 1.jpg

Miles doesn’t spend much time keeping count of how many species he’s seen since he started shooting. He’s more interested in taking strong photographs and keeping them as souvenirs. After three years of touring with the band, he says it’s also a new way of finding time for himself on the road. 

“Part of the birding thing for me is the whole meditation part – just being on my own and walking around, letting all of the stresses of life go.”

A successful outing involves patience, he says, and relying on your hearing and sight. Eschewing technology and going back to basics is a theme also present on Touch. 

“The concept of the record is about becoming more human and less focused on the internet and screens and all of this online virtual reality,” he says. “We didn’t use a click track, which is really rare, and we recorded a lot of the album to tape. It’s a bit scary, especially for me as the drummer. But a human comes across in the music.”

July Talk - Bird.jpg

His bandmates are down with his new hobby. 

“I remember sitting on some steps with him in Moncton, talking about how important it is to maintain interests and keep learning outside of our project,” says singer Leah Fay. “Touring makes people insane because it’s an extremely unnatural way to live. If the only thing you can identify about yourself is that you’re a musician in a band, that you live in a van, and the only people you can relate to are having the exact same experience as you, it’s really easy to rely solely on the opinion of others for your own self-worth. That’s obviously an extremely dangerous place to be. 

“It’s super-important to keep those other interests and aspects of yourself alive,” Faye continues. “I think being a ‘drummer who loves birds’ is essential to Danny’s well-being.”

An earlier version of this story was published on September 7, 2016.

music@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted