Live Twice | Darius Campbell Danesh

THE 'LIVE TWICE' ERA

On 25th October 2004 Darius released his second album 'Live Twice'.

It peaked at number 36 on the UK Album Chart and included the Top 10 Singles "Kinda Love" and "Live Twice".

Darius co-wrote all but one track on the album.

The last song on the album, "Secret Song", is a hidden track and it is included at the end of the song "Devil in You" after a 3-minute silence between the songs. "Secret Song" was written and produced by Darius.

The two singles that were released from 'Live Twice' both charted well in the UK.

"Kinda Love" was the first single to be released. It was released on 18th October 2004 and peaked at number 8 in the UK chart and number 2 in the Scottish chart.

Darius said that "Kinda Love" is about the insecurity you feel when you are in love with someone, and how just a little moment with them makes your day.

His youngest brother, Cyrus, chose it as the first song to be released from the album.

Darius stumbled upon a severe case of writer's block as he started to work on the album.
"It took exactly 11 months with the writing and the producing," he said at the time of release. "It was the stereotypical thing of being surrounded by scrunched up bits of paper on the floor. I was frustrated with myself. I didn't know if I'd ever write again.

"I realised that 11 months ago, just before I sat down to record and write the album. I was putting myself under pressure to improve on the material I had written.

"With the first album, I wasn't really writing songs for me, I was writing them for the industry and public.

"So there I was, coming up with nothing substantial or original and not being proud of it."

"Live Twice" was the second single released from the album and was the final single that Darius released.

It was released on 10th January 2005. It peaked at number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Scottish chart.

It’s a wistful, soaring expression of yearning, and the words of regret in the poignant ballad will reverberate with anyone who has loved and lost.

“I wanted to write a song for my father that would describe exactly how I felt,” Darius told Night And Day Magazine in October 2004.

“I played it to him on guitar. It was so moving for both of us. It was like a dam had burst. I realised what my writer’s block was about. I was worried about people’s expectations of me. And I realised that all that matters, really, is your family. And life is so transient, so short.”

Darius dedicated the dozen songs on the album to his father who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he had three months to live (happily, he ended up making a full recovery).

Speaking in 2004 he said “I wrote Devil in You, a Sinatra-type swing song, for him, because that’s his era. And when I played it, he took my hand and said, ‘You haven’t told me the plans for your album release.’ I said, ‘I’ve decided not to release this year. I want to spend every day with you.’”

“He said, ‘Darius, I fight to live to see the achievements of my children. You must pursue your dream. Now, not tomorrow. Today I fight to see Cyrus’ sports day, to see Aria graduate. And your songs are inspiring for me, don’t hide them away. I want to hear them on the radio, to see you in concert. How can I do that if you don’t release your album?’”

“So it’s not just about my writer’s block. I have him to thank for the whole album, and I owe it to him. It’s the real deal, and I’m very proud of it. I hope he is too.”