By Vishani Ragobeer

YOU know him as ace footballer for the ‘Golden Jags’ or even as Bury FC midfield player, but Neil Danns is intent on showing his versatility by exploring the music scene.

“I’ve been studying music production and engineering for the last couple of years,” Danns told the Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview, adding “I’m still learning and progressing but I’m only just starting to get the confidence to put it out.”
Initially, the footballer connected with music as a pastime, even though he always had a passion for music and writing.

“I started off playing guitar for a hobby when I was in my early 20s and I always liked to write poetry and melodies,” he reflected. And so his musical journey started off with him fiddling around and just writing simple chord songs just for his own personal listening pleasure.

He taught himself how to play the piano over the past few years – nothing too fancy – but just enough to help him create his own music and depth to his skills.

His desire to develop his musical ambitions has been insatiable, however, and resultantly, he tried learning music engineering. “It’s just been gradual building,” he said modestly.
It’s not his aim to be an artiste, at least not for the most part. Instead, he is aiming to just write and produce music.

“I hope to work with aspiring artistes in the future … and it would be amazing to collaborate with some top Guyanese artistes out there in the future,” Danns noted.

But even so, he’s putting a few tracks out there, just so that people would know that he knows his stuff and he’s good at it. In fact, he’s currently making one of his tracks available on Spotify and iTunes; it’s called ‘What you thinking’ and will come under his alias: Melodix.

“When people hear my stuff it’s mostly a shock as a lot of people do not realise I play any instruments but I’m still a long way from where I want to get to; but I enjoy learning and improving in everything I have passion for,” he affirmed. “It takes a lot of hours and can be frustrating but that’s what makes it worth it when you make positive steps.”

His endeavours in music, however, do not sidetrack from his finesse in football. He’s been involved in the game – professionally- for about 20 years, and that’s just not something he can stop being involved in.

Moving into the music scene fulltime is a possibility, but only after he considers what options present themselves once he is retired.

But Danns’ musical ambitions will be put on pause for a bit, as he prepares for Guyana’s historic showing at next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Danns will be a key figure for Guyana, when they face defending champs USA on June 18, followed by last FIFA World Cup debutants Panama on June 22 then Trinidad and Tobago on June 26.