Remember albums? When an artist took you on a musical journey, rather than just throwing a jumbled collection of songs at you? Dick Derry works from this template when recording and producing his albums, “as a kid, I remember sitting on the floor in my living room, staring at the album jacket as I listened to the music,” says Derry “listening to an album was like sitting down with a good book. It took you on a journey. I’m conscious of that now when I choose songs to record and in figuring out the running order of the tracks.” Listening to Derry’s first two CD’s  House of Fiction and Moon,its clear the songs were not just thrown together.

Although Dick Derry’s catchy, pop-rock tunes show the influence of artists like Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Supergrass, and Cheap Trick, no band has had more influence on him than The Beatles, “no other band has the combination of beautiful, unforgettable melodies and great lyrics like they do,” says Derry “other artists have their moments, but none with a track record like The Beatles.” Derry was 6 when he heard his first Beatles record. This began an obsession with the band, and later a desire to write pop/rock tunes in the same vein. Although Derry is quick to point out he has had other artists influence him too, “I’m a huge Elvis Presley fan. I also love the big British bands, The Stones, The Who, Zeppelin. People like Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, and Steely Dan also had a big influence on my writing.”