Now a new Mandatory Volunteers single is out with an album in the works
Graham Duffill, who records as Mandatory Volunteers, performing Nightdreamers (Image: supplied image)
A Hull singer who writes and records music when he is not working full-time for a finance company was thrilled by the response to his last track. Graham Duffill, who records as Mandatory Volunteers, accompanied “a light in the noir” with a video shot in the early hours of the morning in the city.
Now there is a new Mandatory Volunteers release for people to plug into, and an album in the works that should be out in May or June. Graham said: “The response to my last track has been really nice, people have said they have really enjoyed it.
“It’s been really humbling. Lots of people have shared the Hull Live story about it too.”
The Mandatory Volunteers latest work is Nightdreamers, with an accompanying video filmed on a cold January day in Hull live music venue O’Riley’s, in Beverley Road. “The last video was aimed to be a bit more about light and dark, the isolation people can feel.
“The new song is based around the same theme but about past relationships, when you’re wondering about how they worked out, what happened, are they okay? It’s about being positive again, out of a bit of a rubbish situation.”
The Nightdreamers video was again filmed with the help of photographer and videographer Joey, of JWA Creations, and Darren Bunting of O’Rileys, and has Graham surrounded by darkness but lit by different effects. “It’s a bit more of an upbeat song,” he said, “a bit more energetic.”
He has been enjoying the process of creating an album after learning new production techniques and using new audio equipment. He is getting “better results”, while still being hyper-critical of them, partially from having tinnitus – that came from suffering meningitis when he was five – and wondering if what he is hearing is actually good.
“My left ear is a little bit duller and my right ear is more sensitive,” he said. “When it comes to mixing I am really critical of myself.
“I am fortunate to have some really good friends who will listen and give me an honest opinion.” Graham said: “Hopefully the album will be released this summer and then ideally I would love to play live.
“That would be a challenge in itself for me, I’d have to get my friends to play for me. Later in the year it would be good to do an unplugged version of the album, done in a different way, maybe some solo shows.”
Graham said: “The value in music for me is in the creativity. You want to enjoy the process. It’s in that moment, rather than getting a million views.”
The 46-year-old performer’s last song was about “being alone, and feeling stuck in darkness”. The video for it depicts him wandering the deserted streets of Hull in scenes reminiscent of the apocalyptic film, 28 Days Later.
Mandatory Volunteers’ Nightdreamers’ is available to listen to on streaming platforms and you can watch the video on YouTube.