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This Life: Raising voices
Brian Davies, 59, is leader of the Good In Parts choir, a Leeds singing group that is open to people of all abilities.
By day, he works as a management consultant and lives in Harrogate. Interview by Grant Woodward.
Often I feel I'm the one-eyed king in the land of the blind because I'm not a trained musician at all.
Many years ago I went to a singing workshop and had such a good time that I came back and told all my friends about it.
They said I should set up something similar and it went from there. We started 10 years ago with about eight people and now there are regularly 35 or so of us.
The great thing is that so many in the choir have become much more confident about their singing. We don't hold auditions and you don't have to read music because we learn the songs by ear.
Hopefully there isn't much pressure in that regard so people who have always been told they can't sing can come along and enjoy themselves.
We believe that everyone has a voice and should be encouraged to do something that gives them so much pleasure.
The one thing I couldn't live without is my paintbrush because I'm renovating my house at the moment so that's pretty indispensable.
Apart from that it would have to be music, whether it be playing or listening. I'm very catholic in my tastes – anything from blues to jazz to classical.
Naturally I'm quite a shy person but the fact that my parents ran a number of pubs helped me become a bit more outgoing and confident.
They bought their first when I was 11 so my first job was helping out in the pub and when I got older I ran it when they were away.
It meant I had to talk to all kinds of people and socialise so that brought me out of myself and gave me a good grounding in business.
I can't remember the name of the first girl I kissed. I just have to hope she remembers me.
I was an early starter, even at primary school.
I had a girlfriend when I was 16 or 17 with whom I'm still very close friends; I suppose that's some kind of achievement.
It would surprise people to know that I was once in a television commercial for Guinness.
A group of us played fishermen in a pub and the tagline was: 'If there's one thing better than a tench or a chub it's the Bottle of Guinness Supporters' Club'.
I was an actor at the time, I spent about eight years in the theatre, and I had an agent who for some strange reason used to send me for lots of alcohol-related commercials. I did another for lager but I can't remember much about that now.
For the Guinness one they picked us up in a limousine at about 5am and we were drinking the stuff at 8am.
It didn't put me off it though; I still drink the occasional glass now.
The best piece of advice I've ever received is never wear white socks with black shoes.
I can't remember who told me that now, maybe a girlfriend of the time, but it was good advice.
There are a few people I would like to meet. If I was putting together my dream dinner party it would be an eclectic mix of Eric Clapton, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Alan Bennett and Helen Mirren.
My philosophy on life has a few strands to it.
I feel life should be a learning experience and you should never give up on learning something new about yourself or the world.
You shouldn't be afraid to take the occasional risk, either. I was a lecturer at a university and gave it up to go into the theatre and I also started my own business.
It's important to think the best of people as well, to give them a chance, and to stay positive oneself because it's easy to be dragged down.
As my mum says, there's always someone worse off than you.
I'm quite an emotional person and can well up just watching a film or even a simple expression of love.
My father died about 18 months ago so obviously that was a very sad time.
He was in the merchant navy as a young man so we scattered his ashes at sea. He could be floating off the coast of India now.
The thing I love about Yorkshire is the countryside, it's as nice here as anywhere in the country.
Just to get out to the Dales, that sense of space, all those drystone walls and greenery. It revives the spirit.
This is my joke: What do you call a Frenchman who wears sandals? Philippe Flop.
For more information about the Good In Parts choir visit www.goodinparts.org.uk
FAVOURITE THINGS
Favourite food: Thai
Favourite holiday: Travelling around South America
Favourite author: Ian McEwan
Star sign: Libra
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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