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Danny Mortimer, the man whose David Bowie cover of Heroes cheered people up during lockdown, wants the public to send their festive memories for a video of his Christmas song


By Craig Christie

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A MORAY singer songwriter wants people to send him their own festive memories to use in a music video for his Christmas record.

Danny Mortimer (right) plays to the crowd at the Elgin Christmas Lights event.
Danny Mortimer (right) plays to the crowd at the Elgin Christmas Lights event.

Danny Mortimer plans to release his own original tinsel-tinged song on December 1, and is appeal for the public to help him create the spirit of Christmas.

He is asking anyone with footage or photos from their own Merry Christmas of past years to submit them for use in the video for his festive song.

Danny issued a similar appeal when he released a cover version of David Bowie's 'Heroes' during the coronavirus lockdown and used clips and pics of what the Moray public were doing in isolation.

His video premiered back in May and proved to be so popular, it appeared on the BBC Scotland show The Nine as an example of what was inspiring the nation during difficult times.

Danny hopes his Christmas song can also be a big success and help raise money for a local charity.

Danny Mortimer performing at Speyfest.
Danny Mortimer performing at Speyfest.

"The story behind the Christmas song kind of came about as a joke," he said. "My dad suggested it a few years ago about releasing one, round about the time I began recording and releasing my own music.

"We both laughed it off as a joke but over the next couple of years, he would mention it again and again.

"I was unsure how a 'Danny Mortimer Christmas Song' would go and it took me a while in all honesty to get a rough idea down.

"I played about with a few ideas until I fell upon a simple chord progression that seemed the ideal fit. Through demoing the song over a period of time, it began to grow arms and legs and before I knew it I had the foundations of my own alternative-rock, upbeat Christmas song."

Moray's very own contender for Christmas number one will be released on December 1, with Danny eager to receive people's Christmas memories by this weekend in order to compile a video to fit the theme.

"My plan is again to invite people to send in footage from Christmas over the years and add them into the video.

"Then the hope is to donate any proceeds from digital sales that the single makes to a local charity."

People can email their own cherished Christmas memories to danny.mortimer@hotmail.co.uk for consideration, or visit Danny Mortimer Music on Facebook.

So was Danny inspired by The Pogues, Slade, Shakin' Stevens or Cliff Richard when he penned his own festive ditty?

"The track is very tongue-in-cheek, its a Christmas song after all. It's definitely given me the opportunity to try something different and have some fun with it.

"I saw it as a challenge to write, throwing as many Christmas cliches into the mix as I could, without it becoming too cringe worthy.

Danny has been a regular on the Moray live circuit for many years. He has performed at Speyfest and in 2017 played at Glasgow's O2 ABC main stage as a finalist in a national music talent-spotting competition.

He's no stranger to spreading the Christmas spirit either, having played at Elgin's Christmas lights switch-on concert on the Plainstones in the past.

This year's Heroes cover version gave Danny some personal reason to smile after coronavirus dashed his own honeymoon plans.

"Me and my wife (Amy) got married last May and we had our honeymoon booked to fly out to California at the end of April, which we obviously had to cancel.

"We were both devastated about that as we had been looking forward to it for nearly a year, but it was out of our hands.

"But there's so many other people that are in far worse situations than we are.

"The Christmas song and video is keeping me pretty busy for the time being, which I think is the best thing I can do."


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