Door One

Product Information

Wild River’ represented a transitional period for David, both artistically and emotionally. His father, Eric, had passed away in 1994, he had been through a divorce, and he’d auditioned to be the lead singer of Genesis following the departure of Phil Collins. However, after a protracted audition-cum-rehearsal process, he was immensely disappointed to lose out on the role. Which, with hindsight, was a blessing in disguise.

This is a difficult album if you knew the man but it’s wonderful to hear what he had been working on in these days before he left us. Give it a spin if you can and enjoy it for what is is a fine collection of promise and, ultimately, of hope. As my partner, David was loyal, loving, affectionate, generous to a fault, sensitive and gentle. When he asked me to marry him, saying “yes” was easy. There was no one else I would rather spend every moment with. With David I knew I had won the life lottery, he was my favourite person in the whole world and he told me every single day “I absolutely love you”. After this it took five years until the next solo album, Please Be Quiet, was released. On this album, the Gungfly moniker was first used. Gungfly is a Swedish word meaning unsecure ground and this band identity has featured on all of Rikard’s subsequent solo ventures. When Beardfish disbanded in 2016, Rikard signed as a solo artist (Rikard Sjöblom’s Gungfly) with InsideOut Music and has since released two albums with them and a 5 CD box set spanning the ten years leading up to his signing with the label. Bailie, Geoff (29 April 2019). "Big Big Train – 'Grand Tour' (Album Review)". The Prog Report . Retrieved 21 November 2021.

One of the greatest voices of the era. Not only one of the finest frontmen in modern day progressive music but also a really lovely man. His was a tragic loss.” – Jerry Ewing, Editor, Prog Magazine

Giammetti, Mario (November 2010). "David Longdon exclusive interview for 'Dusk' ". Dusk.it . Retrieved 9 July 2019. David could also be impish. He was naughty and silly, mischievous and daft. He had a brilliant sense of humour, was a tremendous mimic and delighted in making me laugh. The more I giggled, the more his eyes would light up and the more thrilled he became. Alberto joined Big Big Train as the band’s lead vocalist in spring 2022 and performed his first shows with the band in September 2022.Born in St. Helens, Merseyside in north west England, Dave started playing guitar at the age of 6 and ‘found’ music when he was 12 years old after discovering a cassette copy of Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits. a b c "David Longdon And The Late Judy Dyble Between A Breath And A Breath". Northern Life Magazine. 22 September 2020 . Retrieved 20 November 2021. Dave Kerzner – New World CD Review". The Prog Report. 17 December 2014 . Retrieved 21 November 2021.

The album’s eight songs are highly personal and follow a lyrical journey from darkness to enlightenment, from the intense and raw first single ‘Watch It Burn’, channelling David’s love of The Who, to the folk inflected ‘There’s No Ghost Like An Old Ghost’, which recalls David’s Dyble Longdon album with the late Fairport Convention singer Judy Dyble, and ‘Love Is All’, the gorgeous ballad which closes the album. So the album ends positively and with a strong message of hope that we can all accept and employ in our own lives. So from the tragedy of David’s death, we can find hope and purpose and celebrate his memory with this fine collection of songs. David will certainly be missed but his legacy lives on in his recorded works and this album will certainly be a part of that legacy that he leaves us. Kendall, Jo (23 May 2017). "Big Big Train – Grimspound album review". Louder . Retrieved 21 November 2021.

Door One is a sophisticated, beautifully realised posthumous solo album from Big Big Train frontman David Longdon

The album’s stunning artwork is by Sarah Louise Ewing with graphic design by Steve Vantsis. Sarah’s cover portrait of David is from a photograph by Sophocles Alexiou. Following this album Mr. So & So disbanded and Dave subsequently formed Sleeping Giant in 2001 with Charlotte Evans (vocals), Leon Parr (drums), Simon Crumley (bass) and James Rimmer (keyboards). Sleeping Giant released two EPs (Primates and Embers) before disbanding in 2006.