My name is Dave McGilton and I’m a writer/musician based just outside Cork city in Ireland. I created Artists for Healing in March of 2008 with a principle goal in mind, to promote and encourage creativity, peace and healing using whatever talent and abilities I’ve been given and to link up with others who share this desire to encourage and actively promote a more peaceful and balanced world. The website is a work in progress and will develop with time so please bear with me as I get the hang of it! Personal thoughts- I think it’s not an exaggeration to say that in the last few years in particular,the majority of people I’ve come in contact with, through music or just on a personal basis are deeply concerned about the direction the world seems to be going in and this all pervading sense of powerlessness is a far too familiar feeling among so many people. The Internet thankfully is an antidote in many ways to that attempted strangulation of independent thought and action and it’s vital that we all have an opportunity to be heard in every walk of life. My focus with Artists for Healing is to concentrate on being creative and positive and hopefully to counter some of the destructive and spiritually corrosive elements that seem to be holding sway at present in all walks of life. Louder than the Drums of War is the first project I’ve put together under the banner of Artists for Healing with that intent in mind and it’s a project I’m hugely proud of because it is confirmation to me that there are many many people out there who feel similar about the need to communicate and about the need to heal and be healed. The album is a vibration amplified immensely by the goodwill of those involved and those supporting it. The vision for this is very much rooted in reality/practicality also and that combination is what hopefully will bring some assistance or comfort to those people who need it most.The proceeds from this project will have an impact, however small and it’s better than doing nothing. Artists for Healing is not a political organisation or a charity, I must emphasise that because I don’t want people treating it/seeing it with the mindset that can accompany politically motivated /charity organisations. If I approach anyone for support in relation to a project it’ll be once and once only and if they choose to come back and support any project in the future then that’ll be very welcome but entirely of their own volition. Artists for Healing is about using the abilities you’re given to consciously project something positive and healing into the world and there is no board of directors, large staff or big expense accounts to be taken into consideration here in terms of structure. It’s basically me and whoever wants to come on board on any given project and the ways to finance or distribute proceeds from any given project will differ for each project as will the content of the project over time. There will be no B.S. or misleading nonsense about what’s happening at any given time with any particular project however. I’m really excited about trying to put together diverse projects with varied, talented and interesting people from all walks of life who at the very least share one thing, the desire to help those less fortunate and to also be able to say that when they had an opportunity, they tried in however small a way to make the world or at least their part of the world that little bit better a place to live in. -Dave McGilton- June 08