MUSIC was far from Mary Davis' mind when we sat down to mega-chat just recently. The remainder of the SOS Band were off doing their own thing leaving The Two Davises to chat over sandwiches and coffee.
Mary is a freindly, charming lady and, despite the relatively early hour, she looked as if she had just stepped out of a photo session. My sweatshirt was no match for her silk! With Mary and the band spending so much time touring, it wasn't surprising to learn that London was one of her favourite places.


MUSIC was far from Mary Davis' mind when we sat down to mega-chat just recently. The remainder of the SOS Band were off doing their own thing leaving The Two Davises to chat over sandwiches and coffee.
Mary is a freindly, charming lady and, despite the relatively early hour, she looked as if she had just stepped out of a photo session. My sweatshirt was no match for her silk! With Mary and the band spending so much time touring, it wasn't surprising to learn that London was one of her favourite places.

"In fact, I'm thinking of leasing my New York apartment and coming to live here. I have such a soft spot for London and that's got a lot to do with our audiences here. They are so good to us, and it's such a great feeling performing here."
London actually reminds her of New York ? "a lot of the qualities are the same, and as I've tried New York for a while, London seems the next logical step."
Isn't that fair US city a racey, pacey, violent place to live in? "It is now" the singer replied, "but it never used to be. It's not a very nice place to live in now although it still has a fair share of the arts, theatres and so on. Violence? Yes. And sure I'm frightened to live there. All the native New Yorkers have left and people are coming in from other countries, and just don't care about the city. They don't put anything in, just take out.

"When I first moved there it was a lovely city, now it's just getting worse. It's just a shame people don't care anymore."
It would be true to compare her home city to our capital. Neither can boast progression or safety, and the population has a great influence over both. Like, Mary exampled, "If I was
 
walking across the road and saw someone lying on the street, my first thought would be to rush over and help. Now the situation is that I would hesitate, just in case the body would suddenly come alive and knife me. And I consider that tc be a terrible state of affairs ? fancy having to stop and think before giving help. That's the mentality of today.

"When I was growing up, om parents took time to tell us about life, and the rights and wrongs, Nowadays, parents are too busy working, leaving their kids to grow up by themselves. They sit and watch all this sex and violence on TV and presume it's normal. I dread to think what the next generatio will be like."
 
MARY came from a strict family of twelve children, and her upbringing was religiously based. Those were the days when back doors could be left unlocked, neighbours helped neighbours, and nobody was afraid to go outside after dark. "One of my goals" she said "is to open a day care centre for children ? when I earn some good money. I can't be with those kids all day but at least I can ensure they have some type of solid education. I. think couples are thinking wisely before bringing children into this world. I don't feel I could at this time."

Children too are aware they need help. "Oh yes, there are many of them who want somebody to look out for them, and not have the impression that no-one cares. And hopefully through this day care centre I'll prove somebody cares about them and is interested in them." As it is, where Mary Davis lives now, a children's school is nearby and, once school is out, she is invaded by its pupils.
One horrifying aspect of adolescence is drug abuse, and the singer assured me this problem was as rife in her city as any in the world. "It's just terrible, and drugs are ruining a lot of young kids' minds. They are not going to develop into anything .. . they lack positiveness at an early stage in their life.

"With the turmoil of everyday life in their young lives, turning to drugs seems to be the only answer for some. When that happens, it's too late. They are addicted for life."
Coming from such a large family, Mary says she is aunt to numerous nieces and nephews, and she takes great pains to keep in touch with them all. They respect her, she said, because she's a woman of the world, an entertainer... therefore, they reason, that aunt knows more about a lot of things than their parents.

"They listen to me and are constantly reminding me of what's going on in their lives. I don't have the time to talk to them all, of course, but I do encourage them to talk to their mothers. We were brought up in that environment, and I tell them all if there's something on their minds to call me up, call collect, because talking does help."

Looking back on her childhood, Mary remembered there being problems but somehow they were overcome, although she confesses "I wasn't consistent. I never stuck to one thing for long. But, we were taught in school to trust  cops, firemen, all those in service uniforms and so on, and if in trouble seek out a certain person in the community.

"Nowadays, the little problems of my childhood are enormous, because you can't trust anyone in a uniform. Bent cops, and all that. The Bible says we are now living in the Last Days, although I don't know what that entails. All I do hope is that everyone wakes up before its too late. I mean, the world can't get much worse, can it?"

I mentioned the South African situation as an example. Davis responded ? "I don't understand that, and it is a very touchy subject, so I would not like to comment. We are living in the eighties and for these things to happen every day like they do, is depressing and apalling. We are not made to understand everything in this life and South Africa has to fall in that category."

The subject changed to her career, the performing and recording, and the way the group regulate their lives. The timetable works something like this.
"In January or February we go into the studios and by April/May we've finished an album. That supplies enough singles for a year, so we go on tour for the rest of the time, introducing the new material. It works very well."

The SOS Band sound is well known and loved, but, Mary said they were working on something new. Not a further detail would pass from her lips except "there is always room for growth and expansion which doesn't have to be drastic."

On the subject of her solo album, all she would divulge was "it's in the negotiable stage. I am a shrewed business women, and I want to ensure I have the right deal. It's gratifying to see so many women being successful in the business now. All we have to be sure of is that we stay there. I want to join them in my own right, by growing and expanding in what I do best."
Would her recording a solo set be a one-off, or would she leave the band? Once again, Mary gave nothing away, but smiled and said "it's still in the thinking stages."

It was clear that the lady was actively involved in the business side of her career, and when asked what she particularly loathed about it, she laughed "I'll have to take the 5th amendment on that, because there's a lot I don't like and I would upset many people!"
Aside from work, which takes up over three quarters of her life, Mary Davis has not yet found a partner to settle down with. "The rest of the group haven't allowed me to find the guy I'd like to be with! I'm joking. But I spend more time with them than I do my own family, so I suppose they are my family now.

"To find the right guy will be difficult enough anyway. I need that special one with the right mentality to adapt to this crazy business I'm in, and who won't get uptight being referred to as Mr. Davis.

"Not having that someone isn't a major problem for me . . . certainly I don't feel my life is lacking anything."
Meantime, Mary Davis's future is well and truly based around music. "I feel that what I'm doing is what I was put here for, and there's no feeling like watching you put a smile on someone's face and making people happy through your music.

"And I'm gonna carry on doing this for as long as I can." (SD B&S)