A music student at UWS Ayr, Dean Darkie has released a song Lily Pond in memory of his cousin Michael Cadman. In 2007, Michael, a healthy 17 year old studying sound production at Perth College died very suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Originally from Arbroath, Dean says Michael was a great inspiration to him. “Michael, my two brothers and I went to guitar lessons together. We also recorded together a couple of times which was my first experience of recording. It feels right to be paying tribute to him through music.”

Dean wrote Lily Pond shortly after Michael’s death based on a story his gran told him.

“The story of the water bug’s transformation into a dragonfly really struck a chord with my family at the time. The story describes a dragonfly nymph who’s time comes to metamorphose. When he tries to tell his nymph friends about what’s happened to him he finds he can no longer go under water. I think the story was first published as a children’s book by Doris Stickney in the 80s but no one’s sure where we heard it first.”

On the 13th of December, Dean launched the song with his band Rebs and the Imaginary Friends at the Basement Coffee House in Ayr.

“Rebs has done a beautiful job of singing the song. I’m really grateful to everyone who has played on the track and the support acts who played at the launch. On the launch night we raised £215 for Cardiac Risk In the Young. This wouldn’t have been possible without a lot of people passionate about supporting such an important cause.”

The single Lily Pond is now available to download online with all proceeds going to the charity Cardiac Risk In the Young to help raise awareness and promote free heart screenings in young people.

Hear and download the single at the following bandcamp page http://rebsandtheimaginaryfriends.bandcamp.com/track/lily-pond

A music video for the song is also now online on Youtube. Search ‘Lily Pond Rebs’