Gravity Reimagined: Inside First Light’s Journey with Carl Sharples

Gravity Reimagined: Inside First Light’s Journey with Carl Sharples

Few bands in the modern AOR/melodic rock world embody heart, history, and genuine friendship the way First Light does. Built around the decades‑long creative partnership between Carl Sharples and Dave Hardman, the band has quickly become a standout on the Pride & Joy roster with their albums Gravity, Elemental, and now the newly reimagined Gravity 2.0.

From the rich musical landscape of Northern England to collaborations with legends like Pete Newdeck and Harry Hess, First Light’s story is one of passion, persistence, and the magic of finding the right people at the right time — even if they’re in Spain, England, and New York all at once.

I caught up with bassist/songwriter Carl Sharples to talk about the band’s journey, the rebirth of Gravity, the new tracks, and what’s coming next.

We’re here with Carl of First Light. First of all, where are you based, and what is the music scene like where you are?
I’m based in the northwest of England — about 40, 45 miles from Manchester and roughly 30 miles from Liverpool. So I’m surrounded by a pretty rich musical history. You’ve got Britpop and Oasis coming out of Manchester, and of course the Beatles and the whole Merseybeat movement from Liverpool. It’s an inspiring area to live in.

I play in various cover bands around here just to keep the fingers working and to enjoy performing at venues across the Northwest. The scene is strong right now — lots of tribute bands, which seems to be a worldwide trend.

And I’ve been lucky these past few days. I finally got to see one of my heroes, Sammy Hagar, in Manchester. Sammy hasn’t been over here in about 35 years. I did catch him with Chickenfoot in 2009, but as a solo artist he rarely comes across. This time he was here with Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony, and it was an amazing gig.

The night before that, I saw Def Leppard and Extreme in Manchester. And a couple of days earlier, I went down to London — a Christmas present from my eldest son — to see Metallica. That was intense, definitely heavier than my usual taste, but absolutely unforgettable.

Let’s talk about Gravity 2.0. At what point did you decide to revisit Gravity, and what was it like returning to those songs?
It really came from the reaction we received to Elemental. Dave and I are the core of First Light — it was our baby during lockdown, when we started building a set of demos. Then we brought in Warren on vocals, Didge on keyboards, and Andy on drums.

When we released Elemental, you never know how it’s going to land, but the reaction was overwhelmingly positive — from great people like yourself reviewing it online and in magazines, and from the sales as well. We put so much love, attention, and creativity into that album.

With that response, we looked back at Gravity. We liked it, but we wondered whether we could elevate it. Could we bring in Pete Newdeck for a remix? Could we have Harry Hess remaster it? We spoke with Birgitt at Pride & Joy, and they were enthusiastic. Plus, Gravity had never been released on CD — only digitally.

So we revisited everything:
new guitars
new bass
adjusted vocal lines
Pete’s arrangement tweaks

All of that led us to creating Gravity 2.0.

You’ve also added a few new songs — “Catch Me When I’m Falling” and “What If.” Tell me about those.
Those are new recordings, but they’re songs Dave and I have had for a while. We debated putting them on Elemental, but ultimately held them back — the runtime would’ve been too long. Gravity 2.0 was the perfect opportunity to include them and enhance the overall feel of the album.

You also did an acoustic version of “Leave a Light On.” Tell me about that — and would you like to do more acoustic versions?
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: that idea came from Pete Newdeck. While we were working through the mixes, we started stripping elements back — imagining what the song would sound like in a more acoustic, naked format.

A couple of days later, Pete sent us something he’d been experimenting with. When Dave and I heard it, we were blown away. It’s always the test: can a song stand up in its most naked form? Just voice and keyboard?

This version absolutely did. Everyone we’ve played it to has loved it. It stands apart from the full‑band version on Elemental — almost like its own world.

Working with Pete Newdeck & Harry Hess. What’s it like working with these AOR legends?
Sir Pete Newdeck, as we call him, is absolutely an AOR legend. He’s a driving force behind Vega, he’s been out with Cassidy Paris, he produces so many records, and his vocals are always in demand. He’s a great guy — a font of knowledge, easy to work with, and always pushing you to be at 100%.

He’s also great fun. We had an amazing curry with him when we visited, just talking music and hearing his stories from back in the days when AOR ruled the world. He’s meticulous, professional, and now a genuine friend.

And Harry Hess?
Harry Hess — another AOR legend. Harem Scarem… what a band. I’ve seen them a couple of times when they came over from Canada, and I was that guy in the crowd pumping my fist and singing along.

Pete handles the mixing, then works with Harry on the mastering. Getting a message from Harry saying he enjoyed mastering our album… that means so much. When someone you admire says your album is really good, it’s a huge moment.

Let’s talk about Didge Digital. He’s been on some classic FM albums and now he’s on both of your Pride & Joy releases. How did he join the band?
FM’s Indiscreet and Tough It Out are two of the greatest AOR albums ever. I saw FM recently doing the 40th anniversary of Indiscreet, and it was incredible.

The first time I saw FM was when I was 16. They were supporting Gary Moore in Blackburn. My friend and I heard “American Girls” from the bar and said, “Who is this band?” We walked in and were blown away. That started my lifelong love of FM.

And the keyboardist was Didge Digital — throwing Star Trek‑style V signs into the crowd, surrounded by a wall of keyboards. I even got the band to sign my album that night. I still have it.

Fast‑forward decades later: Dave and I needed a keyboard player. I said, “We need Didge Digital.” Dave laughed. But I found him through social media.

I sent him a long fanboy email: “Didge, I’m the guy who got the album signed when I was 16. We’ve got these songs 35 years later. Would you consider listening and maybe playing on them?” He wrote back: “Send them to me.”

He listened. He said yes. And he’s become a friend. He even played live with us last year. It was surreal.

Your vocalist Warren Passaro. Had you heard his other band, Arrival?
Not until later. Warren told me he used to be in a band called Arrival and sent me some YouTube clips. Their debut album actually got a CD release about five or six months ago, which is fantastic.

As for how we found him — I did the rough vocals originally, but I’m no singer. Dave and I needed someone who could deliver what I was hearing in my head. I found Warren online, heard a clip, and wrote to him: “You don’t know me, but would you consider singing on our songs?”

He said yes. He sent back the vocals. We were blown away. And over time we realized how similar we are — in life, in music, in personality. He’s now a great friend. The only challenge is geography: Spain, England, USA. But technology makes it possible.

What makes the team of Carl Sharples and Dave Hardman work so well together after all this time?
I’ve known Dave for over 40 years. We became friends in college, started our first band, and our shared love of music kept us connected. But it’s more than that — we grew up together. We became adults together. That creates a bond.

When we write now, it’s instinctive. Dave comes up with a riff or a title, and I immediately hear the melody. We never say, “No, that doesn’t work.” It’s always supportive, always intuitive. We don’t care who leads a song. It’s natural and built on decades of friendship.

You’ve got a new album about to come out — what’s next?
We’re excited about Gravity 2.0 — everything redone, remastered, plus new tracks and the acoustic version of “Leave a Light On.”

Next is the new album. Dave and I have 14 tracks demoed. We’re aiming for a 2027 release. We need to add drums, work with Pete, then Harry for mastering. Hopefully Birgitt at Pride & Joy loves it and we can release it in 2027.

We’re excited about Gravity 2.0, excited about Elemental, and excited about what’s coming next. And I hope people enjoy Gravity 2.0. It’s the first time it’s ever been released on CD, and a lot of listeners still love having a physical disc.

In Conclusion

First Light’s story is one of friendship, passion, and the power of music to connect people across decades and continents. With Gravity 2.0 ready to make its mark and a new album already taking shape, Carl Sharples and Dave Hardman continue to prove that melodic rock is alive, evolving, and full of heart.

If the past is any indication, the future of First Light will shine even brighter.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

First Light on Facebook