In 1964 Dave became involved with Wigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society and over the nest few years gained such knowledge of G+S work that he soon joined the D´oyly Carte Society and during 1968 Dave assisted in his school´s productions of G+S works, both in full performance and concert versions.
At this time (aged 15) Dave was also studying music with the London College of Music, playing in his first band, "The Theorems" and had begun writing music and in collaboration with a friend penned a tuneful little ditty entitled "Shirley" that was accepted and published by Belsize Music.
Dave was responsible for recruiting the people that reformed the Lymm Grammar School Folk Club that had sadly fallen apart when Stu and Wendy Lever left the school. He negotiated with the head of school to allow rehearsals to take place in the cellars underneath the old wing and to encourage music as an active after school activity. He was instrumental in arranging a series of live "gigs" at the school during lunch hours and this series began with the appearance of Dave´s new band "The Future"
In the late 60s and early 70s Dave continued to write music / lyrics with Keith Dutton and was invited to travel to Germany with "The Future".
During the next few years Dave gave up formal music training having attained First Class passes up to Grade 6 LCM in both theory and practice, and began to concentrate more on his writing, in 1974 he moved to Bristol and got married to Alison.
Financially, things were very difficult and Dave picked up some work as a solo musician, but was forced into paid employment just to make ends meet.
Circumstances meant that in 1976 Dave and his wife and new baby ended up back in Cheshire, and as a result of "responsibility" he took a job, and then another and a 3rd but all the time hankering after getting back into Entertainment.
From 1989 Dave began to study all aspects of personal development and in 1990 had begun the early foundation work for what was to become his first album "Somerset Story" A relaxing musical journey into the land of legend.
1991 saw Dave being asked to join a new band called "Inspiration" as keyboard player and in 1992 Dave enjoyed his first ever visit into a recording studio. The result of this session was a 3-track demo of material he had co-written with fellow keyboard player Alan Brown. Rhian, How Can I Make Him Love Me? and Freedom.
When Inspiration split some 12 months later Dave and Alan continued to work together and eventually formed a new band "Highlife" more studio work followed and "Highlife" were engaged as function band for Bass Charrington Retail, performing at pubs and hotels throughout the North West of England. London Records expressed considerable interest in "Highlife" and were making noises about contracts, single releases, album deals etc. when Dave broke his shoulder in a rather horrendous accident.
As a result of this accident the proposed deal with London Records evaporated along with the band, so Dave decided that the die had been cast, he was now a musician first and a wage earner second.
Following several meetings he was engaged as the Musical Director of The Spotlight Theatre Company and was with them for productions of Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors and at least 2 concerts.
He met a studio owner called Steve Paine (keyboard player with Legend) and was recruited to work with them as a free lance producer, and in return Steve, Jon (engineer) and Dave went to work on the initial set of recordings for “Somerset Story”.
Dave also became involved in setting up the Halton Borough Council´s Musician´s Co-operative Initiative. This entailed securing Arts Council Funding to create a performance venue for the young musicians of Halton, drafting plans for the first Halton Show, a showcase for unsigned acts that culminated some 3 years later with what was then the biggest open-air gig the area had seen "The Stone Roses"
Dave also began his first attempts at broadcasting and joined the crew of the Halton FM local radio station, first as an interviewee and then as a presenter, .alongside LIPA’s Dave Pitchilingi.
Eventually Dave changed the location for the recordings of “Somerset Story” to Frog Recording in Warrington, and the whole album was then completed as a collaboration between Dave and 10cc´s travelling keyboard player Steve Millington. Steve has been responsible for the production of many high charting singles including Rick Astley, Peter Kay and many albums commissioned by Sony Music. It was during one of these sessions that Dave and Steve were invited to play keyboards on a track, being recorded in another of Steve´s studios, by OMD.
Once the album was complete Steve Paine offered to release it in the USA, through his label Pagan Media, the deal was done and Dave moved on to the next project.
He recorded an album with Kerry Stockdale (Kerry Stockdale Sings) that resulted in bookings for Kerry and Dave at the invitation of the Mayor of Vale Royal. He also worked with male vocalist Paul Cain on the production of a successful entry into "A Star Is Born" held at Winsford Civic Hall, and the pair were to gain an entry into the finals held at the Northwich Memorial Theatre.
At this time several other bands were seeking management / production guidance from Dave and he created a management stable that included working bands Stockdale, Fish King Lizard, during which time Steve Paine and Dave worked on the production of Legend´s second album "Second Sight"
When Dave and family moved to Devon in 1995 he decided to re-brand his business and take on a partner and this saw the Westworld Artist Management identity being created. Together with business partner Anne Longton, they signed Retrovibe, John Sharp, 3 Piece Beat and The Blue Kats. Westworld were also interested in signing Little America but that deal fell over.
Dave met a local musician / sound engineer called Derek Woodcock and this began Dave’s association with the Ariel Studio, Ilfracombe as a recording base. In 1996 Dave met Tom Armstrong and the two formed the basis of what was to become a long-standing friendship and professional association.
During a tour with Retrovibe, Dave met Chris Horrell, one of the founding partners of S+H Technical Support Ltd. S+H were good enough to loan Dave a lighting rig and backdrop for the tour and when Retrovibe were selected to tour with The Commitments, S+H again offered their support in the form of a starcloth and other items of equipment.
In 1998 Dave had, at the request of Chris Horrell, joined S+H as a member of the team and over the years that followed he and Chris worked on several joint projects including a performance of the Spice Girls at Grosvenor House, the Variety Club Awards (which saw Dave being interviewed on TV with David Essex), Michael Ball, Lesley Garrett (in an outdoor setting), Pentangle, Ralph McTell and a Grand Party at the Showman´s Show in Newbury featuring The Classic Years and Tom Armstrong.
During 1999 Dave joined Tarka Radio as the presenter of the late show "Merlin´s Magic" and had begun to spend more time working on projects that included both himself and Tom, The Allstars Academy of Performing Arts and The Tom Armstrong´s All Stars theatre shows to name but two.
He also worked on a charity show for the children of Kosovo as Executive Producer that saw him taking the stage with Rosemary Squires, Jimmy Cricket, The Korgis, Jenny Hanley (TV presenter) and Vicki Michelle (´allo ´allo) together with comperes Ian Brass (Radio Devon) and Seth Conway from Carlton Westcountry television.
Since 2000 Dave has composed and released further relaxation albums and for almost 3 years he was the songwriter / arranger for Skoolchix and Lost Angels, and has recorded albums with The Blue Kats, Anne Longton.
During 2001 Dave was able to secure an instrumental recording of Nessun Dorma by a highly respected Italian Orchestra and together with Lee Crossman produced “This Is My Moment” winner John Easton’s vocal recording of this epic piece of music.
From 2002 until April 2008 performed with North Devon band "Ad Lib" as percussionist, keyboard player and vocalist. Dave began work with Tom on a new album of acoustic material in 2007 and it is planned to complete that album in 2009.
2004 saw Dave appear on TV for the second time in his career, this time he was booked to appear as an extra in the Channel 4 docu-drama Hitler of The Andes.
During 2007 at the Total Production Awards Dave was able to meet and have a conversation with one of the fathers of the British music scene, the Beatles producer George Martin thus realising a major personal ambition.
2008 was the beginning of a new project with Tom Armstrong, the production of a stage musical telling the life story of the musical greats of modern music, and the foundation of the Altered Image Music Schooling for Bulgaria project
His latest solo album "Mystic Pathways" was first released during the summer of 2004 and the 2008 revised and remixed version has a fantastic cover designed by visionary artist Peter Pracownik
2009 and work has begun towards a return to broadcasting with establishing plans for the formation of an internet radio station Coaching Radio. Dave has recorded several voice-overs, the latest of which is a series of adverts for Bar Ice, Samui the world’s first tropical island ice bar.
THE FUTURE- apart from the launch of Coaching Radio – Dave has now trained as a Life Coach and is working with Tom Armstrong on revisiting the idea that we had with All Stars but focusing on performance and performance coaching.Dave would also like the opportunity to do more recording, more tv and radio work and to expand his growing voice-over business.
DISCOGRAPHY
Freedom EP (Inspiration)
Highlife EP (Highlife)
Somerset Story (A Musical Journey Into Legend)
Healing Steps
Mystic Pathways
Kerry Stockdale Sings (Kerry Stockdale)
Themselves (Skoolchix)
Funny Old Kind Of Life (The Blue Kats)
Anne Longton - The Studio Sessions (Anne Longton)
Guest appearances · Cyclomenic Fields (Retrovibe)
Love Light and Blessed Be
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