David Alan Hughes (born 25 April 1960) is an English keyboardist who played in different
new wave bands, and later became successful making music for films.
Biography
New wave years
A self-taught musician, David Hughes was born in
Birkenhead
Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...
, England. He founded
Dalek I Love You
Dalek I Love You were a synthpop group from the Wirral, England. At various points in their existence, the band was also known as Dalek I. Record executives at Phonogram shortened the band's name without telling them for the "Freedom Fight ...
in 1977, alongside guitarist
Alan Gill
Alan David Gill is an English vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, who formed part of the synthpop band Dalek I Love You and the post-punk/neo-psychedelic band the Teardrop Explodes.
Biography Early career
Living in Thingwall, Wirral, he form ...
, bassist
David Balfe
David Balfe (born 1958 in Carlisle, Cumberland) is a musician and record company executive, most notable for playing keyboards with the Teardrop Explodes, founding the Zoo and Food independent record labels, signing Blur and for being the subj ...
and
Chris Teepee
Chris Shaw, also known as Chris Teepee (a name which originated during his 'Teachers Practice'), is an English musician from Upton on the Wirral. Shaw is a drummer, synthesizer player and guitarist who has played with various Wirral and Liverp ...
. He, alongside Gill, was a remaining member, playing on the first three singles and the debut album, ''
Compass Kumpas
''Compass Kumpas'' (aka ''Compass kum'pəs'') was the first album from Dalek I Love You (band), Dalek I Love You, shortened to Dalek I for this album and accompanying singles. It was released on May 24, 1980, by Back Door/Phonogram Records, Phon ...
'', in 1980. However, in January 1980, he left the band, and the album was released in May, when he had left.
In January 1980 he joined
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Wirral Peninsula, Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboar ...
as percussionist, although he switched to keyboards, and became the group's fourth member playing live on OMD's first headlining tour, live on the ''
Old Grey Whistle Test
''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''Whistle Test'' or ''OGWT'') is a British television music show. The show was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough and aired on BBC Two, BBC2 from 1971 ...
'' and for mimed performances of hit single
Messages on
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
. There were some recordings of him with the band, among them the second
Peel Sessions
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
which the group did and the backing tracks for the song "
Souvenir
A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...
", created by himself. Hughes left OMD in November 1980 and "Souvenir" was released as a single in August 1981 and on the ''
Architecture and Morality'' album in November 1981. He was subsequently replaced by
Martin Cooper.
After leaving OMD, he teamed up with Keith Hartley, forming with him the synthpop duo
Godot. The duo released a like-Dalek I's ''Compass Cumpas'' EP, ''Extended Player'', in 1981. However, in that year, Alan Gill solicited the help of Hartley, in a reformed line-up of Dalek I Love You, and the latter joined. So, Hughes called for new members, being joined by
Freeze Frame members Ronnie Stone on guitar and Steve Byrne on vocals, Martin Cooper, who replaced him in OMD, on saxophone, after playing it in the ''Extended Player'' EP, and a drummer. The band toured with Dalek I Love You, but shortly afterwards, Stone left to join
China Crisis
China Crisis are an English new wave and synth-pop band. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby, near Liverpool, Merseyside with a core of lead vocalist and keyboardist Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon. Initially a politically charged post-pu ...
, and Godot split up. In August 1982, "Something's Missing", their last single, was released.
Later, he joined
Freeze Frame for gigs. In 1983, he reformed synthpop band
Games
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such ...
, although they only played one gig. He also played with
Lotus Eaters
In Greek mythology, the lotus-eaters ( grc-gre, λωτοφάγοι, lōtophágoi) were a race of people living on an island dominated by the lotus tree, a plant whose botanical identity is uncertain. The lotus fruits and flowers were the primary ...
, and collaborated with
Thomas Lang
Thomas Lang (; born 5 August 1967) is an Austrian drummer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles-based progressive/ avant garde metal band stOrk and is known for his international session work on a wide variety of genres such as rock, ...
.
Hughes currently composes for film and television, such as the ''
Discworld
''Discworld'' is a comic fantasy"Humorous Fantasy" in David Pringle, ed., ''The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy'' (pp.31-33). London, Carlton,2006. book series written by the English author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat pla ...
'' films which he worked on with Paul E. Francis, as well as work in producing films. His first was ''Awaydays'' and more recently ''Powder'', which was set in Liverpool.
Discography
With Dalek I Love You:
*"Freedom Fighters" single (1979)
*"Dalek I Love You (Destiny)" single (1980)
*''
Compass kum'pəs'' (1980)
With
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Wirral Peninsula, Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboar ...
Peel Sessions 1979-1983 (tracks 5-8):
* ''Pretending To See The Future''
* ''
Enola Gay
The ''Enola Gay'' () is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, piloted by Tibbets and Robert A. Lewis during the final stages of World War II, it be ...
''
* ''Dancing''
* ''Motion And Heart''
References
External links
Robinparmar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, David
English keyboardists
English new wave musicians
People from Birkenhead
1960 births
Living people