Dave Greenfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Greenfield
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Greenfield with the Stranglers at the Cambridge Corn Exchange in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Paul Greenfield |
| Born | 29 March 1949 Brighton, England |
| Died | 3 May 2020 (aged 71) |
| Genres | Progressive rock (early), Punk rock, new wave, post-punk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Keyboards, synthesizer, vocals |
| Years active | Late 1960s–2020 |
| Associated acts | The Stranglers, Rusty Butler |
David Paul Greenfield (born March 29, 1949 – died May 3, 2020) was a talented English musician. He was best known as the keyboard player, singer, and songwriter for the famous rock band, The Stranglers. Dave joined The Stranglers in 1975, just a year after they started. He played with them for an amazing 45 years, right up until he passed away.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Dave Greenfield was born on March 29, 1949, in Brighton, England. Brighton is a fun seaside town on the south coast. He learned to play the guitar from an older friend at school. After finishing school, Dave spent a year playing music in bands. These bands performed at American military bases in Germany.
Music Career Highlights
Dave tried to build his music career in Germany. He also played in bands in Britain. At the same time, he helped out in his father's printing business. He also worked as a piano tuner. In Britain, he played in bands like The Initials and The Blue Maxi. He also played with progressive rock bands such as Rusty Butler.
He joined The Stranglers after seeing an advertisement. The band placed the ad in a music magazine called Melody Maker in July 1975. Dave replaced another musician named Hans Wärmling. His first show with The Stranglers was on August 24, 1975. He stayed with the group until his death in 2020.
In 1981, Dave Greenfield helped produce a song. It was called "Back to France" by the band Boys in Darkness. In 1983, Dave and Jean-Jacques Burnel, another member of The Stranglers, released an album together. It was called Fire & Water (Ecoutez Vos Murs). This album was used as the music for a film. The movie was named Ecoutez vos murs.
Dave was known for being a very careful musician. He always wanted his music to be perfect. He sometimes found social situations a bit tricky. He was also a member of a group called 'Grantanbrycg'. This group was part of a UK re-enactment society. They would re-create historical events.
Dave's Unique Musical Style
Dave Greenfield's keyboard sound was very special. His playing style, especially on The Stranglers' first album, Rattus Norvegicus, was often compared to Ray Manzarek. Ray Manzarek was the keyboard player for the Doors. Interestingly, Dave said he hadn't heard of The Doors at that time. He only knew a few of their songs. These included "Light My Fire" and "Riders on the Storm".
However, Dave said his early influences were Rick Wakeman and Jon Lord. Rick Wakeman played for Yes. Jon Lord was the keyboardist for Deep Purple. Dave was also famous for playing fast arpeggios. An arpeggio is when notes in a chord are played one after another. His unique sound came from instruments like the Hohner Cembalet. He also used a Hammond L-100 electric organ. Later, he added a Minimoog synthesizer and an Oberheim OB-Xa.
Dave wrote a waltz-style piece of music. He wrote it while recording for the album The Meninblack. The other band members didn't use it at first. But it was later used to create their biggest hit song, "Golden Brown". Hugh Cornwell wrote the lyrics. Dave Greenfield and Jet Black wrote the music. The band didn't think it would be a hit song at first. Besides being a popular song, "Golden Brown" also won an Ivor Novello award. This is a very important award for songwriting.
Singing and Vocals
On some albums, Dave Greenfield used a special device. It was called a Korg VC-10 vocoder. This device could change the sound of his voice. You can hear it in songs like "Genetix". It made his voice sound unique.
He also often sang harmony backing vocals. These are extra voices that support the main singer. Dave also sang the main vocals on a few early songs. This is mentioned in a book by Hugh Cornwell.
Dave Greenfield's Passing
Dave Greenfield passed away on May 3, 2020. He was 71 years old. He had been in the hospital for heart problems. While there, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on April 26, 2020. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
When people heard the news, many musicians shared their sadness. Current and former members of The Stranglers spoke about him. Other artists also shared how much they appreciated his music. Dave's last concert with The Stranglers was on February 15, 2020. It took place at the Auckland Town Hall in Auckland, New Zealand.
