Dave Formula
Dave Formula | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | David Tomlinson |
Also known as | David Tomlinson, Dave Tomlinson, Dave Formula |
Born | (1946-08-11) 11 August 1946 Whalley Range, Manchester, England |
Genres | Rock, beat, post-punk, synthpop, new wave, electronic, jazz, funk |
Instruments | Keyboards, synthesizer |
Years active | c. 1965–present |
Labels | Decca Records, Virgin, EMI, Polydor |
Associated acts | St. Louis Union, Magazine, Visage, Ludus, Howard Devoto, The Angel Brothers |
Website | Dave Formula's official MySpace site wire-sound: Dave Formula |
Dave Formula (born David Tomlinson[1] 11 August 1946, Whalley Range, Manchester, England[2]), is an English keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer from Manchester, who played with the post-punk band Magazine and New Romantic ensemble Visage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the "world music" band The Angel Brothers.
Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Early Years and St. Louis Union
1.2 Magazine
1.3 Visage
1.4 Ludus
1.5 The Angel Brothers
1.6 Design For Living
1.7 Solo Album
2 Discography
3 References
4 External links
Biography
Early Years and St. Louis Union
He lived his early youth in Whalley Range, Manchester.[3]
He worked under the name of David Tomlinson and achieved some success back in the mid-sixties with the R&B blues/soul band St. Louis Union, including appearances on Top of the Pops and in the film The Ghost Goes Gear (also featuring the Spencer Davis Group); at the time he formed the group, he was working as an apprentice television engineer.[2] Later he was a cabaret musician and before joining Magazine, he shared a flat with record producer Martin Hannett.
Magazine
Formula joined Magazine in 1978 after the departure of Bob Dickinson and the release of their debut single "Shot By Both Sides", until the band's breakup in 1981. His multi-layered keyboard sounds, made with equipment such as the Yamaha CP70 electric grand piano, Hammond B-3, an ARP Odyssey, a Yamaha SS30 string synth and on later albums a Prophet 5, were a defining part of the band.
Magazine reformed in February 2009 with Dave Formula returning to play keyboards.
Visage
Formula joined New Romantic ensemble Visage with Magazine's McGeoch and Barry Adamson in 1978; he played on their first two albums, Visage and The Anvil. He left the ensemble in 1983 after having some differences with drummer Rusty Egan regarding the musical style of their third album.
Ludus
Formula joined Ludus by 1982. He was one a member of the band during its last years. He played and wrote some songs which were released.[4]
The Angel Brothers
Whilst lecturing in popular music, Formula met up with Keith Angel, Dave Angel & Andy Seward which eventually led to him joining the "world music" band The Angel Brothers in 2003, playing on their two critically acclaimed albums "Punjab To Pit Top" and "Forbidden Fruit".
Design For Living
After his stint with Magazine, he formed part of a band called Design For Living.[5]
Solo Album
In January 2007 Formula began working on a solo album. Recording has been at his own Red Bird Studios. Entitled Satellite Sweetheart, it features over 30 guest musicians. The list includes almost all the members of Magazine – Howard Devoto, Barry Adamson, John Doyle, John McGeoch (posthumously) and Robin Simon - as well singer/ songwriter Robert Wyatt, Swing Out Sister’s Corrine Drury, Dennis Rollins and Joel Purnell. The release was delayed due to Magazine's 2009 activity and the album was released in February 2010 on Wire Sound.[6] A video of the collaboration with Howard Devoto; "Via Sacra" is on YouTube [7]
Discography
Satellite Sweetheart album (release February 2010)
References
^ "What's On: Music, Film, & Things To Do in Manchester - Manchester Evening News". Citylife.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-22..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ ab Manchester Beat – "St. Louis Union are tops", a newspaper from 1965
^ Dave Formula interview Yeah, I grew up in Whalley Range Dave Formula
^ Ludus – The Damage (booklet notes)
^ "The Great Rock Discography", p. 492. Edited by M.C. Strong. Published by Giunti, 1998.
ISBN 88-09-21522-2,
ISBN 978-88-09-21522-1
^ "wire—sound | 360 degree music entertainment company". Wire-sound.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
^ "Dave Formula & Howard Devoto "Via Sacra"". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
External links
- Dave Formula's site on MySpace
wire-sound – Dave Formula Official blog-web site
[1] Dave Formula Photograph 2009- AllMusic Guide profile
- Shot by Both Sides
- PunkNet '77 entry for Magazine
- AllMusic entry for Magazine
- TrouserPress entry for Magazine
- band information
- David Formula interview on Melody Maker, 14 October 1978 as reproduced on the 'Shot By Both Sides' site