Dave Berry (musician)

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For other uses of the name, see Dave Berry.

Dave Berry (born David Holgate Grundy, 6 February 1941, in Woodhouse, Sheffield, England), was a British pop singer and teen idol of the 1960s.

Contents

[edit] Career

A unique, and charismatic performer, Berry performed a mixture of hard R&B and pop ballads. He was extremely popular in Britain, and on Continental Europe. He had an unusual ambition for a pop performer trying to make a name for himself - to appear on TV completely hidden by a prop. In his own words, to "not appear, to stay behind something and not come out". As a rule he did a good job; hiding behind the upturned collar of his leather jacket, or even wrapping himself around, and effectively behind, the microphone's own lead. His early hits name checked his backing band, The Cruisers who at that time were made up of John Fleet (bass & piano), Roy Barber (rhythm guitar), Frank Miles (lead guitar) and Kenny Slade (drums). Berry parted company with this line-up (considered by many to be the best ever) around the time of "The Crying Game". He recruited four more talented local musicians - Frank White, Johnny Riley, Pete Cliff and old friend Alan Taylor to be the second generation of 'Cruisers', with lead guitarist White eventually replaced by Roy Ledger until around 1965, when personel changes began to be more frequent.

"The Crying Game" (1964), "Mama" (1966) and "This Strange Effect" (1965) - the latter written by Ray Davies, are among his best remembered hits. Indeed, "This Strange Effect" became a massive Number One hit for him in Holland and Belgium, countries where he still enjoys superstar status, resulting in a Special Award from Radio Veronica, Holland, for their best selling pop single of all time.

His 1965 hit "Little Things" was a cover version of Bobby Goldsboro's Stateside Top 40 success.

Another one of his songs, "Don't Gimme No Lip Child", was covered by the Sex Pistols. His stage act, drawing largely on Elvis Presley, and Gene Vincent, provided an inspiration for Alvin Stardust. Such was his enigmatic, and unconventional presence, that several punk rock acts, such as the Sex Pistols, later acknowledged him as an inspiration.

The song "The Crying Game" brought Berry's voice to his biggest international audience ever in 1992, when it was used as the theme song for one of that year's most successful films - Neil Jordan's The Crying Game.

Berry also regained some, much-overlooked recognition, when he was the surprise hit of the annual Alexis Korner Tribute in 1995.

In 1998 "This Strange Effect" was covered by the Belgian band Hooverphonic, on their album, Blue Wonder Power Milk.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

  • "Memphis, Tennessee" / "Tossin' And Turnin'" - October 1963 UK #19
  • "My Baby Left Me" / "Hoochie Coochie Man" - January 1964 UK #37
  • "Baby It's You" / "Sweet And Lovely" - April 1964 UK #24
  • "The Crying Game" / "Don't Gimme No Lip Child" - July 1964 UK #5
  • "One Heart Between Two" / "You're Gonna Need Somebody" - November 1964 UK #41
  • "Little Things" - March 1965 UK #5
  • "This Strange Effect" - July 1965 UK #37
  • "I'm Gonna Take You There" - November 1965 Did not chart
  • "If You Wait For Love" - February 1966 Did not chart
  • "Mama" - July 1966 UK #5
  • "Picture Me Gone" - November 1966 Did not chart
  • "Stranger" - March 1967 Did not chart
  • "Forever" / "And I Have Learned To Dream" - August 1967 Did not chart
  • "Just As Much As Ever" - February 1968 Did not chart
  • "Do I Figure In Your Life" - 1968 Did not chart
  • "Oh What A Life" - 1968 Did not chart

[1]

[edit] E.P.s

  • 1964 "Me-O-My-O" / "St. James Infirmary" / "If You Need Me" / "Ella Speed"
  • 1965 "Can I Get It From You"

[edit] L.P.s

1964 Dave Berry
The Crying Game / Not Fade Away / I Don't Want To Go On / Ella Speed / The Girl From The Fair Isle / Go On Home / Everybody Tries / God Bless The Child / Memphis, Tennessee / On The Other Side Of Town / Go Home Girl / My Last Date / St. James Infirmary / Just A Little Bit / See See Rider / Don't Make Fun Of Me - Decca

1966 One Dozen Berries
Hey Little Girl / Round And Round / Casting My Spell / Girl From The Fair Isle / Fanny Man / If You Wait For Love / Sweet And Lovely / Tears To Remind Me / Baby It's You / Run My Heart / I Love You Babe / Heartbeat - Ace

1968 Dave Berry '68 - Decca

1968 Special Sound of Dave Berry - Decca

1976 Remembering - Decca

1983 The Crying Game - Decca

1986 This Strange Effect - See for Miles

1988 Hostage to the Beat
Searchlight / Love from Johnny / Heart of Stone / Love is a Killer / Bring my Cadillac Back / God bless the Child / Mountains of the Moon / On the Waterfront / My Baby Left Me / For a Knight to Win His Spurs / Boppin' the Blues / Tracks of My Tears

2003 Memphis....in the Meantime
Mercury Blues / Same old Blues / Mean 'ol Frisco / Are You going My Way / Memphis in the Meantime / Cajun Moon / Georgia Ray / Pony Bboy / Taking the Midnight Train / Boppin' the Blues / My Baby Left Me - Blues Matters

[edit] Reference

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited, p. 55. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

[edit] External links

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