Dagenham Dave is the fourth track of the second studio album No More Heroes by British punk band The Stranglers , released in 1977 by United Artists Records . The song was written by four members of the group in memory of his most devoted fan, who helped musicians in difficult periods and had a significant intellectual influence on them. [1] [2] On February 9, 1977, Dave committed suicide by throwing himself from the Tower Bridge into the Thames . [3]
| Dagenham dave | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Executor | The stranglers | |||
| Album | No more heroes | |||
| Date of issue | 1977 | |||
| Date Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Genre | punk rock | |||
| Duration | 03:19 | |||
| Label | United artists records | |||
| Author | Jean-Jacques Burnell Hugh Cornwell Dave Greenfield Jet black | |||
| Producer | Martin Rascent | |||
| Track listing for No More Heroes | ||||
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History
“Dave was from another city, quite possibly Manchester, ” - with these words begins a song dedicated to his memory. So it was in reality, but he got his nickname from Hugh Cornwell , because for some time he worked at the Ford plant in Dagenham .
For the first time, Dave attended the concert of The Stranglers at the Pig & Whistle club, after which he took the habit of attending their every performance. As fanzine Strangled wrote, “Dave immediately fell in love with the group, because he was a personality, and The Stranglers attracted strong personalities” [3] .
Dave was the son of a miner, brought up in difficult conditions and (as Brenda, his girlfriend later recalled), from childhood developed a passionate hatred of any government. By conviction, he was a fiery socialist. Moreover, according to the testimony of all participants in The Stranglers, Dave was a true intellectual, ("Dave was so far ahead ...") and with real passion indulged in reading ("Had read De Sade to Marx. More read than me and you ..."). Burnell (French by birth) claimed that it was Dave from Dagenham who first introduced him to the poetry of Rimbaud and Verlaine [1] .
Work on construction brought Dave good income (hence: "Scaffolding pays good bread, it pays for drugs and kicks ..."). He stayed with Brenda at a hotel in the Sussex Gardens area near Bayswater Station. Not burdened with household chores, every evening the couple went to the cinema, to the theater or to a concert. As Brenda recalled (to which Hugh also gave the nickname: Bren Gun), it often happened that from The Nashville club, where The Stranglers performed, they were heading to the London Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Festival Hall. [3]
Dagenham Dave, The Stranglers
From the very first day he met the band, Dave realized that she had great potential, and did not get tired of convincing the musicians that they were waiting for worldwide fame. But in those days, The Stranglers went through difficult times, almost starving, often receiving only 25 pounds for a concert. Each time, Dave at the end of the performance treated the musicians and stage workers with a drink, and often dinner, spending sometimes 50 pounds per evening. Without hesitation, he invited the quartet to his hotel room, if it turned out that they had nowhere to spend the night. [3]
Soon, The Stranglers began to call Dave their "fan number one." He worried about the future of the group more than she herself: all her problems, primarily financial ones, were his problems.
Finally, at the end of 1976, it became clear that important changes were taking place in Britain's music scene. The Sex Pistols , Clash , Damned appeared , and a completely different audience began to come to The Stranglers concerts. Dave liked the “ new wave ” music, but he had nothing to do with punks .
Meanwhile, The Stranglers made friends with punks from the Finchley area, who chose Torrington Pub as their headquarters and became regulars in the band’s concerts. Hugh first called them Finchley Freds, then renamed them Finchley Boys - they remained that way in the history of the London punk scene.
For the first time, Dave’s position in the hierarchy of The Stranglers hesitated. The group surrounded by younger, somewhat more interesting musicians. First of all, Dave had a fight with Finchley fights at The Stranglers concert at 100 Club . Seven fought against him; neither side won, but Dave had two broken ribs and a crack in his brow. As people who knew him remembered, "this was the beginning of the end."
The year 1977 has come. The Stranglers have finally signed with United Artists . It was a day of triumph for everyone who believed in them from the very beginning, especially for Dave. He was present in the studio when the Rattus Norvegicus album was being recorded, moreover, he boldly pointed out to producer Martin Rashent what the sound should be. Brenda could not stand such a life and moved to her mother in Sussex. Dave begged her to return, but the persuasion was useless.
Until now, people who knew Dave disagree about what was the immediate cause of his death ("What were his thoughts that night? ..."). Jean-Jacques Burnell is sure that Dave could not reconcile with the fact that he had lost his status, he ceased to be necessary for the group (“It was too much for him ...”). Meanwhile, as many believed, Dave suffered a split personality; moreover, in conversations he mentioned that he was once diagnosed with “ paranoid schizophrenia ”. This version also found its place in the lyrics (“There's certainly sickness here ...”).
Be that as it may, on February 9, 1977, Dave's body was found off the coast of the Thames. He committed suicide by rushing into the icy water from the Tower Bridge.
Record Members
- Hugh Cornwell - guitar, backing vocals
- Jean-Jacques Burnell - bass, vocals
- Dave Greenfield - keyboards, backing vocals
- Jet Black - Percussion
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Chris Salevicz. The American Interview . NME, www.webinblack.co.uk (1979). Date of treatment October 26, 2009. Archived January 29, 2011.
- ↑ No More Heroes . - www.dooyoo.co.uk. Date of treatment October 26, 2009. Archived April 9, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Chiswick Charlie, Duncan Doughnuts & Bren Gun. Dagenham Dave . Volume 2, No 6 Strangled, www.punk77.co.uk. Date of treatment October 26, 2009. Archived February 23, 2012.