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Dave Colquhoun (born 11 February 1969) [1] is an English guitarist and vocalist from Cumbria, [2] who is best known for his work with keyboardist Rick Wakeman and for his session work, [3] as well as being a guitar coach and for working on the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. [2]
Colquhoun was born in Cumbria [2] and is from Whitehaven where he also went to the school. [4]
He first came to the public eye when he became a member of new wave band Bow Wow Wow when the reunited in 1997, he replaced their guitarist Matthew Ashman who died in 1995. At this point in his career he went under the alias Dave Calhoun. [5] [6]
In 2000, he was a member of Francis Dunnery's backing band, [7] The Grass Virgins, as second guitarist, along side bass guitarist Matt Pegg, and singer/keyboard player Erin Moran. [8] This band formation toured the UK and performed on a larger tour and as a support slots with Hootie and the Blowfish. [9] Colquhoun was replaced by John Dunnery on later tours. [10]
Colquhoun appeared on former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown's third album Music of the Spheres in 2001, he co-wrote two tracks, including the single F.E.A.R. [11] which was placed at No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and was both a commercial and critical success. [12]
Colquhoun has been guitarist for Rick Wakeman since February 2002, [13] this has included tours with the English Rock Ensemble, which at times has included vocalists Ashely Holt, Damien Wilson [14] and Hayley Sanderson, [15] keyboardists Rick Wakeman and Adam Wakeman, [15] bassist Lee Pomeroy [14] [16] and drummers Tony Fernandez, Ash Soan [16] and Adam Falkner. [17] and with the Rick Wakeman Trio, which has included Wakeman, Colquhoun and bassist Matt Pegg. [18]
In 2014, Colquhoun stood in with Procol Harum at short notice for the hospitalised Geoff Whitehorn at a live show and BBC recording at the Dominion Theatre, London, 24 November 2014. [19]
Colquhoun was a music coach for Oscar-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, he aided Gwilym Lee and Rami Malik in mimicing the guitar styles of Brian May and Freddie Mercury. [2] Colquhoun had previously performed with May when the latter guested with Wakeman at 2015’s Starmus Festival in Tenerife. [2] [20] He had got the job when May asked him to do a gig with May and Kerry Ellis for Radio 2, in 2017, after which they stayed in touch. [2] He later received call from Becky Bentham, who was the Music Supervisor on the film, who asked him if he was available. His role was as body double and guitar support for Gwilym Lee, who was playing May. [2] After a director change, his services were no longer required. [2]
Since 2019, Colquhoun has continued to regularly tour with Wakeman. [21]
Colquhoun is married to Jay Aston of Bucks Fizz, the got married in August 1999 in Greenwich, London. They have a daughter, Josie Alexandra (born 2003, Bromley, Greater London). [22] In 2011 they lived in Tatsfield, Surrey, [23] though he currently lives in Woldingham. In 2022, Aston revealed that their daughter Josie had been diagnosed and was battling Meningitis. She later revealed that her daughter was recovering, although it ‘would be slow’. [24]
| Year | Artist | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Moondigger | 423 | guitar, vocals, synth |
| 1997 | Zenshoppers | "Sorrows Wedding" | writing with Jay Aston |
| 2001 | Ian Brown | "F.E.A.R." | guitar with Francis Dunnery |
| 2002 | Jay Aston | Alive And Well | writing |
| 2005 | Rick Wakeman | Made In Cuba | guitar; recorded Live at the Karl Marx Theatre, La Habana, Cuba, April 2005 |
| 2006 | Retro | guitar | |
| Jay Aston | Lamb Or Lizard | acoustic and electric guitar and production | |
| 2007 | Rick Wakeman | Retro 2 | guitar |
| 2009 | The Six Wives Of Henry VIII Live At Hampton Court Palace | electric guitar | |
| 2012 | Journey To The Centre Of The Earth | guitar | |
| 2016 | Jay Aston | I Spy | production, guitar, bass, keyboards |
| 2017 | Downes Braide Association | Skyscraper Souls | lead guitar |
| Jay Aston | In Concert with Truth Is | guitar | |
| 2020 | Downes Braide Association | Live In England | lead guitar |
| Marc Almond | Chaos And A Dancing Star | guitar on one track | |
| Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble | The Red Planet | electric guitar | |
| 2023 | A Gallery Of The Imagination | guitars |
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On a tour of the UK, Dunnery formed a new backing band called The Grass Virgins, in which he became the second guitarist was Dave Colquhoun, bassist Matt Pegg and singer and keyboardist Erin Moran.
Surprised and pleased that he remained alive Memory of quite popular sold concerts, Dunnery soon returned to a much larger tour and with the support of Hootie And Blowfish.
The Grass Virgins performed as his backing band in the next few years despite changes in the line-up, when John Dunnery replaced Colquhoun,