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Dave Formula | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | David Tomlinson |
Also known as | David Tomlinson, Dave Tomlinson, Dave Formula |
Born | Whalley Range, Manchester, England | 11 August 1946
Genres | Rock, beat, post-punk, synthpop, new wave, electronic, jazz, funk |
Instrument(s) | Keyboards, synthesizer |
Years active | c. 1965–present |
Labels | Decca Records, Virgin, EMI, Polydor |
Website | Dave Formula's official MySpace site wire-sound: Dave Formula |
Dave Formula (born David Tomlinson [1] 11 August 1946, Whalley Range, Manchester in England), [2] is an English keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer from Manchester, who played with the post-punk bands Magazine and Visage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the "world music" band The Angel Brothers.
Formula 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 Thank Your Lucky Stars 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 with John Nichols, the band’s bass player. [2] Later he was a cabaret musician and before moving to London, whilst with Magazine, he shared a flat with record producer Martin Hannett.
Formula was a member of Magazine, joining 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 including the Yamaha CP70 electric grand piano, Yamaha YC45D Organ, 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 Formula returning to play keyboards.
Formula joined New Romantic ensemble Visage with Magazine's John McGeoch and Barry Adamson in 1978; he played on their first two albums, Visage and The Anvil . He left the group in 1983 after having some differences with drummer Rusty Egan regarding the musical style of their third album.
Formula was a performing and songwriting member of Ludus in 1982 and remained for at least five years. [4]
He also joined a band called Inaura in the mid-1990s and played on their album One Million Smiles. [5] [6]
Whilst lecturing in popular music, he met up with Keith Angel, Dave Angel & Andy Seward which eventually led to Formula joining the world music band The Angel Brothers in 2003, playing on their two albums, Punjab To Pit Top and Forbidden Fruit.
After Formula's stint with Magazine, he formed part of a band called Design For Living. [7]
In January 2007, Formula began working on a solo album recording 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. [8] A video of the collaboration with Devoto; "Via Sacra" is posted on YouTube. [9]
Visage were a British synth-pop band formed in London in 1978. The band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their hit "Fade to Grey" which was released in late 1980. In the UK, the band achieved two Top 20 albums and five Top 30 singles before the commercial failure of their third album led to their breakup in 1985.
Magazine were a British rock band formed in 1977 in Manchester in England by singer Howard Devoto and guitarist John McGeoch. After leaving the punk group Buzzcocks in early 1977, Devoto decided to create a more progressive and less "traditional" rock band. The original lineup of Magazine was composed of Devoto, McGeoch, Barry Adamson on bass, Bob Dickinson on keyboards and Martin Jackson on drums.
Howard Devoto is an English singer and songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for punk rock band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, an early post-punk band. After Magazine, he went solo and later formed indie band Luxuria.
John Alexander McGeoch was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977–1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980–1982).
Barry Adamson is an English pop and rock musician, composer, writer, photographer and filmmaker. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as a member of the post-punk band Magazine and went on to work with Visage, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the electro musicians Pan Sonic. In addition to prolific solo work, Adamson has also remixed Grinderman, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Recoil and Depeche Mode. He also worked on the soundtrack for David Lynch's surrealistic crime film Lost Highway.
Noko is an English musician, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer who has formed and/or played with a number of bands primarily as a guitarist or bassist. In chronological order they were: Alvin the Aardvark and the Fuzzy Ants, the Umbrella, the Pete Shelley Group, the Cure, Luxuria, Apollo 440, Stealth Sonic Soul, Fast, Maximum Roach, James Maker and Noko 440, Magazine, Raw Chimp, Levyathan, SCISM, Am I Dead Yet? and Buzzcocks.
Real Life is the debut studio album by English post-punk band Magazine. It was released in June 1978 by record label Virgin. The album includes the band's debut single "Shot by Both Sides", and was also preceded by the non-album single "Touch and Go", a song from the album's recording sessions.
"The Youngest Was the Most Loved" is the second single from English singer-songwriter Morrissey's eighth studio album, Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006). The track was written by Morrissey and Jesse Tobias. It was released as a single on 5 June 2006 and reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was performed on the popular UK television chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 19 May 2006 and again on Later with Jools Holland on 2 June 2006.
The Anvil is the second studio album by the British synth-pop band Visage, released in March 1982 by Polydor Records. The album reached No. 6 in the UK and was certified "Silver" by the British Phonographic Industry in April 1982.
"Tar" is the debut single by the British synth-pop group Visage, released in 1979.
The Damned Don't Cry is a compilation album by the British synth-pop group Visage released in 2000.
Secondhand Daylight is the second studio album by English post-punk band Magazine. It was released on 30 March 1979 by record label Virgin. One single, "Rhythm of Cruelty", was released from the album.
The Correct Use of Soap is the third studio album by English post-punk band Magazine, released by Virgin Records in 1980. It contains some of Magazine's best-known and most popular songs, including the singles "A Song from Under the Floorboards" and "Sweetheart Contract" and their cover of Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You ". A different version of the album, entitled An Alternative Use of Soap, was released in Canada in 1980 by then-distributor Polygram Records.
Magic, Murder and the Weather is the fourth studio album by English post-punk band Magazine, and their final album until the band's reformation in 2009. It was released in June 1981 by record label Virgin. One single, "About the Weather", was released from the album.
Robin Simon is a British guitarist who was a member of Ultravox, Magazine and Visage.
John Doyle is an English drummer, who was a member of new wave bands like Magazine and The Armoury Show. He reunited with Magazine for a tour in February 2009.
Jerky Versions of the Dream is the only solo album recorded by Howard Devoto, the original singer of Buzzcocks and Magazine. It was his only studio album, which was released at the time with two singles, "Cold Imagination" and "Rainy Season", being a short-lived solo career for Devoto, who in 1986, went to form a band alongside guitarist Noko, which later was named Luxuria.
St. Louis Union were a short-lived mid-1960s English freakbeat rock band from Manchester who formed part of the mod rock scene. They were formed by singer Tony Cassidy, guitarist Keith Millar, tenor saxophone/flute player Alex Kirby, keyboardist David Tomlinson, bassist John Nichols and drummer Dave Webb.
No Thyself is the fifth and final studio album by the band Magazine, and the first since their 2009 reformation. It was released on the Wire-Sound label on 24 October 2011, about 30 years after the release of their previous studio album, Magic, Murder and the Weather.
Play is the first live album by English post-punk/new wave band Magazine. It was released in December 1980 by Virgin Records (International) and in April 1981 by I.R.S. Records (US). It peaked at No. 69 on the UK Album Chart. It was Magazine's sixth 1980 release.