1962 - 2007
Born in Wales in 1962 Dave Dyke first
became hooked on music after attending a wedding at the age of 10. It was
there that he was first introduced to drumming and went on to make many
appearances as a drummer during his early teens, playing with the big bands
of the day and making TV appearances.
When Punk Rock was born in the mid-late 70’s, Dave was living in
Southend-on-Sea in Essex. It was from there that artists such as Dr.
Feelgood and Wilko Johnson sprang. Dave joined a local band called the
‘Idiots’ spending 4-5 years playing New Wave/Punk music.
‘Speedball’ followed seeing the band release album and getting a session
with the legendary John Peel for his show on BBC Radio One and doing a live
circuit of London Clubs such as the Marquee in Wardour Street. Dave also
played drums for top acts such as Depêche Mode,
Alison Moyet and Eddie and The Hot Rods.
Dave’s growing passion for lyrics and music encouraged him to learn the
guitar. Self-taught he then spent 20 years as a travelling hippy getting
creative influences from the many cultures he encountered. Dave’s repertoire
of chords, choruses and tunes soon grew, helped along by hours of busking
and practicing in café’s, stations - anywhere to gain experience.
In the mid 90’s he settled in Brighton, a town becoming increasingly popular
with musicians. Here he performed guitar with bands such as ‘Big Love’,
‘Love Star’, and gigging in venues in London such as the Mean Fiddler.
Becoming a father completely changed the hippy Dave into a responsible dad
for his son. Music and travelling was put on a back burner.
In 2000 Dave discovered Totnes. Its creative atmosphere was perfect for the
artistic ambitions in Dave. Now that the digital age had made the idea of
recording at home on a professional level a financial reality it allowed
Dave to put together his own recording studio.
Help and advice from local musicians, engineers etc soon allowed Dave to
work on the CD that is now ‘This Is Your Life’ by Oceanic.
In a space of two years the lovingly crafted album is now completed. An
atmospheric CD, the lyrics express love and mellow moods underscored by
reflective tunes. The result is an album not of ten separate tracks but of
one entity flowing from one song to the next. ‘This Is Your Life’ is an
album of gorgeous words, creating a depth of musical experience that leaves
the listener in a relaxed state of well-being.
It is a bittersweet irony for Dave that the completion of this life’s work
heralded the news that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It is
also a strange twist of Fate that the nature of Dave’s lyrics for this album
is focussed on life, love and death. The titles of the tracks alone are
eerily prophetic.
From the artist’s point of view this is a chance to leave behind something
of himself, a creative work and a legacy to his family and friends.
Certainly a powerful and potent reason for releasing “This Is Your Life’ by
Oceanic.
©Detour Records