Dave Dobbyn


David Joseph Dobbyn is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then he has released the majority of his recordings as a solo performer.

Early life

Dave Dobbyn was born on 3 January 1957 in the working class area of Glen Innes, Auckland, the third of five children to tour-bus driver Terry Dobbyn and Molly. He was influenced by music from a young age, ranging from the Irish songs his father listened to, to the music of the church across the road, to the various radio stations he was able to pick up on the family radiogram. While his family had a piano at home, he was the only member to not receive piano lessons, something he was grateful for in retrospect as it meant he was able to come to it without memories of strict lessons. He, along with his three brothers, attended the local Catholic college Sacred Heart College, where he would meet Ian Morris and Peter Urlich. While Sacred Heart actively encouraged music, Dobbyn was too shy to be involved, and on graduating high school worked nine months as a bank teller, and applied to teachers' college twice, to be accepted on the second try. As he started teachers' college he was asked by Morris and Urlich to join the band that would become Th' Dudes.

Musical career

Th' Dudes (1975–80)

Dobbyn's first success came with rock band, Th' Dudes, which he joined as guitarist. After performing with the band for a year, Dobbyn quit teachers' college to focus on the band full-time. Dobbyn suffered extreme stage fright and played early performances standing at the back with his eyes closed. However, he took on the role of frontman for the song "Be Mine Tonight" . The song won single of the year in 1979 in New Zealand and led to many critics seeing him as the breakout star of the band. The band's 1980 song "Bliss" has become an iconic New Zealand drinking song.

DD Smash (1980–86)

After Th' Dudes disbanded in 1980, Dobbyn formed pop group DD Smash. The band's first release was the single "Lipstick Power", followed by "Bull by the Horns", thought to be about Dobbyn overcoming the stage fright he sometimes experienced while performing with Th' Dudes. Their first album Cool Bananas debuted in the New Zealand charts at number one.
After Treavaun, DD smash released Deep in the Heart of Taxes, an album recorded live at Auckland's popular eighties venue Mainstreet. Their final album, The Optimist, although slicker sounding production-wise than its predecessor, showed signs of compromise with the dominant commercial, Blue-eyed soul inflected, synthpop sound of the post-new wave era of British and Australian music which was flooding the New Zealand charts at the time. Dobbyn apparently had his eye on the larger Australian market and it was not long before he had a number one solo hit there.
In December 1984, DD Smash were playing an outdoor concert in Aotea Square in Auckland. During their set a power failure led sections of the crowd to become restless. Some of the crowd started throwing beer bottles and police arrested them. The situation escalated and the riot squad was called in. Dobbyn made negative remarks about the police which allegedly spurred on the crowd. The concert was stopped by the police and sections of the crowd rioted, smashing shop windows along Queen Street. Prime Minister David Lange called a commission of inquiry and as a result Dobbyn was charged with inciting a riot. The criminal prosecution against Dobbyn began June 1985. His lawyer successfully defended him and he was acquitted on the charge of "behaving in a manner likely to cause violence against person or property and using insulting language".
When DD Smash eventually disbanded, partially to make room for the commercially expanding vision of Dobbyn, they left behind them the hit singles "Outlook for Thursday" and the violin-tinged, perennial classic "Whaling".

Solo career (1986–present)

When DD Smash folded, Dobbyn began a successful solo career, by writing the soundtrack music for the animated feature film ' in 1986. The film yielded two hit singles: "You Oughta Be In Love" and the chart-topping "Slice of Heaven" recorded with the band Herbs. After the release of the film, "Slice of Heaven" became one of Dobbyn's best-known songs, frequently used in tourism advertisements aired on Australian television that encouraged people to visit New Zealand. With the success of the song in Australia, Dobbyn settled in Australia.
In April 1987, a re-worked version of Dobbyn's song "Slice of Heaven" featured in a number of television commercials in Australia. Funded by the Australian Meat Industry Council, the commercials promoted the Devon meat product by substituting the word "Heaven" for "Devon" in the chorus.
Dobbyn released his debut solo album Loyal, a personal celebration of love and loyalty, in 1988.
His follow-up was the Mitchell Froom-produced Lament for the Numb, which included members of Elvis Costello's one time backing band. The album was called "un-releasable" by Dobbyn's record label at the time and was shelved for a year until its eventual release. After nearly a decade in Australia, Dobbyn moved back to Auckland in the early 1990s, and made 1994's Twist with fellow New Zealander and recently returned singer-songwriter Neil Finn, whose contribution Dobbyn stated "was crucial to the sound of that record". Twist is also notable for its inclusion of the Maori singer Emma Paki, who was popular in the country at the time of the album's release.
In 1995 Dobbyn became one of the first musical performers in the world to simulcast a performance on the Internet. However, it was hindered by technical problems.
Dobbyn took on the role of producer in fourth solo album, The Islander. The album received widespread popular and critical acclaim, reaching number 1 on the New Zealand charts.
In 1999 Dobbyn joined Jan Hellriegel and Toi Iti to co-write "Read About It", the theme song of the Duffy Books in Homes programme which is still performed by 100,000 children annually.
Dobbyn's hit song "Loyal" from his debut solo album Loyal was used as an anthem for Team New Zealand's failed 2003 America's Cup defence. He has also produced albums for Australian singer Grant McLennan and contributed to albums by Jenny Morris, Gyan Evans, Wayne Gillespie and Bic Runga. In 2000 Dobbyn toured New Zealand with Runga and Tim Finn. The tour was recorded and the live album, ' was released soon after. The tour also included the lead off song "Just Add Water" from his 2000 album Hopetown, a record Dobbyn has since referred to as "a cartoon album".
In 2005, Dobbyn released his sixth solo album; Available Light. The album received popular and critical acclaim. In the same year Dobbyn performed the lead single from Available Light, "Welcome Home" at the New Zealand Music Awards ceremony. During the performance, Ahmed Zaoui, who was appealing a security certificate issued due to alleged links to terrorist groups, appeared on stage with Dobbyn.
2008 saw Dobbyn release Anotherland. The album entered the NZ Top 40 Album Charts at Number 2 and remained in the charts for 6 weeks, eventually attaining Gold status.
In 2009 Dobbyn released a, including re-recorded versions of "Devil You Know", "Shaky Isles" and "Whaling". The second CD includes less known songs. A limited edition version also included a DVD tracking his three decades in music, and included interviews with former bandmates and collaborators.
In 2012 Dobbyn was part of the all-star lineup for the Flight of the Conchords charity single Feel Inside. The song debuted at number 1 on the New Zealand music chart and remained there for two weeks.

Discography

With Th' Dudes

Compilation albums

Live albums

Singles

Notes

Awards and nominations

Dobbyn has received numerous musical awards from both the New Zealand Music Awards and the APRA Silver Scroll Awards. In the 2003 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music.

RIANZ Awards

The New Zealand Music Awards are awarded annually by the RIANZ in New Zealand. As of 2012, Dobbyn has won 23 awards.
YearAwardWorkWithResult
1979Single of the Year"Be Mine Tonight"Th' Dudes
1979Top GroupTh' Dudes
1982Album of the YearCool BananasDD Smash
1982Top Male VocalistDD Smash
1982Top Group of the YearDD Smash
1982Most Promising Male VocalistDD Smash
1983Album of the Year'DD Smash
1983Single of the Year"Outlook for Thursday"DD Smash
1983Top Male VocalistDD Smash
1983Top Group of the YearDD Smash
1983Producer of the Year"Outlook for Thursday"DD Smash
1983Most Popular ArtistDD Smash
1985International AchievementDD Smash
1986Best Song of the Year"Slice of Heaven"solo
1987Album of the Year'solo
1987Single of the Year"You Oughta Be in Love"solo
1987Best Male Vocalistsolo
1987International Achievementsolo
1987Best Film SoundtrackFootrot Flatssolo
1987Best ProducerFootrot Flatssolo
1987Best Songwriter"You Oughta Be in Love"solo
1988Album of the YearLoyalsolo
1988Single of the Year"Love You Like I Should"solo
1988Best Male Vocalistsolo
1988Best Songwriter"Love You Like I Should"solo
1995Album of the YearTwistsolo
1995Best Male VocalistTwistsolo
1995Best Songwriter'Language'solo
1996Best Male Vocalistsolo
1996International Achievementsolo
1999Top Male Vocalistsolo
1999Best Songwriter"Beside You"solo
2000Top Male Vocalistsolo
2000Best Film Soundtrack/Cast Recording/CompilationOvernight Successsolo
2001Album of the YearHopetownsolo
2001Album of the Year'Tim Finn, Bic Runga
2001Top Male Vocalistsolo
2002Best Cast Recording/Compilation'Th' Dudes
2005Single of the Year"Welcome Home"solo
2005Songwriter of the Year"Welcome Home"solo
2006Album of the YearAvailable Lightsolo
2006Best Male Solo ArtistAvailable Lightsolo
2009Best Male Solo Artistsolo

APRA Awards

As of 2013, Dobbyn has won 4 Silver Scroll Awards: 3 for the Silver Scroll Awards for songwriting, and 1 for the most performed work in New Zealand. He received a Lifetime Achievement award in 2001 at the NZ Music Awards. As of 2013 he is the only musician to win the Silver Scroll award three times. In 2013 it was announced that he would become the 13th inductee into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
YearAwardWork
1987Silver Scroll"You Oughta Be in Love"
1993Silver Scroll"Belle of the Ball"
1995Most Performed Work in New Zealand"Language"
1998Silver Scroll"Beside You"
2001Lifetime Achievement Award
2013New Zealand Music Hall of Fame

In 2001, a vote by members of APRA to find New Zealand's Top 100 songs included 10 Dobbyn songs. These were:
In 2001 the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand awarded Dobbyn a rare Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 2001 New Zealand Music Awards. The award presenter Michael Glading, the managing director of Sony New Zealand, chose to forego a speech and instead read out the titles of the long list of Dobbyn's hit songs.

Personal life

Dobbyn met his wife Anneliesje at a Whangamata Dudes New Years' show and married her in 1983.