Dave Greenfield

David Paul Greenfield (29 March 1949 – 3 May 2020) was an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter who was a member of rock band the Stranglers. He joined the band in 1975, within a year of its formation, and played with them for 45 years until his death.

Early life and education Greenfield was born on 29 March 1949 in the south coast seaside resort of Brighton, Sussex, England. He learnt guitar from an older schoolmate and, after leaving school, played for a year in bands at American bases in Germany.

Career Greenfield tried to develop a music career in Germany, and played in bands in Britain as well as Germany while also working in his father's printing business and as a piano tuner. In Britain, his bands included the Initials, the Blue Maxi (on the single "Here Comes Summer", released by Major Minor Records in 1970), and progressive rock bands Rusty Butler and Credo.

He joined the Stranglers after answering an advert by the band in Melody Maker in July 1975, replacing Hans Wärmling, playing his first gig with them on 24 August 1975. He stayed in the group until his death in 2020.

In 1981, Greenfield produced the single "Back to France" by the band Boys in Darkness. Greenfield and Jean-Jacques Burnel released an album together in 1983, Fire & Water (Ecoutez Vos Murs), which was used as the soundtrack for the film Ecoutez vos murs, directed by Vincent Coudanne. For many years he was a member of Grantanbrycg, the Cambridgeshire branch of the UK re-enactment group Regia Anglorum.

Musical style and equipment Greenfield's sound and style of playing, particularly on the Stranglers' debut album Rattus Norvegicus, has been compared to that of Ray Manzarek of the Doors. Greenfield admitted that he knew a few Doors tracks, those being "Light My Fire" and "Riders on the Storm". His distinctive sound on the early Stranglers recordings involved the use of Hohner Cembalet (model N), Hammond L-100 electric organ, a Minimoog synthesizer, and later an Oberheim OB-Xa.

Greenfield wrote a piece of waltz-time harpsichord music during recording for The Meninblack, which was discarded by other members of the Stranglers, but was later adapted into their biggest hit "Golden Brown", with lyrics from Hugh Cornwell and music from Greenfield and Jet Black, although the band themselves did not initially see this as a potential single. In addition to its chart success, the song also won an Ivor Novello award.

Vocal performances On the albums The Raven, The Gospel According to the Meninblack and Aural Sculpture, Greenfield used a Korg VC-10 vocoder. and on "Baroque Bordello" towards the end of the song.

He also frequently contributed harmony backing vocals to the band's songs, and sang the lead vocals on a few of their early tracks, as mentioned in Hugh Cornwell's book The Stranglers, Song by Song. These tracks are: "Dead Ringer" and "Peasant in the Big Shitty" from the album No More Heroes "Do You Wanna?" from Black and White "Genetix" from The Raven "Four Horsemen" from The Gospel According to the Meninblack Upon news of his death, several current and former members of the Stranglers eulogised him on social media. Hugh Cornwell tweeted, "He was the difference between the Stranglers and every other punk band. His musical skill and gentle nature gave an interesting twist to the band. He should be remembered as the man who gave the world the music of 'Golden Brown.'" Other artists also expressed their appreciation. Greenfield's last concert with the band was on 15 February 2020 at the Auckland Town Hall in Auckland, New Zealand.

Discography

Fire & Water (Ecoutez Vos Murs) (1983) – with Jean-Jacques Burnel