Dave Wakeling

Dave Wakeling
Dave Wakeling on stage in 2007
Background information
Birth name	David Wakeling
Born	(1956-02-19) 19 February 1956 Birmingham, England
Genres	Ska, pop, new wave
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1978–present
Labels	I.R.S. Records
Website	Dave Wakeling's website

David Wakeling (born 19 February 1956 in Birmingham, England) is an English rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is most famous for singing and writing songs for the 1980s 2-Tone band The Beat (known in the U.S. as the English Beat) and also General Public.

Career

The first album by The Beat, I Just Can't Stop It, was a hit and singles from this album included "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine" and "Can't Get Used To Losing You" which all entered the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. They also had UK hits from the albums Wha'ppen? and Special Beat Service. In 1983 The Beat disbanded, citing, "every great band only has three really good albums".

Wakeling then formed General Public with Ranking Roger in 1984 and they released their debut album, All the Rage. He would go on to record another two albums with General Public, Hand To Mouth (1986) and Rub It Better (1995), shortly after which the act would disband.

He then produced the soundtrack for the John Hughes film She's Having a Baby (1988), in which he also recorded the title track.

Wakeling released a solo album, No Warning, on I.R.S. Records in 1991 and has lived in California for a number of years. He regularly performs as The English Beat in North America.

Dave Wakeling and his California-based version of the English Beat band recorded two new songs that feature prominently in the Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated episode "Dance of the Undead" which aired 26 March 2013. It features a zombie ska group called Rude Boy and the Ska-Tastics who come back to life in order to turn people into zombies and make them dance to ska music forever. According to an interview with the San Francisco Examiner, he said: "This was my first opportunity to do anything for television as a gun for hire, and I actually managed to record and mix two songs in 12 hours. It was like running at double speed with no brakes, but it was exciting, and Warner Bros. really loved them. So the zombies have a song called 'You’re Dead Right, Mate,’ and the Hex Girls have one called 'We’re the Good Bad Girls,’ which has a definite Ramones-Runaways vibe to it, but frankly, I’m really happy I did it, because I’ve always loved ‘Scooby-Doo."

Personal life

Wakeling is divorced from his former wife Damessa with whom he has two children, Max and Chloe. Wakeling currently resides in the San Fernando Valley.

In a July 2012 interview with New York Music News, Wakeling expressed concern over the United States' economic problems, stating: "I have a nose tuned to the smell of the death of an empire, and I smell it now."

Discography

• No Warning (1991 I.R.S. Records)

1. I Want More
2. No Warning
3. Remember in the Dark
4. Every Time You Look at Me That Way
5. Sensation
6. Freedom Fighter
7. One + One + One
8. Sex With You
9. I'm Not Ready
10. She's Having a Baby

Produced by Mark Goldenberg (tracks 1-9) and Steve Levine ("She's Having a Baby")

Notes

• 1. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll, Third Edition (Fireside, 2001)
• 2. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Books, 2004)

External links

• Dave Wakeling's website
• The Beat's official website
• IMDB.com
• The Official English Beat MySpace
• The Official General Public MySpace
• Only2Degrees Internet Talk Radio Show 2 May 2009