Dave Dobbyn
| Dave Dobbyn | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | David Joseph Dobbyn |
| Also known as | Dave Dobbyn |
| Born | 3 January 1957 |
| Genres | Pop, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano bass |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels |
Warner Epic Sony BMG |
| Associated acts |
Th' Dudes DD Smash |
| Website | www.davedobbyn.co.nz |
David Joseph Dobbyn ONZM (born 3 January 1957) 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.
Dave Dobbyn was born in 1957 in the working class areas 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 teacher's college he was asked by Morris and Urlich to join the band that would become Th' Dudes.
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" (1978). 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" (1980) has become an iconic New Zealand drinking song.
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