David Cunningham (musician)

David Cunningham (born 1954 in Ireland) is an outsider music, new wave musician and producer who lives and works in London. He is conceptual artist and founder of the Piano label. Cunningham's work has ranged from pop music to gallery installations, including work for television, film, contemporary dance, and a number of collaborations with visual artists. His first significant success came with The Flying Lizards' single 'Money', an international hit in 1979.

Cunningham did not play musical instruments with any great ability, but he formed new wave band The Flying Lizards who made the hit single "Money (That's What I Want)". Virgin Records renewed the band's recording contract after the success of "Money". The group released their début album The Flying Lizards in 1979.

His first solo album release was 'Grey Scale' in 1976. In the 1980s He released two film soundtrack albums "Zina" and "Terminus" followed by three albums in the 1990s, "Voiceworks", "Water"and "ext.night". He has worked as a composer and record producer; engaging with a range of people and music, from rock groups (This Heat, Martin Creed) to improvised music (David Toop, and Steve Beresford), to Michael Nyman's music for Peter Greenaway's films, plus work with Ute Lemper and others.

David Cunningham studied at Maidstone College of Art, one of the first students to join David Hall's pioneering Time-Based course within the Fine Art department. His degree exhibition consisted entirely of work in sound, a happy way to graduate from a visual arts college. Cunningham's involvement in art education has continued over subsequent years, lecturing in many Fine Art departments and holding the positions of Research Fellow at both University of Newcastle and London College of Communication and Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art.

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