Dave Dobbyn

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox musical artist Sir David Joseph Dobbyn Template:Post-nominals (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.

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.<ref name="north-south">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=bio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name=doco>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He, along with his three brothers, attended the local Catholic college Sacred Heart College,<ref name="north-south"/> 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.<ref name="north-south"/>

Musical career

Th' Dudes (1975–1980)

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} 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.<ref name="north-south"/> Dobbyn suffered extreme stage fright and played early performances standing at the back with his eyes closed.<ref name=doco/> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band's 1980 song "Bliss" (1980) has become an iconic New Zealand drinking song.

DD Smash (1980–1986)

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} After Th' Dudes disbanded in 1980, Dobbyn formed a pop group DD Smash. The band's first release was the single "Lipstick Power", followed by "Bull by the Horns" (1981), thought to be about Dobbyn overcoming the stage fright he sometimes experienced while performing with Th' Dudes. Their first album Cool Bananas (1982) debuted in the New Zealand charts at number one.

After Cool Bananas, DD Smash released Deep in the Heart of Taxes (1983), an album recorded live at Auckland's popular eighties venue Mainstreet. Their final album, The Optimist (1984), although slicker sounding production-wise than its predecessor, showed signs of compromise with the dominant commercial, blue-eyed soul inflected, synth-pop 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.Template:Citation needed

In December 1984, DD Smash was 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 in 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".<ref name="RIOT">Queen Street riot 1984 (from New Zealand history online, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage)</ref>

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" (1983) and the violin-tinged, hi perennial classic "Whaling" (1984).

Solo career (1986–present)

File:Gg-hangi-dinner-prince-william-2010-events-dave-dobbyn.jpg

Dobbyn performing for Governor-General Anand Satyanand and Prince William in 2010

File:Pike 29 Memorial Track - Karakia.webm

Dobbyn song performed as part of the Pike29 Memorial Track construction start (0:48 to 1:20 min)

When DD Smash folded, Dobbyn began a successful solo career, by writing the soundtrack music for the animated feature film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale in 1986. The film yielded two hit singles: "You Oughta Be In Love" (1986) and the chart-topping "Slice of Heaven" (1986) 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 (AMIC), 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,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in 1988. His follow-up was the Mitchell Froom-produced Lament for the Numb (1993), 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.<ref name="Dave Dobbyn Interview 2009">Dave Dobbyn Interview 2009</ref> 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,<ref name=essential-album>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> whose contribution Dobbyn stated "was crucial to the sound of that record".<ref name="Dave Dobbyn Interview 2009"/> Twist is also notable for its inclusion of the Māori 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.<ref name=live-internet>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=technology>Template:Cite news</ref> 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<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which is still performed by 100,000 children annually.

Dobbyn's hit song "Loyal" (1988) from his debut solo album Loyal (1988) 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, Together in Concert: Live (2000) 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".<ref name=doco/>

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" (2005) 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.<ref name="zaoui">Zaoui sings with Dobbyn Template:Webarchive (from News Talk ZB news story, dated 6 October 2006</ref>

2008 saw Dobbyn release Anotherland. The album entered the NZ Top 40 Album Charts at Number 2<ref>NZ Album Chart Template:Webarchive</ref> and remained in the charts for 6 weeks, eventually attaining Gold status.

In 2009 Dobbyn released a second greatest hits album, including re-recorded versions of "Devil You Know", "Shaky Isles" and "Whaling". The second CD includes less known songs.<ref name="Dave Dobbyn Interview 2009"/> 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 (And Stuff Like That)". The song debuted at number 1 on the New Zealand music chart and remained there for two weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Discography

Solo studio albums

Year	Title	Details	Peak chart positions		Certifications
			NZ	AUS<ref name=auschart>Template:Cite book</ref>
1986	Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale	Various Artists Label: Sony BMG	5	22	NZ: Platinum<ref name="teara-certs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1988	Loyal	Label: CBS Records Catalogue no: 460655 2	9	75	NZ: Gold<ref name="teara-certs"/>
1993	Lament for the Numb	Label: Warner Music Group Catalogue no: 450992330-2	13	–
1994	Twist	Label: Epic Records Catalogue no: 477792.2	8	–
1998	The Islander	Label: Columbia Records Catalogue no: 491456.2	1	–	NZ: Gold<ref name="teara-certs"/>
2000	Hopetown	Label: Epic Records Catalogue no: 498886.2	9	–	NZ: Gold<ref name="teara-certs"/>
2005	Available Light	Label: Sony BMG Catalogue no: 5202672000	3	–	NZ: 2× Platinum<ref name="teara-certs"/>
2008	Anotherland	Label: Red Trolley Records Catalogue no: RTCD003	2	–	NZ: Gold<ref name="teara-certs"/>
2016	Harmony House	Label: Red Trolley Records Catalogue no: RTCD004/RTLP004	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	–
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Compilation albums

Year	Title	Details	Peak chart positions	Certifications
			NZ
1992	The Dave Dobbyn Collection	Dave Dobbyn, Th' Dudes and DD Smash Label: Festival CD:D30733	4
1999	Overnight Success	Dave Dobbyn, Th' Dudes and DD Smash Label: Columbia Records	15	NZ: 2× Platinum<ref name="teara-certs"/>
2009	Beside You: 30 Years of Hits	Dave Dobbyn, Th' Dudes and DD Smash	4
2017	A Slice of Heaven: 40 Years of Hits	Released: 7 April 2017 Label: Sony Music	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Live albums

Year	Title	Details	Peak chart positions	Certification
			NZ
2000	Together in Concert: Live	Tim Finn, Dave Dobbyn & Bic Runga Catalogue no: 5011402000	2	NZ: 3× Platinum<ref name="NZcerts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Album
		NZ	AUS<ref name=auschart/>
1981	"Lipstick Power"	—	—	rowspan="2" Template:N/a
	"Bull by the Horns"	—	—
1986	"Slice of Heaven" (Dave Dobbyn with Herbs)	1	1	Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale
	"You Oughta Be in Love"	2	63
	"Sailing Away" (All of Us)	1	—	Template:N/a
1988	"Love You Like I Should"	7	70	Loyal
	"Loyal"	19	70
1989	"Space Junk" (Dave Dobbyn and the Lunettes)	32	—	rowspan="2" Template:N/a
1991	"Shaky Isles"	26	—
1993	"Maybe the Rain" (Dave Dobbyn and the Stone People)	40	—	Lament for the Numb
	"Don't Hold Your Breath"(Dave Dobbyn and the Stone People)	—	—
1994	"Language"	4	—	Twist
1995	"Lap of the Gods"	13	—
	"Naked Flame"	20	—
1996	"Poor Boy" (ENZSO – lead vocals by Dave Dobbyn)	29	—	Enzso
1998	"Waiting"	—	—	The Islander
	"Hanging in the Wire"	—	—
1999	"Beside You"	28	—
2000	"Just Add Water"	—	—	Hopetown
	"My Kinda People"	—	—
2005	"Welcome Home"	10	—	Available Light
	"Pour the Wine"	—	—
2006	"You Got Heart"	—	—
2008	"Wild Kisses Like Rain"	—	—	Anotherland
2012	"Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)" (Flight of the Conchords)	1	—	rowspan="4" Template:N/a
2014	"This Love" (Dave Dobbyn and the Orpheus Choir of Wellington)	—	—
2015	"Team, Ball, Player, Thing" (#KiwisCureBatten featuring Lorde, Kimbra, Brooke Fraser, et al.)	2	—
2017	"Nau Mai Rā (Welcome Home)"	—Template:Efn	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Notes Template:Notelist-ua

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2021 New Year Honours, Dobbyn was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

RIANZ Awards

The New Zealand Music Awards are awarded annually by the RIANZ in New Zealand. As of 2012, Dobbyn has won 23 awards.

Year	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Work	With	Result
1979	Single of the Year	"Be Mine Tonight"	Th' Dudes	Template:Won
	Top Group		Th' Dudes	Template:Won
1982	Album of the Year	Cool Bananas	DD Smash	Template:Won
	Top Male Vocalist		DD Smash	Template:Won
	Top Group of the Year		DD Smash	Template:Won
	Most Promising Male Vocalist		DD Smash	Template:Won
1983	Album of the Year	Live: Deep in the Heart of Taxes	DD Smash	Template:Won
	Single of the Year	"Outlook for Thursday"	DD Smash	Template:Won
	Top Male Vocalist		DD Smash	Template:Won
	Top Group of the Year		DD Smash	Template:Won
	Producer of the Year	"Outlook for Thursday"	DD Smash	Template:Nom
	Most Popular Artist		DD Smash	Template:Won
1985	International Achievement		DD Smash	Template:Nom
1986	Best Song of the Year	"Slice of Heaven"	solo	Template:Won
1987	Album of the Year	Footrot Flats	solo	Template:Nom
	Single of the Year	"You Oughta Be in Love"	solo	Template:Won
	Best Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Won
	International Achievement		solo	Template:Nom
	Best Film Soundtrack	Footrot Flats	solo	Template:Won
	Best Producer	Footrot Flats	solo	Template:Won
	Best Songwriter	"You Oughta Be in Love"	solo	Template:Nom
1988	Album of the Year	Loyal	solo	Template:Won
	Single of the Year	"Love You Like I Should"	solo	Template:Nom
	Best Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Won
	Best Songwriter	"Love You Like I Should"	solo	Template:Nom
1995	Album of the Year	Twist	solo	Template:Nom
	Best Male Vocalist	Twist	solo	Template:Won
	Best Songwriter	'Language'	solo	Template:Won
1996	Best Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Nom
	International Achievement		solo	Template:Nom
1999	Top Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Nom
	Best Songwriter	"Beside You"	solo	Template:Nom
2000	Top Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Nom
	Best Film Soundtrack/Cast Recording/Compilation	Overnight Success	solo	Template:Won
2001	Album of the Year	Hopetown	solo	Template:Nom
		Together in Concert: Live	Tim Finn, Bic Runga	Template:Nom
	Top Male Vocalist		solo	Template:Nom
2002	Best Cast Recording/Compilation	Where Are the Girls?: Th' Definitive Collection	Th' Dudes	Template:Nom
2005	Single of the Year	"Welcome Home"	solo	Template:Nom
	Songwriter of the Year	"Welcome Home"	solo	Template:Won
2006	Album of the Year	Available Light	solo	Template:Nom
	Best Male Solo Artist	Available Light	solo	Template:Won
2009	Best Male Solo Artist		solo	Template:Nom
2013	New Zealand Music Hall of Fame	himself	solo	Template:Yes2<ref name="HOME INDUCTEES">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	New Zealand Music Hall of Fame	himself	as part of Th' Dudes	Template:Yes2<ref name="HOME INDUCTEES"/>

APRA Awards

As of 2013, Dobbyn has won four Silver Scroll Awards: three for the Silver Scroll Awards for songwriting, and one for the most performed work in New Zealand. He received a Lifetime Achievement award in 2001 at the NZ Music Awards.<ref name=achievements>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of 2013 he is the only musician to win the Silver Scroll award three times (1987, 1993, 1998).

Year	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Work
1987	Silver Scroll	"You Oughta Be in Love"
1993	Silver Scroll	"Belle of the Ball"
1995	Most Performed Work in New Zealand	"Language"
1998	Silver Scroll	"Beside You"
2001	Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2001, a vote by members of APRA to find New Zealand's Top 100 songs (what would eventually become the Nature's Best series) included ten Dobbyn songs. These were:

• 3: Dave Dobbyn – "Loyal"
• 7: Dave Dobbyn with Herbs – "Slice of Heaven"
• 12: DD Smash – "Whaling"
• 27: Th' Dudes – "Be Mine Tonight"
• 29: Dave Dobbyn – "Beside You"
• 31: DD Smash – "Outlook For Thursday"
• 35: Dave Dobyyn – "Language"
• 50: Th' Dudes – "Bliss"
• 70: Dave Dobbyn – "You Oughta Be in Love"
• 100: Dave Dobbyn – "Naked Flame"

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Template:Awards table |Template:Abbr |- | rowspan="4"| 1988 | Dave Dobbyn | Best New Talent | Template:Nom | rowspan="4"| <ref name="ARIA1988">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- | rowspan="3"| "Slice of Heaven" | Single of the Year | Template:Nom |- | Song of the Year | Template:Nom |- | Highest Selling Single | Template:Nom |-

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Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2001 the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Dobbyn met his future wife, Anneliesje, at a Whangamata Th' Dudes New Year's show. They married in 1983.<ref name="north-south"/>

Dobbyn does not drink alcohol.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 2022, he revealed that he has Parkinson's disease. Dobbyn said that this diagnosis, received in July 2022, has given him a 'wider appreciation of life'.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Official Website
• The Slow Boat Inquisition
• Homegrown Profiles: Dave Dobbyn, 2005 interview and retrospective
• The Dave Dobbyn Interview, 2009
• Biography (davedobbyn.co.nz)
• Chris Bourke Biography for 2001 Overnight Success Greatest Hits
• 1998 North and South interview