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Dave Formula | |
|---|---|
 Formula in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | David Tomlinson, Dave Tomlinson, Dave Formula |
| Born | David Tomlinson (1946-08-11)11 August 1946 (age 79) Whalley Range, Manchester, England |
| Genres | Rock,beat,post-punk,synthpop,new wave,electronic,jazz,funk |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboards,synthesizer |
| Years active | c. 1965–present |
| Labels | Decca Records,Virgin,EMI,Polydor |
| Website | Dave Formula's official MySpace site wire-sound: Dave Formula |
Dave Formula (bornDavid Tomlinson[1] 11 August 1946,Whalley Range, Manchester in England),[2] is an English keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer fromManchester, who played with thepost-punk bandsMagazine andVisage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the "world music" band The Angel Brothers.
Formula lived his early youth inWhalley Range, Manchester.[3]
He worked under the name of David Tomlinson and achieved some success back in the mid-sixties with theR&Bblues/soul bandSt. Louis Union, including appearances onTop of the Pops Thank Your Lucky Stars and in the filmThe Ghost Goes Gear (also featuringThe Spencer Davis Group). At the time he formed the group, he was working as an apprentice television engineer with John Nichols, the band’s bass player.[2] Later he was a cabaret musician and before moving toLondon, whilst with Magazine, he shared a flat with record producerMartin Hannett.
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Formula was a member ofMagazine, joining in 1978 after the departure of Bob Dickinson and the release of their debut single "Shot By Both Sides", until the band's breakup in 1981. His multi-layered keyboard sounds, made with equipment including the Yamaha CP70electric grand piano, Yamaha YC45D Organ, anARP Odyssey, a Yamaha SS30 string synth, and on later albums aProphet 5, were a defining part of the band.
Magazine reformed in February 2009 with Formula returning to play keyboards.
Formula joinedNew RomanticensembleVisage with Magazine'sJohn McGeoch andBarry Adamson in 1978; he played on their first two albums,Visage andThe Anvil. He left the group in 1983 after having some differences with drummerRusty Egan regarding the musical style of their third album.
Formula was a performing and songwriting member ofLudus in 1982 and remained for at least five years.[4]
He also joined a band called Inaura in the mid-1990s and played on their albumOne Million Smiles.[5][6]
Whilst lecturing in popular music, he met up with Keith Angel, Dave Angel & Andy Seward which eventually led to Formula joining the world music band The Angel Brothers in 2003, playing on their two albums,Punjab To Pit Top andForbidden Fruit.
After Formula's stint with Magazine, he formed part of a band called Design For Living.[7]
In January 2007, Formula began working on a solo album recording at his own Red Bird Studios. EntitledSatellite Sweetheart, it features over 30 guest musicians. The list includes almost all the members of Magazine–Howard Devoto,Barry Adamson,John Doyle,John McGeoch (posthumously), andRobin Simon-as well singer/ songwriterRobert Wyatt,Swing Out Sister's Corrine Drury, Dennis Rollins, and Joel Purnell. The release was delayed due to Magazine's 2009 activity and the album was released in February 2010 on Wire Sound.[8] A video of the collaboration with Devoto; "Via Sacra" is posted onYouTube.[9]
