The Dave Howard Singers - Early Years (1979-1984)

Early Years (1979-1984)

An ex-student of the Royal Conservatory of Ontario, Dave Howard started his musical career in Toronto in 1979, as part of a post-punk band called The Diner’s Club (also featuring drummer Boris Rosych and guitarist Brian Ruryk). Howard noted later “we were into all that stuff out of New York like Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, DNA, The Contortions and of course Suicide. I also liked the clean minimalism of groups like Young Marble Giants. And just to totally confuse you, a tiny portion from my list of early influences would be Burt Bacharach, The Beatles, John Barry, early Genesis, Bernard Hermann, Holst, Debussy and Dean Martin.”

Striking out as a solo act in 1981 (accompanied by a drum machine called “Max”), Howard took on the ironic project name of The Dave Howard Singers - despite the fact that not only was he the only singer in the group, but also the only member. Drawing principally on his Suicide and Burt Bacharach influences, he performed song-sets mingling rapid electronic rhythms and noise with lounge-friendly pop tunes and crooner vocals. Audiences confused by this mixture – apart from those who were implacably hostile - were won over by Howard’s sense of humour and encouragement of audience participation (he would invite them to sing along, heckle and tell stories as part of his concert experience). While Toronto-based, he supported international music acts such as James Chance and the Contortions, The Psychedelic Furs and Jah Wobble. The debut Dave Howard Singers release was the 8-song cassette album Alone And Gone in 1983, followed by the cassette EP A Loan And A Yawn.