The Dave Howard Singers - The London Years (1987-1992)

The London Years (1987-1992)

Still using the “Dave Howard Singers” project name, Howard continued as a solo performer (accompanied by the ever-faithful Max). He released the “quasi-hip-hop” single Yon Yonson (based on an American nonsense rhyme) in 1987, immediately following it up with a disco remix called Yon Yonson Meets Dr R-R-Ruth (which spliced the original single with "crackpot sex therapy out-takes").

By May 1988, Howard had recruited singers Wendy and Sarah to provide live backing vocals for him. Bernadette Keeffe (of The Happy End) also sang with him for about a year. In November 1988, The Dave Howard Singers supported Spacemen 3. By this point, Howard’s onstage stunts including placing his Ace Tone organ on a wheelchair rather than a keyboard stand (while in Canada, he had often sat in a wheelchair to play the organ). The single What Do You Say To An Angel? (inspired by an unprovoked attack on Howard by a Hell's Angel) appeared in early 1989. By this time, the line-up of the Dave Howard Singers had changed again with the addition of “guitar alchemist” Simon Walker, who in turn had brought in T. Daniel Howard (drums). The band became a quartet with the addition of bass player Christian “Bic” Hayes (ex-Ring), whose additional unicycling and juggling skills had endeared him to Howard.

Bic would eventually leave The Dave Howard Singers to play guitar with Cardiacs, and was later known for his membership of first Levitation and subsequently Dark Star. He was temporarily replaced by Stump bassist Kev Hopper. Later in 1989, Simon Walker also left The Dave Howard Singers when he was recruited by The House Of Love to replace the infamous Terry Bickers (who himself was shortly to join another ex-DHS member, Bic, in Levitation). Regarding the poaching of Walker, Howard was later to comment, with regret, “It was a sad day... You know, it's just me but I don't think they made full use of him. Pity.”

The band reorganised as a trio of Dave Howard, T. Daniel Howard and new bass player Bevin Burke. With a new recording contract signed with the Ghetto Recording Company, this lineup recorded the single “All My Relatives Look The Same” (released in 1990) and the long-awaited Dave Howard Singers debut album It’s About Time (1991) which was produced by Paul “Thwack” Laventhol (the former King Kurt guitarist, and Dave Howard’s neighbour). Later on in 1991, Burke was replaced on bass by Anand Gary Subassa (a.k.a. “Subs”) and the band undertook a tour of Europe, frequently playing at squat parties. However, the band's progress was damaged when Ghetto Recording Company folded at the time of the album release (part of the general malaise hitting the British music industry at the time). Consequently, It’s About Time was only released in Germany (apart from an unusual release in Canada for which the band operated under the name of Devoured and the album was released under the title 13).

By early 1992, a disaffected Dave Howard had spent eight years on the margins of the British music industry only to have his hopes dashed by bad luck. Taking stock of the situation, he dissolved the band, quit music and moved back to Canada. He has also cited “the fact that certain family members weren't gettin' any younger and didn't have family close by to look out for them” as affecting his decision.