The London Years (late 1984-1986)
In October 1984, British keyboard player and producer Dave Formula (Magazine, Visage) was brought in by Howard’s manager Peter Noble to produce Howard’s recordings. Formula persuaded Howard and Noble that if Howard was serious about a musical career, he should relocate to Britain. Following Formula's advice, Howard moved to London and was teamed up with ex-Howard Devoto sidemen Pat Aherne (drums) and Martin Heath (bass, formerly of The Poison Girls) to form a live trio. This line-up recorded the Whoishe? EP, including the live favourite (and Mad Max tribute) “Road Warrior”, which was released on Howard’s own label Hallelujah! Records (via Rough Trade). However, Howard soon became dissatisfied with the musical direction he was being groomed for. Following a WOMAD gig in 1985 at which he had been presented (semi-ironically) as Canada’s musical representative, Howard parted company with Formula, Aherne and Heath.
The day after WOMAD, Howard teamed up with fellow Canadian Nick Smash, a stand-up drummer and “heavy percussionist” who'd previously worked with Rent Boys Inc. The new-look Dave Howard Singers made an appearance on The Tube, toured with The Shock Headed Peters and supported Sonic Youth in Amsterdam.
The Dave Howard Singers followed up Whoishe? with the live-in-concert EP Goodnight Karl Malden EP, recorded in winter 1985 in the Netherlands and released in March 1986. To promote the EP, The Dave Howard Singers pulled off a considerable press coup by playing a bizarre free concert (assisted by slide and video projections) at the London Canadian Embassy (Canada House) in April 1986. Howard posed, tongue-in-cheek, as a cultural representative (much as he had at WOMAD in 1985) and delivered a noisy set. Described as "the loudest launch reception for a record ever witnessed", the concert was a great cult success and was covered by (among others) Melody Maker, Sounds and New Musical Express.
In October 1986, The Dave Howard Singers released a cover version of the David Essex hit "Rock On" (produced by The Stranglers’ JJ Burnel). This was described at the time as "frighteningly minimalist" and as "ruffian unrest". Even as recently as 2004, the single was described in retrospect as “mutated… beyond all recognition, with Max providing heavy duty electro beats, Nick Smash beating the shit out of his tom-toms and Dave screaming his lungs out (through) a convoluted series of sections before finally degenerating into full-on insanity, with Dave screeching a tirade of obscenities.” Howard made much of the initial friction between himself and Burnel (the latter a committed DHS fan) during the recording session ("It all got off to a tempestuous start. On the first day I was so uptight and made him uptight, so he threatened me with my life. I was thinking, God, this isn't how it should be working out. Then, after the air was cleared, it all worked out fine.")
Nick Smash left the band the day before the Rock On video was to be shot, having clashed with manager Peter Noble and claiming to be "getting pretty sick of that Ace Tone". He would later to patch up his personal relationship with Howard, although he would not return to the band.
Read more about this topic: The Dave Howard Singers
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