Dave Greenfield (29 March 1949 – 3 May 2020)
May 4, 2020 11:16 AM Subscribe
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Dave Greenfield. He was the difference between The Stranglers and every other punk band. His musical skill and gentle nature gave an interesting twist to the band. He should be remembered as the man who gave the world the music of Golden Brown.Hugh Cornwell on the death of Dave Greenfield, due to a covid-19 infection.
Dave Greenfield's keyboard playing underscored all Stranglers songs, no more so than on Golden Brown, the second single released from the 1981 album La folie. Originally a piece created for the Stranglers' previous album, The Gospel According to the Meninblack, but rejected at the time and reworked by lead singer Hugh Cornwell, Golden Brown reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart, their highest ever placing.
Unlike most punk groups, it was the relatively gentle and melodious keyboards that set the Stranglers apart, from No More Heroes to Always the Sun. Live too his keyboards drove the band, as this 1985 Hamburg concert proves.
The Stranglers had planned a farewell tour this Summer, with both Greenfield and drummer Jet Black suffering from long term health problems, but for obvious reasons that had to be postponed.
I guess we know what happened to this particular hero.
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posted by OHenryPacey at 11:42 AM on May 4, 2020
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posted by OHenryPacey at 11:42 AM on May 4, 2020
Texture like sun.
posted by humboldt32 at 11:52 AM on May 4, 2020
posted by humboldt32 at 11:52 AM on May 4, 2020
Never Say Goodbye.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:58 AM on May 4, 2020
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:58 AM on May 4, 2020
1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4...
posted by The Tensor at 12:29 PM on May 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by The Tensor at 12:29 PM on May 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
Fucking virus isn't killing the people it should. It needs to get it's act together or it's getting a bad review on the app store from me.
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posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:32 PM on May 4, 2020 [3 favorites]
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posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:32 PM on May 4, 2020 [3 favorites]
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posted by soundguy99 at 12:53 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by soundguy99 at 12:53 PM on May 4, 2020
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posted by supermedusa at 12:57 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by supermedusa at 12:57 PM on May 4, 2020
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posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:08 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:08 PM on May 4, 2020
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too much of a Stranglers fan to think of any one song, unless it's that extended Doors-like exploration of the Burt Bacharach tune. Mr. Greenfield's fingers definitely get to singing before this one's done:
Walk on By - The Stranglers
posted by philip-random at 1:09 PM on May 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
too much of a Stranglers fan to think of any one song, unless it's that extended Doors-like exploration of the Burt Bacharach tune. Mr. Greenfield's fingers definitely get to singing before this one's done:
Walk on By - The Stranglers
posted by philip-random at 1:09 PM on May 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by fido~depravo at 1:18 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by fido~depravo at 1:18 PM on May 4, 2020
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posted by spinifex23 at 2:49 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by spinifex23 at 2:49 PM on May 4, 2020
I love The Stranglers a ton. The first 6, maybe 7 albums are as good a run as any band has ever had, and still some great songs after that. Dave Greenfield is a very big reason why they were so great. Writing the music for Golden Brown alone would be enough to call his a life well lived, but he had so many other great musical contributions. The Gospel According To The Meninblack is my favorite album by them, and I can't imagine it without his keyboard parts. So sad.
posted by ericthegardener at 3:29 PM on May 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by ericthegardener at 3:29 PM on May 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
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posted by doctornemo at 3:55 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by doctornemo at 3:55 PM on May 4, 2020
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The Stranglers are one of my all time favourite bands, since childhood. I remember seeing them (minus Hugh of course) in concert 14-15 years ago and thinking, anxiously: my god, Jet Black (the drummer, who is quite a lot older than the rest of them) looks like he is about to die any second now. He looked so old. Well, Jet Black is 81 now and still going, probably he is invincible, very sad that Greenfield was not :(
posted by Bektashi at 4:26 PM on May 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
The Stranglers are one of my all time favourite bands, since childhood. I remember seeing them (minus Hugh of course) in concert 14-15 years ago and thinking, anxiously: my god, Jet Black (the drummer, who is quite a lot older than the rest of them) looks like he is about to die any second now. He looked so old. Well, Jet Black is 81 now and still going, probably he is invincible, very sad that Greenfield was not :(
posted by Bektashi at 4:26 PM on May 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Lord, what a lovely tune, which I'd never heard before. So many gems from that era, many of which I managed to miss until recently. Wish it were a different occasion bringing it to my attention.
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 6:50 PM on May 4, 2020
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 6:50 PM on May 4, 2020
And a mariachi version of "Golden Brown" to lighten the mood a little. Inherently dark tune given the lyrics, though.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 7:05 PM on May 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Sheydem-tants at 7:05 PM on May 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by Mister Bijou at 9:00 PM on May 4, 2020
posted by Mister Bijou at 9:00 PM on May 4, 2020
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posted by limeonaire at 6:43 AM on May 5, 2020
posted by limeonaire at 6:43 AM on May 5, 2020
"Golden Brown" is so mesmerizing. I borrowed my sibling's 45 of it and would listen to it over and over.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:24 PM on May 6, 2020
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:24 PM on May 6, 2020
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posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 11:32 AM on May 4, 2020