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Dave Rave is a musician's musician. To the general public, he's the manic Teenage Head rhythm guitarist who graduated to lead singer and
catapulted the band back into the charts; but musicians know him as a valued session player (Daniel Lanois, Andrew Loog Oldham, Alex Chilton, and countless others) who can play the best version of a song
he's never heard.
Dave began his music career in his high school years writing songs and performing driving acoustic rock and folk-pop in and around their native Hamilton. This evolved into the wildly
popular, The Shakers, from 1979-1982 with Rick Andrews, Tim Gibbons and Claude DesRoches. They charted many singles with albums produced by Daniel Lanois (U2) and Jack Richardson (Guess Who, Alice Cooper).
Their garage rockapunkabilly sound ignited the masses during their reign.
Following the break-up of The Shakers, Dave took over as lead singer of the already popular Teenage Head. Dave replaced
Frankie Venom who incidentally had worked with Dave on several other projects including a band named Madonna. Dave Rave continued to take Teenage Head on an upward trajectory with radio friendly hits like
"Can't Stop Shakin'". Dave left Teenage Head after a successful run to try things out on his own.
Often referred to as a Canadian Nick Lowe, Dave was the first North American artist to sign
to Russia's Melodiya record label and recorded Valentino's Pirates in 1989 as The Dave Rave Group. They were originally known as the Dave Rave Conspiracy but this name was changed to appease cold war era
Russian sensibilities. Press surrounding this release included a CBC documentary revisiting Russia with the group as well as 3 promotional videos that were in heavy rotation at Much Music in Canada. Some of
the players on this album included Gary 'Pig' Gold, Coyote Shivers, Jack Pedler and Television's Billy Ficca. Bullseye Records re-issued the album for the first time on CD in 2001 and the positive reviews
continue to pour in.
The next Dave Rave Conspiracy album, Three Octave Fantastic Hexagram, included many of the players from the Valentino's album with the addition of former Washington Squares
player, Lauren Agnelli. Lauren and Dave formed an incredible creative partnership that resulted in 3 Agnelli & Rave albums over the next ten years including the critically acclaimed Cowboy Flowers
Sessions, Heaven and Earth, and Confetti!, not to mention a song writing partnership that flourishes to this day with hundreds of songs to their name.
Media continually notes "his sharp pop
intelligence means the songwriting is of high standard." Dave continues to produce incredible music in a wide variety of genres from jazz to folk to rockabilly to punk. But it is Dave's pop
sensibilities and his devotion to making music that is honest, intimate and real regardless of whether he touches you with smiles, tears or the occasional urge to pogo in your living room.
The Dave
Rave Group is the name that Dave continues to use on the pop side of his career when recording with a number of different musicians that he works with. This second Dave Rave Group album, Everyday Magic, has
players from his former bands such as Teenage Head, The Shakers and bands and musicians whose projects he has worked on in either in a musician's capacity and/or in production roles such as Joe Mannix, Kate
Schrock, and The Trews. That being said there are no core members of the Dave Rave Group other than Dave himself. This will be The Dave Rave Group's second album.
Dave's latest album, Everyday Magic,
on the Bullseye label will do just that. Dave spends his time playing live, producing, writing and coming up with more ideas to bring great musicians together for the purpose of entertaining themselves and
the masses. One example is The Grand Song Caravan, the tour he is currently on supports his music as well as the music of others and that exemplifies all that Dave stands and strives for in music. Paul Hyde
(Payola$, Rock & Hyde), US Singer-Songwriters Joe Mannix & Kate Schrock are just a few of the people Dave toured with in 2003. Press interest is picking up with many upcoming appearances in
television, radio & print. Touring in Canada and the US continues as part of The Grand Song Caravan tour with other players in support of the album, Everyday Magic. Listen out for Dave's second single,
the title track from Everyday Magic featuring The Trews and Gordie Lewis from Teenage Head currently at CHR & ROCK radio.
Tracks from this album are currently playing in Canada, France, the U.S.
and even Siberia. |
