Dave Dobbyn, whose real name is David Dobbyn, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter who began his artistic career by joining the group Th'Dudes in the mid-70s. Group which will experience its hour of glory in New Zealand at the very end of the decade with two titles namely “Be mine tonight” in 1979 and “Bliss” in 1980.
Group which broke up at the very beginning of the 80s, forcing the artist to take his destiny back into his own hands. A recovery which saw him form a new group DD Smash, a group which would allow him to shine throughout the southern sphere for almost 6 years and which would experience a semblance of consecration with the title “Outlook for Thursday” in 1983.
The solo career therefore began in 1986 with the release of a first Single “Slice of heaven”, a title that we will find on the soundtrack of the film 'Footrot flats: the dog’s tale'. A soundtrack that will be particularly successful because this title will not go unnoticed, far from it.
But he will even succeed in ranking a second title present on the same soundtrack with “You oughta be in love”, a title which will also have a good run in the Charts of the southern sphere.
His first official album "Loyal" was released two years later in 1988, an album with certain success but which did not manage to match with its two Singles, "Love you like I should" and "Loyal love", the level reached by the Singles released two years ago.
We will have to wait 5 years and the year 1993 to see the release of his new album "Lament for the numb", an album whose success will be limited exclusively to New Zealand and which will only produce a 'little' hit with "Maybe the rain”.
Business picked up somewhat the following year with the release in 1994 of the album “Twist”, an album which succeeded in producing no less than 3 high-caliber titles with “Language” the same year as well as “Lap of the Gods” and “Naked flame” a year later in 1995.
A year 1995 which saw the artist be one of the first in the world to broadcast one of his performances live via the Internet. A great idea which will unfortunately be spoiled by numerous technical problems…
It was 3 years later that he reached the peak of his career with the release of the album “The Islander”, an album which will remain the highest ranked in his entire discography but which paradoxically only managed to produce one major title with “Beside you” in 1999.
An adventure which will subsequently continue with the release of other albums and other Singles but none will match the success achieved by the artist previously.
To discover or rediscover...
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Discography (among others...) :
70s Decade :
Be mine tonight (Th’ Dudes) 1979
That look in your eyes (Th’ Dudes) 1979
Right first time (Th’ Dudes) 1979
Tonight again (Th’ Dudes) 1979
Walking in light (Th’ Dudes) 1979
Bad boy Billy (Th’ Dudes) 1979
80s Decade :
Bliss (Th’ Dudes) 1980
On the rox (Th’ Dudes) 1980
Lipstick power 1981
Bull by the horns 1981
Repetition (DD Smash) 1981
Devil you know (DD Smash) 1982
Outlook for thursday (DD Smash) 1983
Whaling (DD Smash) 1984
Magic (What she do) (DD Smash) 1985
She loves me back (DD Smash) 1985
Slice of Heaven 1986
You oughta be in love 1986
Sailing away 1986
Love you like I should 1988
Loyal 1988
Space Junk 1989
90s Decade :
Shaky isles 1991
Maybe the rain 1993
Don't hold your breath 1993
Language 1994
Naked flame 1995
Waiting 1998
Hanging int he wire 1998
Beside you 1999
2000s Decade :
Background love 2000
My kinda people 2000
Welcolme home 2005
And you will lose everything 2005
Let that river go 2005
You got heart 2006
Wild kisses like rain 2008
Only love remains 2008
Howling at the moon 2008
Hey stranger 2008
2010s Decade :
Feel inside (And stuff like that) 2012
This love 2014
Team, ball, player, thing 2015
Tell the world 2016
Angelina 2016
Nau mai ra 2017
Tracks :
1979...the beginnings in grouped mode. A successful debut in any case since the group offers its first classified title here...
1979...of course the success is limited exclusively to New Zealand but that's already it as they say. While waiting for better of course...
1979...a BIG year for the group with a plethora of titles. On the other hand we will have to take advantage of it because there won't be many more for years...
1979...and yes the group's career will be spread over only 2 short years. On the other hand, this will at least have allowed young David to get his feet wet...
1979...a lighter discography in the end but a record in the Charts that is not insignificant to say the least. What ask for more...
1979...of course they would have liked the adventure to last a little longer but that will not be the case. Hard law of the trade...
1980...it was the year 1980 that gave them their best ranking in the Charts. Paradoxical because better ranking but last year of existence...
1980...after when destiny is contrary, there is no need to fight. Especially since a much more important destiny awaits one of the members of the group...
1981...young David took his destiny back into his own hands and released his first solo title in this year 1981. A first title which will go somewhat unnoticed unfortunately...
1981...just like the second. He will have to raise his level of play somewhat otherwise his solo career could end quickly...
1981...so he prefers to start again in group mode with the DD Smash in order to limit the damage. Well he took it when we see the success achieved in the Charts...
1982...of course once again we only talk about the New Zealand Charts but there are big successes and that's the main thing...
1983...once again the adventure will not last for years and years but everything that comes out under this group name will be successful in any case...
1984...they will succeed in making people talk about them as far as Australia. They will only get there once but they will still get there...
1985...the adventure will not exceed this year 1985 but it will have allowed young David to once again perfect his musical skills...
1985...everything is now ready for the big solo takeoff, at least on paper. It now remains to prove it in situ as they say...
1986...and he will prove it in a masterful way with this title which we will find on the soundtrack of the film 'Footrot flats: the dog's tale'. A title which will remain as the biggest success of his entire solo discography, no less. HU-GE !
1986...another title present on the same soundtrack and which will also shine in the Charts. Certainly less than its predecessor but still...
1986...we find him once again in group mode but this time only to support the New Zealand boat which will participate in the America's Cup Race the following year...
1988...we find him 2 years later on his first real solo album and he confirms that he is indeed one of the sure values of the moment throughout the southern hemisphere...
1988...a second part of the 80s which saw him gain momentum in an impressive way to say the least and reach levels of success that were flattering to say the least...
1989... after remains to be confirmed in duration and that's where things will get a little messy. He will have difficulty going the distance as they say...
1991...the adventure will certainly continue but it is above all the level of success which will weaken somewhat. Except on his native land fortunately...
1993...he will never regain the level of success reached during the second part of the 80s but he still manages to stay afloat without too much problem at this stage...
1993...surprisingly this title will go somewhat unnoticed but that in no way calls into question the continuation of the adventure. Phew...
1994...the proof with this new title which will remain as one of its highest ranked. An adventure that continues quietly but above all surely...
1995...a first part of the 90s that was, to say the least, favorable to the artist and which allowed him to consider the future calmly...
1998...paradoxically he will achieve his biggest success here in terms of albums in New Zealand without this one managing to produce a major hit. Shame...
1998...after the success of this new album shows de facto that he still has a lot of fans behind him and that's the most reassuring thing in the story...
1999...the album will survive at the last minute on the Singles side with this last title, the only one to be classified from this new opus. The worst is therefore avoided...
2000...he will try to move on to the next decade but the situation will become somewhat complicated with a level of success in free fall...
2000...at least on the Singles side because on the albums side he still manages to stay a little afloat. Let's hope it lasts as they say...
2005...it will take him 5 years to straighten his head consistently with this new opus and especially this new title. Like nothing is ever finished...
2005...there will be no other Singles classified for this new opus but this still reassures us that he is capable of getting back into the race at any time...
2005...return to the front of the race no but in the pack yes. Let's wait and see if this is confirmed or if, on the contrary, we are heading towards the exit door...
2006...the fact that this title is going to go under the radar is not the most reassuring, that's for sure. This means that we are more on an irreversible deceleration than anything else...
2008...the only official Single from his new opus. Another title that will go somewhat unnoticed, one more you might say...
2008...afterwards as long as the quality remains essential the essential is preserved, even if the results do not follow in the Charts...
2008...a decade 2000 which will have seen him decelerate in an obvious way but not yet in an entirely irreversible way. It remains to be seen what the next decade has in store...
2008...it was exclusively album sales that allowed him to stay afloat. After all, it's always better than nothing as they say...
2012...we will find him 4 years later in this ephemeral Band Aid in favor of medical research dedicated to children. Great initiative...
2014...titles will be rare during this decade and we will therefore have to make the most of them. An adventure that is nearing the end...
2015...we find him in a new Band Aid but this time to support the New Zealand rugby team during the Rugby World Cup taking place that year...
2016...here comes his only opus of the decade. No title will be officially released but that will not prevent the album from once again being popular with the public...
2016...its core fan base remains as strong as ever and each new album therefore benefits from this significant support...
2017...for how much longer, good question. Only the future knows the answer and especially the artist according to the musical projects he may have in his head...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discograhy :