17 Facts About Dave Greenfield

David Paul Greenfield was an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter who was a member of rock band the Stranglers.

Dave Greenfield joined the band in 1975, within a year of its formation, and played with them for 45 years until his death.

Dave Greenfield was born on 29 March 1949 in the south coast seaside resort of Brighton.

Dave Greenfield learnt guitar from an older schoolmate and, after leaving school, played for a year in bands at American bases in Germany.

Dave Greenfield tried to develop a music career in Germany, and played in bands in Britain as well as Germany while working in his father's printing business and as a piano tuner.

Dave Greenfield joined the Stranglers after answering an advert by the band in Melody Maker in July 1975, replacing Hans Warmling, playing his first gig with them on August 24,1975.

Dave Greenfield stayed in the group until his death in 2020.

In 1981, Dave Greenfield produced the single "Back to France" by the band Boys in Darkness.

Dave Greenfield was a musical perfectionist and could be awkward in social situations; observations consistent with his diagnosis, never made public during his lifetime, of what Burnel inaccurately described as a "very high-functioning autistic".

The comparison was even made at the Stranglers' inception by Jean-Jacques Burnel, who said Dave Greenfield had not heard of the Doors at the time.

Dave Greenfield admitted that he knew a few Doors tracks, those being "Light My Fire" and "Riders on the Storm".

Dave Greenfield cited the works of Rick Wakeman of Yes and Jon Lord of Deep Purple as his early influences.

Dave Greenfield was noted for his trademark style of playing rapid arpeggios.

Dave Greenfield wrote a piece of waltz-time harpsichord music during recording for The Meninblack, which was discarded by other members of the Stranglers, but was later adapted into their biggest hit "Golden Brown", with lyrics from Hugh Cornwell and music from Dave Greenfield and Jet Black, although the band themselves did not initially see this as a potential single.

Dave Greenfield frequently contributed harmony backing vocals to the band's songs, and sang the lead vocals on a few of their early tracks, as mentioned in Hugh Cornwell's book The Stranglers, Song by Song.

Dave Greenfield had been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic in England on 26 April 2020, a week before his death, during an extended hospital stay for heart-related problems.

Dave Greenfield should be remembered as the man who gave the world the music of 'Golden Brown.