Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2015 | Page 17

INTERVIEW

name, since his ambitious mum signed
him up for singing and dancing lessons
and ultimately he won a scholarship
to the famed Italia Conti School of
performing arts in London.
He travelled there by train five
days a week, and among his school
contemporaries were the likes of Bonnie
Langford, Lena Zavaroni and Leslie Ash.
He actually wanted to be a classical
actor and had in fact performed
Shakespeare, but most jobs for
youngsters in those days were in song
and dance. He did several commercials
and TV plays, but everything changed
when Bruce Forsyth’s daughter Julie

approached him to get together with the
pop group Guys and Dolls.
It was to be a forerunner of today’s type
of manufactured pop bands, but did
enjoy some success with chart hits like A
Whole Lot of Loving.
The point came when David had to
choose between acting – with the offer
of a TV film role as a space boy – or
signing up with Magnet Records, the
independent label that represented the
likes of Alvin Stardust.
“I chose the recording contract as I
thought it would be more fun,” he says.
And so his path was set: three years on
the road with Guys and Dolls, doing the

big working men’s clubs and appearing
on TVs Top of the Pops with the likes of
Marc Bolan and Pans People.
“It was a great apprenticeship,” he says.
When it all came to an end, his course
was firmly set in the pop world, to be
followed by the highs and lows of Dollar
and Bucks Fizz, all well documented.
Now approaching his 59th birthday, he
seems to have no regrets and is happy to
be performing just for the joy of it – no
matter what anyone else might think.
“I don’t tend to take myself that seriously
when it comes to my image,” he says. “My
friends and family know me for what I am,
and that’s all that matters to me.”
www.goilife.co.uk

17