David Balfe (born 1958) is an English musician and record company executive, most notable for playing keyboards with
the Teardrop Explodes, founding the
Zoo and
Food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for Nutrient, nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or Fungus, fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein (nutrient), proteins, vitamins, ...
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
s, signing
Blur and for being the subject of their first
number one hit, "
Country House
image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire
An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...
".
Biography
David Balfe grew up in
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Wales, Welsh county of Flintshire across ...
, where he played with several
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
bands in the late 1970s that emerged from the city's legendary Eric's club scene, including Radio Blank,
Big in Japan,
Dalek I Love You,
the Teardrop Explodes and Lori & the Chameleons. He also played keyboards on and co-produced the first
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch (singer), Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freita ...
and Teardrop Explodes albums, as well as managing both bands with
Bill Drummond
William Ernest Drummond (born 29 April 1953) is a Scottish artist, musician, writer, and record producer. He was a co-founder of the late-1980s avant-garde pop group the KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with wh ...
for the years from their inception to early success.
Zoo records
Balfe and Drummond, having met while playing together in Big in Japan, founded the Zoo record label in 1978 to release Big in Japan's posthumous
EP ''
From Y to Z and Never Again''. The label went on to sign and release the early work of the Teardrop Explodes and Echo & the Bunnymen.
Balfe and Drummond produced both bands early recordings and first albums, working under the name the Chameleons. They also released their own music,
singles "Touch" and "The Lonely Spy" – credited to
Lori and the Chameleons – on the Zoo label, later licensing them to
Sire/
Korova.
Although they released a few other artists, the Teardrop Explodes and Echo & the Bunnymen grew to take up most of their time. Eventually, due to lack of finance, they signed both bands to major London record companies and continued to manage them, while letting the label fade into inactivity.
Balfe and Drummond's publishing company, Zoo Music, signed many of the above and below artists, as well as multi-million selling acts
the Proclaimers in 1987 and Drummond's later band
the KLF
The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, the JAMs, the Timelords and other names) are a British electronic band who originated in Liverpool and London in the late 1980s. Scottish people, Scottish musician Bill Drummond (alias Ki ...
.
The Teardrop Explodes
Balfe began as the Teardrop Explodes' label head, manager and producer, but on the departure of their original keyboard player,
Paul Simpson, after their first single, Balfe stepped in for what turned into four years in and out of the band, having a famously tempestuous relationship with their singer,
Julian Cope
Julian David Cope (born 21 October 1957) is an English musician and author. He was the singer and songwriter in Liverpool post-punk band the Teardrop Explodes and has followed a solo career since 1983 in addition to working on musical side proj ...
. He played keyboards on their top 10 single "
Reward", and their two gold albums, ''Kilimanjaro'' (1980) and ''Wilder'' (1981).
After the Teardrop Explodes disbanded in 1983, Balfe moved to London where, after managing
Strawberry Switchblade (UK top 5 hit with "Since Yesterday") and
Brilliant (the post-
Killing Joke
Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass).
Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...
band of subsequently famous producer
Youth
Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...
), he then founded the
Food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for Nutrient, nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or Fungus, fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein (nutrient), proteins, vitamins, ...
record label in 1984.
Food records
Food, initially funded by Balfe alone, signed
Voice of the Beehive,
Zodiac Mindwarp (both of whom moved on to major labels, while Balfe continued to manage them for many years),
Crazyhead, and
Diesel Park West, before signing a deal with
EMI to fund and distribute the label worldwide while retaining creative independence.
They then signed
Jesus Jones who went on to have a number one album in the UK and multi-million sales internationally with their second album, ''Doubt'', and a number one single in the U.S. with "Right Here Right Now". A year after signing Jesus Jones, they signed
Blur.
Balfe, along with his later label partner Andy Ross, convinced the band to change their name from 'Seymour' to Blur on signing in 1989.
Balfe also directed Blur's first two music videos, "
She's So High" and "
There's No Other Way".
Disenchanted with the alternative scene in the years of
grunge
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock Music genre, genre and subculture that emerged during the in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, particularly in Seattle and Music of Olympia, Washington, O ...
, Balfe decided to sell the Food label to
EMI in 1994, and semi-retire with his young family to the country – inspiring
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn (, ; born 23 March 1968) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman, main vocalist, and lyricist of the rock band Blur (band), Blur and the co-creator and primary musical con ...
to pen Blur's first No. 1 hit, "Country House".
Later work
Balfe returned to the music business to take up a position at
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...
from 1996 to 1999 as General Manager and Head of
A&R of the
Columbia label. His most notable success of that period was the million-selling
Kula Shaker.
Since then, Balfe has received a
BA in Creative Writing from the
University of Bedfordshire in 2003 and, in 2006, an MA in screenwriting from the
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public university, public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first Polytechnic (United Kingdom), polytechnic to open in London. The Po ...
.
In June 2010, Balfe received the ''Mojo Magazine'' Inspiration Award on behalf of the Teardrop Explodes. It was presented by
Alex James from Blur.
In May 2018, Balfe was elected as a
Labour councillor for Eastbrook Ward in
Adur, but did not stand for re-election in 2022.
References
External links
Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balfe, David
English music managers
English bass guitarists
English male bass guitarists
English new wave musicians
English record producers
Living people
1958 births
The Teardrop Explodes members
Scouse culture of the early 1980s
Alumni of the University of Bedfordshire
Musicians from Carlisle, Cumbria
People from Thingwall
Big in Japan (band) members
Musicians from Merseyside
Musicians from Liverpool