Sixties star Dave Berry to rock Venue Cymru

Jan 28 2010

FIFTY years on from touring with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Dave Berry says his voice has only got better.

Dave still bears traces of a Sheffield accent when he chats about his forthcoming concert at Venue Cymru.

Dave will be performing in the Solid Silver 60s Show at Venue Cymru alongside the likes of Mike Pender, lead singer from The Searchers, The Troggs and Peter Sarstedt, who won the Ivor Novello award for Where Do You Go To My Lovely in 1969.

Dave is famous for slipping the microphone down his back as a stage move and hiding from the audience.

His perennial classic The Crying Game hit the charts in 1964 and reached number five.

However, Dave says the song he most enjoys performing is This Strange Effect which was specially penned for him by the legendary Ray Davies of The Kinks.

He said: "I love that song and can’t believe I’m still singing it all these years on.

"When we first started out all my contemporaries such as The Eagles, The Hollys and The Who thought we’d be lucky to get three years out of a profession we loved."

Dave and his ilk were the first generation of rock stars. Before they arrived, the music scene was swamped with crooners such as Matt Monro and Frank Sinatra.

"When I was growing up I was hugely influenced by Elvis of course, but I also loved jazz singers like Billie Holiday and I do my own version of her signature song God Bless This Child.

"I love singers with flawed voices like Billie and Fats Domino, that’s why I don’t like these kids that go on The X Factor with perfect voices. It’s just dull, there’s no soul there," he claimed.

As for touring with The Rolling Stones when they were just starting out, Dave admits he didn’t spot their star potential at the time.

"I’m still big mates with Bill Wyman and although he was the quiet moody one in the corner, I swear he got more girls than Mick and Keith!

"I was with them when the band got arrested for peeing in a garage forecourt in Romford.  A journalist was with us and splashed it in the paper the next day.

"I also see their drummer Charlie Watts from time to time as we are both big jazz fans."

Dave’s unique stage act inspired punk bands. He toured with Adam and the Ants, and Siouxsie and the Banshees paid homage to him.

In Neil Jordan’s cult film The Crying Game, actor Jaye Davidson copies his stage act when singing the title song. The film helped revitalise his career in the 1990s as he was brought to the attention of a younger generation.

This year Dave is also publishing his autobiography All There is to Know, charting his rise from teenage apprentice welder to singing sensation.

Solid Silver 60s Show,
Venue Cymru,  March 4.

Phone 01492 872000