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Gregory, Dave (21st September 1952-Present)

He is a guitarist and arranger born David Charles Gregory in Swindon, Wiltshire, England who started playing the guitar when he was 14 years old.   After leaving school in 1969 he worked in a telephone equipment factory but was made redundant in 1976.

In 1977 he began as a delivery man and after 18 months was contacted to become a member of the band XTC.   This was his key to success and he went on to see several hit songs and 10 of their albums reaching the Top 40 in the UK album chart.  He remained with them until 1998.

Suffering from diabetes his career was under threat when he was diagnosed with retinopathy in 2004.  He has since fully recovered.

He has worked with Steve Hogarth’s h-Band, Porcupine Tree and Pugwash, providing string arrangements for Porcupine Tree’s album Lightbulb Sun.

He co-founded the band Tin Spirits in 2008 who released their first album in 2011.  They supported Marillion in 2011 in the Netherlands.  The band split up after two albums and many shows in 2018.

In 2009 he appeared with the band Big Big Train as a guest musician on their album The Underfall Yard and since then and was announced as a band member in 2012 on their English Electric Part One.  In 2020 he decided to leave the band.

In 2013 he made a contribution to the publication 1001 Guitars to Dream of Playing Before You Die.

He is a much sought after session musician and has worked with many artists during his career to date.  Some of these include Marc Almond, Jason Donovan, Peter Gabriel, Johnny Hates Jazz, Lulu, Aimee Mann and Andy Partridge along with many others.

His album output as a guitarist and/or arranger is large but a select few include Not the Weapon But the Hand by Richard Barbieri and Steve Hogarth, Grimspound and Stone & Steel by Big Big Train, Am I the Kinda Girl by Cathy Dennis,  Peter Gabriel and Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats by Peter Gabriel, Dates with R. Stevie Moore, In Absentia by Porcupine Tree, Eleven Modern Antiquities by Pugwash, Drums and Wires, The Rhythm, Skylarking and Coat of Many Cupboards by XTC ,Nocturnal by Yuna along with countless others.

Peter Gabriel recordings
I Don’t Remember
(Peter Gabriel)
(Charisma CB 354)(UK45)

Sources:

  1. https://www.bigbigtrain.com/band/
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Gregory_(musician)
  3. http://www.guitargonauts.info/
  4. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dave-gregory-mn0002561602
  5. https://www.discogs.com/artist/276091-Dave-Gregory