When Dave Hemingway was asked to join The Beautiful South he assumed he’d be the one at the back, sitting at the drum kit.
Dave was the drummer in The Housemartins and, following their demise in 1988, he was asked by frontman Paul Heaton to join his new band, The Beautiful South.
But instead of drumming, Dave was asked to be one of three lead vocalists. “It was strange at first. Paul was a seasoned frontman but for me, as a drummer, it was a case of where do you put your hands?” says Dave. “I grew into it over time. I like performing, but I’m more comfortable with the recording process.”
The Beautiful South enjoyed hits such as Old Red Eyes Is Back, Rotterdam, Don't Marry Her, Perfect 10 and chart-topper A Little Time. Their greatest hits album, Carry On Up The Charts, was one of the fastest-selling albums in UK history.
After 20 years, ten albums, 34 singles and 15 million record sales worldwide, time was called on The Beautiful South in 2008.
Dave and fellow lead singer Alison Wheeler went on to form The South, joined by mainstays from the original touring band, keyboard player Damon Butcher and the horn section of Gaz Birtles and Tony Robinson. Now a nine-piece, their current tour rolls into Bingley next month, showcasing new album Sweet Refrains.
The set list includes Beautiful South hits and new material. “Our fans grew up with us and of course they want to hear the old stuff, but we’re not just re-hashing that,” says Dave.
“We had Paul’s blessing but I wouldn’t have done this without integrity. We didn’t want to become a tribute version of ourselves. There had to be some quality control.”
The appeal of The Beautiful South was largely down to good songwriting – honest lyrics, witty and touching, telling stories that resonated with real lives. Even the love songs addressed the reality of relationships, none more so than A Little Time. The memorable video, which won a Brit award in 1991, featured Dave and fellow vocalist Briana Corrigan as a couple in the aftermath of an almighty row. The camera pans through their wrecked house, its contents covered in flour and feathers, with a teddy bear's head impaled on a kitchen knife.
“It took two days to make that. It was fun to start with, but after two days I’d had enough of being plastered with flour,” says Dave. “I went on holiday afterwards but then it turned out something had gone wrong with the filming and it all had to be shot again! When you see me looking fed-up in the video, it’s not all acting! We got our own back on the director by pasting him in flour.”
Dave recalls a proud moment driving home to Hull to meet his mum at a working men’s club in 1990. During the drive, Radio 1 confirmed A Little Time had reached Number 1. Entering the club to a round of applause from old friends is a special memory.
“It’s up there with appearing on the main stage at Glastonbury prior to REM in 1995, with the setting sun as a backdrop,” he says. “We were generally a happy band. We never took ourselves too seriously and our live shows had a sense of fun.”
The South are at Bingley Arts Centre on Thursday, October 10. For tickets ring (01274) 567983.