Richard Darbyshire, the previous vocalist of Nineteen Eighties pop trio Residing In A Field, has died aged 65.
Darbyshire joined the group in 1985 after visiting the identical Sheffield recording studio as his future bandmates, Anthony ‘Tich’ Critchlow and Marcus Vere. They had been recording the tune of the identical title, which grew to become certainly one of their largest hits, and invited him to file the vocals – they then formally grew to become a trio.
His household confirmed to the BBC that he died on Monday (November 10), and stated, “We’re all very unhappy however his reminiscence and songs will dwell on.”
His former bandmates additionally paid tribute to the “unimaginable expertise,” calling him a “pure craftsman and a grasp of his artwork.” They stated: “Richard, wherever you might be, Tich and I’ll miss you dearly. The laughs we had, the wildcat journey we went on, won’t ever be forgotten.”
No explanation for loss of life has been given.
Darbyshire was born on March 8, 1960 in Stockport, rising up in Manchester. When he was 13, he moved to Japan along with his mother and father and attended an American boarding faculty.
Earlier than becoming a member of Residing In A Field, he studied English Literature at Oxford College and was within the Manchester band Zu Zu Sharks alongside Adam And The Ants bassist Gary Tibbs.
Two years after becoming a member of Residing In A Field in 1985, they launched the tune of the identical title as their debut single and it peaked at Quantity 5 within the UK, additionally changing into their solely single to interrupt into the High 40 of the Billboard Scorching 100 within the US. Their debut album, additionally ‘Residing In A Field’, received to Quantity 25 within the UK.
‘Room In Your Coronary heart’, from their second album ‘Gatecrashing’, additionally received to Quantity 5 within the UK charts, and he stated in 2014 that he was happy with the observe as a result of it gave him a uncommon alternative to play guitar. One other single from the album, ‘Blow The Home Down’, featured guitar from Queen’s Sir Brian Might.
Darbyshire left the band in 1989 as a result of creative variations and modifications to their file label, they usually broke up in 1990 earlier than reforming in 2016 with one other singer, Kenny Thomas. In 2022, they introduced one other new vocalist, Bryan Chambers.
Darbyshire, in the meantime, launched into a solo profession and launched his debut solo album, ‘How Many Angels’, in 1994. He’s additionally written songs for artists together with Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Rush and Stage 42, and had been holding songwriting workshops in London earlier than his loss of life.
He’s survived by his spouse, the vocal coach Sonia Jones.
