Living In A Box singer Richard Darbyshire dies aged 65
Richard Darbyshire, former lead singer of the 80s pop band Living In A Box, has died at the age of 65.
Formed in Sheffield, the band had a worldwide hit in 1987 with their first single, Living In A Box, and had two further top 10 hits in the UK.
Darbyshire’s vocals gave the band a soulful edge, especially on the thought-provoking ballad Room In Your Heart. However, he left the band in 1989 after personnel changes at the record company led to artistic differences during the recording of their third album.
After releasing her solo album in 1994, she continued writing songs for artists such as Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Rush, and Level 42.
The musician’s family confirmed the musician’s death to the BBC on Monday, November 10, adding: “We are all very sorry, but his memory and his songs will live on.”
No cause of death was stated.
In a statementHis former bandmates paid tribute to his “incredible talent”.
“From the driving raw power of our eponymous debut hit to the heart-melting soft charm of Room In Your Heart, Richard’s vocal skills knew no bounds, Richard truly could do it all.
“His guitar playing, although less well-known, was equally accomplished. As a songwriter, Richard was at the heart of everything we did, a pure craftsman and master of his craft.
“Richard, wherever you are, [we] I will miss you very much. “The laughs we had and the wildcat trip we took will never be forgotten.”
He was born in Darbyshire, Stockport, Cheshire, and educated in Manchester until, at the age of 13, he followed his parents to Japan, where he attended an American boarding school.
After studying English Literature at Oxford University, he joined Manchester band Zu Zu Sharks, which included Adam and the Ants bassist Gary Tibbs.
They had a minor hit in Europe with the synth-pop single Love Tumbles Down in 1983, but Darbyshire left the band soon after.
He was working on solo material when he met drummer Anthony “Tich” Critchlow and keyboardist Marcus Vere at a studio in Sheffield.
They were already working on the demo of the song Living In A Box and invited him to sing the lead vocals. The results earned the band a five-album record deal, and their self-titled song became a top 20 hit in the US.
“The impact of the first single was huge,” Vere told Music Techonolgy magazine in 1987.
Soul legend Bobby Womack later recorded his own version and duetted with Darbyshire on the single So the Story Goes.
For their second album, Gatecrashing, the band also enlisted the help of Queen’s Brian May, who played guitar on their 1989 top 10 hit, Blow The House Down.
Although the group disbanded before the completion of their third album, some of the songs reappeared on Darbyshire’s 1994 solo album Better to Have Lost.
Living in a Box reformed in 2016 with backup vocalist Kenny Thomas and is currently touring with their third singer, Bryan Chambers.
Before his death, Darbyshire was holding songwriting workshops in London. He is survived by his wife, vocal coach Sonia Jones.
“Richard was in some ways the most reluctant of pop stars, always avoiding the spotlight that inevitably came with the success we achieved,” his former bandmates wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. he said.
“He hated photo shoots, interviews, TV appearances and thought it was all a bit ridiculous.
“He was so happy when he was in the studio, guitar in hand, working on the next song.
“I love you, buddy.”
