David Forbes – Biography
.....some true tales of the past
David started singing at the age of 5, with this parents, twin brother and older sister. By the age of 17, he was cuttng his teeth playing in bars with the help of his sister, who was over 21. During his late teens, David had a keen interest in drums and violin.
But by then, signing was the most favourable outcome, after perfecting his voice with almost 10 years working on the club gig circuit. The opportunity of a chance meeting with Boulevard main man, Mark Holden, in 1984, led him to record vocals for the Molsen World Cup downhill ski race. The result was called Phaze 2, also featuring David's sister Patty on keyboards and vocals. A 7-inch 2-track single was released in 1985.
Two years later, and an invitation by Mark Holden to be front man to Blvd who had recently signed a new record deal with M.C.A. Records. MTV were playing videos of “Never Give Up” and “Far From Over”, with tour support slots with Glass Tiger, and David's favourite band, Boston, on their Third Stage Tour. Two years later, the follow-up “Into the Street” was released, but by then the 1990s were in their infancy, and trends in music were changing. In 1992, the band decided to call it a day. David made a new career choice outside of music to become a firefighter, and after 27 years of service achieved the rank of Engine Lieutenant, before retiring from the force.
In 2013, he was returning back into music by singing a duet on the Charming Grace CD, and a year later, a track on the AOR LA Connection. The biggest shock was reactivating Boulevard to reunite, and play live in England for a final fling, for Firefest in 2014. By then, 24 years had passed, and the overwhelming response from the fans went beyond any words.
The same can be said again in 2017 when Boulevard played Rockingham Festival in England, with a selection of European gigs and also MelodicRock Fest in the USA in 2018. The keen interest was enough for the band to make a new CD called “Luminescence”, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, and Bryan Adams' studios, The Warehouse, Vancouver,
Canada.
In 2022 David was in the position and state of mind to make a solo CD, and a talk with Steve Price and Paul Rudland led to David working with the small but professional and dedicated team at AOR Blvd Records who specialize in making music, building from the ground up. With Steve Newman writing, producing, playing, and arranging carefully crafted songs and co-writes from David, Pete Alpenborg, including a resurrected demo from Jeff Paris
and Adrian Gurvitz. This combination leads the music on a path that takes in a whole new level of listening pleasure.
Tales of the Past is a fine example of well-produced, well written songs.
Release Date : June 2023
Label : AOR BLVD Records
Catalogue Number: ABR 031
Produced by: Steve Newman and David Forbes
Executive Producer: Paul Rudland
Mastered by: Dave Draper
All songs recorded at: Chrome Dome, London, UK, between June 2022 and March 2023 except “Freedom” recorded at : STEMI Sound, Bellingham, USA
Piano: Andrew Johns
Intro bar piano: Eric Ragno
Orchestral parts: Eric Ragno and Andrew Johns
Orchestral arrangement and processing: Chip Westerfield and David Forbes
“Part of the proceeds from “Freedom” will go to the Gary Sinise Foundation”
All Lead Vocals recorded at STEMI Sound, Bellingham, USA between
September 2022 and December 2022
Engineered by: Chip Westerfield
