Dave Dobbyn

Dave Dobbyn was one of the New Zealand pop scene's most popular and respected figures, enjoying success which spanned several decades. He first surfaced in mid-1976 as a founding member of Th' Dudes, one of the country's biggest bands of the era; Dobbyn was widely tapped as their breakout star, earning notoriety for writing and singing their biggest hit, "Be Mine Tonight." Critical backlash, combined with drug and alcohol problems, ensured that Th' Dudes' success was short-lived, and following the group's 1980 demise, Dobbyn went into seclusion, writing and recording solo material in relative anonymity. A tour playing guitar in Sharon O'neill's supporting band followed, and in early 1981 his debut solo single "Lipstick Power" appeared on CBS; it failed to chart, however, as did the follow-up, "Bull by the Horns."



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