Richard Darbyshire, former frontman of 80s pop band Living In A Box, has died at the age of 65.
Formed in Sheffield, the band scored a worldwide hit with their debut single, also called Living In A Box, in 1987, and had two further top 10 hits in the UK.
Darbyshire’s voice gave the group a soulful touch, particularly on the haunting ballad Room In Your Heart. But he left the band in 1989 after personnel changes at his record label led to artistic differences during the recording of their third album.
After releasing a solo album in 1994, she went on to write songs for artists such as Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Rush and Level 42.
The musician died on Monday, November 10, his family confirmed to the BBC, adding: “We are all very sad, but his memory and his songs will live on.”
No cause of death was given.
In a statement, his former bandmates paid tribute to his “incredible talent.”
“His vocal abilities knew no limits, from the raw power of our first self-titled song, to the tender, soulful charm of Room In Your Heart, Richard truly could do it all.
“His guitar playing, although less recognized, was equally successful. As a songwriter, Richard was at the heart of everything we did; a pure craftsman and a master of his art.
“Richard, wherever you are, [we] I will miss you very much. “The laughs we had, the wild ride we took, will never be forgotten.”
Darbyshire was born in 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 a Manchester band called Zu Zu Sharks, which also included Adam and the Ants bassist Gary Tibbs.
They scored a minor European hit 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 a 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 eponymous song became a Top 20 hit in the US.
“The impact of the first single was enormous,” Vere told Music Techonolgy magazine in 1987. “It came out of nowhere and shot right up the charts. The vice president of marketing in the United States said it’s the fastest single they’ve had in four years.”
Soul legend Bobby Womack later recorded his own version and dueted with Darbyshire on the single So the Story Goes.
For their second album, Gatecrashing, the band also enlisted the help of Brian May of Queen, who played guitar on the song Blow The House Down, which became their last top 10 hit in 1989.
Although the band broke up before their third album was completed, some of the songs resurfaced on Darbyshire’s 1994 solo album, Better to Have Lost.
Living in a Box reformed in 2016 with replacement vocalist Kenny Thomas and is currently touring with their third singer Bryan Chambers.
Before his death, Darbyshire had given composition workshops in London. He is survived by his wife, vocal coach Sonia Jones.
“In some ways, Richard was the most reluctant of pop stars, always avoiding the limelight that inevitably came with the success we had,” his former bandmates reflected on Instagram Tuesday.
“I hated the photo shoots, the interviews, the TV appearances and thought it was all a bit silly.
“I was happiest in the studio, guitar in hand, working on the next song.
“I love you, man.”
