David J
Rock · GB · Active since 1957

David J

Elegant, noir-tinged alternative rock led by a smooth baritone and melodic bass. Sophisticated songwriting for late nights, red wine, and quiet introspection.

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David J creates a world that feels like a black-and-white film noir set in a modern city. His music is anchored by his distinctive, fluid bass playing, which often takes the lead role usually reserved for guitars. The sound is warm, analog, and deeply atmospheric, blending the skeletal urgency of post-punk with the refined elegance of a jazz-age cabaret.

What truly sets him apart is his vocal delivery. Eschewing the aggressive shouting of his peers, he opts for a hushed, intimate croon that feels like he is sharing a secret directly in your ear. His solo work often strips away the feedback of his famous bands to reveal a sophisticated songwriter who values space, silence, and the subtle texture of an acoustic guitar or a well-placed harmonica.

For those coming from his work in Bauhaus or Love and Rockets, 'Etiquette of Violence' is the essential bridge. It retains the dark edge of his roots but introduces the literary, bohemian sensibility that defines his solo career. It is music for the small hours of the morning when the world feels still and every lyric carries extra weight.

David John Haskins (born 24 April 1957), better known as David J, is a British alternative rock musician, producer, and writer. He is the bassist for the gothic rock band Bauhaus and for Love and Rockets. He has composed the scores for a number of plays and films, and also wrote and directed his own plays, Silver for Gold (The Odyssey of Edie Sedgwick), in 2008, which was restaged at REDCAT in Los Angeles in 2011, and The Chanteuse and The Devil's Muse in 2011. His artwork has been shown in galleries internationally, and he has been a resident DJ at venues such as the Knitting Factory. David J has released a number of singles and solo albums, and in 1990 he released one of the first No. 1 hits on the then nascent Modern Rock Tracks charts, with "I'll Be Your Chauffeur". His most recent single, "The Day That David Bowie Died" entered the UK vinyl singles chart at number 4 in 2016. The track appears on his double album, Vagabond Songs.
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Our Catalog9 Albums · 1983 · 2019
Known ForWeighted across the artist's discography. Tap a trait for examples.
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