Richard Darbyshire, the lead singer of 1980s hitmakers Living in a Box, has died aged 65. The musician, known for his distinctive vocals on the band’s breakthrough single “Living in a Box,” passed away after a period of illness, according to reports from former bandmates.
Darbyshire’s career spanned several decades, beginning with early work in Manchester bands before achieving international success with Living in a Box. Though the band’s initial run was relatively brief, their impact on the synth-pop and new wave scene of the era remains meaningful, and Darbyshire continued to pursue music and songwriting until his death.
Born in Stockport, Cheshire, Darbyshire’s upbringing took an international turn at age 13 when he moved to Japan with his parents, attending an American boarding school.He later studied English Literature at Oxford University before returning to Manchester to join the band Zu Zu Sharks, which featured Adam and the Ants bassist Gary Tibbs. The band achieved a minor European hit in 1983 with the synth-pop single “Love Tumbles Down,” but darbyshire departed soon after.
While working on solo material, Darbyshire connected with drummer Anthony “Tich” Critchlow and keyboard player Marcus Vere in Sheffield. They were developing a demo of a song called “Living in a Box” and invited Darbyshire to provide lead vocals. This collaboration led to a five-album record deal and propelled “Living in a Box” into the Top 20 in the United States.
“the impact of the first single was so enormous,” keyboardist Marcus vere told Music Technology magazine in 1987. “It came from nowhere and shot straight up the charts. The vice-president of marketing in the States said it’s the fastest single they’ve had in four years.”
The band’s success continued with collaborations with prominent artists.Soul legend Bobby womack later recorded his own version of “Living in a Box” and duetted with Darbyshire on the single “So the Story Goes.” For their second album, Gatecrashing, Living in a Box enlisted Queen’s Brian May, who contributed guitar work to the track “Blow The House Down,” which became their final Top 10 hit in 1989.
Living in a Box disbanded before completing their third album, though some of the unfinished songs later appeared on Darbyshire’s 1994 solo record, Better to Have Lost. The band reformed in 2016 with Kenny Thomas as vocalist, and later toured with Bryan Chambers as their frontman.
Prior to his death, Darbyshire was conducting songwriting workshops in London. He is survived by his wife, vocal coach Sonia Jones.Former bandmates remembered Darbyshire as a reluctant pop star,preferring the creative process to the demands of fame.
“In some ways Richard was the most reluctant of pop stars, always eschewing the limelight that inevitably came with the success we had,” they reflected on Instagram. “He hated the photo shoots, the interviews, the TV appearances and thought it was all a bit daft. He was happiest in the studio, guitar in hand, working on the next song.” They concluded with a simple, heartfelt message: “Love you, man.”
