Dave Wakeling

David Wakeling (born 19 February 1956 in Birmingham, England) is an English ska musician, known for his work with the band the Beat (known in North America as the English Beat), and General Public.

I Just Can't Stop It, the first album by the Beat, included the singles "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine" and "Can't Get Used to Losing You", which all entered the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. They also had UK hits from the albums Wha'ppen? and Special Beat Service.

Wakeling then formed General Public with Ranking Roger in 1984, and they released their debut album All the Rage. He recorded two other albums with General Public, Hand To Mouth (1986) and Rub It Better (1995), shortly after which the act disbanded.

He then produced the soundtrack for the John Hughes film She's Having a Baby (1988), in which he also recorded the title track.

Wakeling released No Warning, a solo album, on I.R.S. Records in 1991 and has lived in California for a number of years. He regularly performs as the English Beat in North America, and has recorded two new songs that feature in the Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated episode "Dance of the Undead" which debuted in March 2013."

Throughout his career, Dave Wakeling has mainly used a left handed Vox Tear drop guitar aka: Vox Mark III, he was initially drawn the guitar as his favorite artist/guitarist Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones used one."I wanted to be him and I used to play my cricket bat or my tennis racket and pretend it was a teardrop in the mirror when my mom had gone out shopping. I even bought a blond wig from a second-hand shop and I cut it out into a bob. As soon as I heard the front door I would think “Great, she’s gone”. I would take out the wig, the cricket back and play in front of the mirror."On Apr 8, 2006, he donated his Vox of 26 years to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Wakeling is divorced, with two children, Max and Chloe. He resides in the San Fernando Valley.

In 1985, Wakeling announced in a press interview with Mother Jones magazine that he was bisexual.

In a July 2012, Wakeling expressed concern over the United States' economic problems:"I have a nose tuned to the smell of the death of an empire, and I smell it now."

• No Warning (1991 I.R.S. Records)

1. I Want More
2. No Warning
3. Remember in the Dark
4. Every Time You Look at Me That Way
5. Sensation
6. Freedom Fighter
7. One + One + One
8. Sex with You
9. I'm Not Ready
10. She's Having a Baby

Produced by Mark Goldenberg (tracks 1–9) and Steve Levine ("She's Having a Baby")