David Allen (8)

David Allen was born in The US in 1951, and was trained as a classical flamenco guitarist, from his first age. With his band the Offbeats, he recorded his first single "You tell me / Mary" on Tower Records. At 15 he and his band played musical backing on two albums with Mae West (Way Out West and her Christmas album). David also wrote one of the songs on Way Out West, and two on the other album (not credited). At 16, with his band Somebody's Chyldren, featuring his sister Angela, David recorded three singles. During the next two years, David's next band, The Marianne, recorded 8 singles for Bell Records and EMI Regal Zonophone. At 18 David formed Brave Butter with Dennis Trerotola. They produced two singles. David most successful band was Carmen (19), started in LA in July 1970. The band moved to London in January 1973 after finding no label in the States that was interested in signing them. Carmen existed until 1975 and recorded 3 albums. Back in the US after Carmen broke up, David put together a new band, combining funk and flamenco rythyms, managed by Herb Cohen (of Frank Zappa, Tom Waits and Tim Buckley) but they were unable to find a label. A duo with his sister Angela returning from London, was equally unsucessful to find a label to record their music. David then began working with Jack Nitzsche as a studio musician, playing guitar on Michelle Phillips' first solo album, and playing flamenco guitar on disco tracks. David returned to London in 1980 to form a band with Barry Barlow, the drummer from Jethro Tull, and Chris Glen, bass player from Alex Harvey. During this period, he wrote two songs - Shame and Stay - which he used on Agnetha Fältskog's (ex of Abba) solo album from 1983. David Allen quit the music business in 1983 after recovering from his cancer (and throat surgery) and became a successful photographer. Only in 2006 did he came back to music with his album "Widescreen" which tranformed into his new band Widescreen (2) (2007-2011). When the band broke up, David formed Flamexicano!.