Dave Derby is an American songwriter, recording artist, producer, and composer who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and now resides in New York City.
Derby serves as a songwriter and producer for Gramercy Arms, a New York City musical and artist collective featuring members of Luna, Elk City, The Dambuilders, Guided by Voices, Shudder to Think, Joan As Police Woman, Mascott, Sparklehorse and A Girl Called Eddy, as well as notable artists such as Lloyd Cole, Tanya Donelly, Matthew Caws, Doug Gillard, Diesel and Kay Hanley.
[4] A video was released on YouTube for the album's song "Beautiful Disguise" which featured Lloyd Cole and Joan Wasser on lead vocals.
The founding members: Derby, Tryan George, and Eric Masunaga, all from Hawaii had played in different incarnations (such as the Exactones, Papaya, Pomade, Green-Eyed Tiki and Chicken Eats the Worm) before moving to Boston in 1990.
Dave's friend Claudia Gonson (The Magnetic Fields) introduced him to Lloyd Cole who was initially interested in producing Brilliantine only to join as keyboardist.