Dave Hadfield
Dave Hadfield was a member of The Konrads, one of David Bowie’s earliest musical groups, during a period when Bowie was still known as Davie Jones and learning the fundamentals of band life.
Hadfield’s role belongs to Bowie’s formative phase in the early 1960s London beat scene, when young musicians developed their skills through rehearsal, local gigs and collective experimentation.
- Active: Early 1960s
- Band: The Konrads
- Role: Band member
- Bowie connection: Early pre-fame collaboration
The Konrads and early British beat culture
The Konrads emerged from the Bromley and south London area at a time when British popular music was dominated by instrumental beat groups inspired by American rock ’n’ roll and R&B.
The band performed mainly instrumental material, reflecting the conventions of the era and the limited opportunities for young groups to record original vocal songs.
David Bowie’s formative years
For David Bowie, The Konrads represented his first serious engagement with a working band. The experience taught him discipline, rehearsal routines and the realities of performing live as part of a group.
Bandmates such as Dave Hadfield were part of this shared learning process, where no single member dominated creatively, but all contributed to the collective sound.
Dave Hadfield’s place in the group
Dave Hadfield’s contribution should be understood within the context of a young, developing band rather than a later, more defined artistic partnership.
Like many musicians in Bowie’s earliest projects, Hadfield helped create the environment in which Bowie could begin exploring his own musical identity.
From instrumentals to individuality
Bowie eventually grew restless within instrumental beat groups such as The Konrads, developing a stronger interest in vocals, songwriting and personal expression.
This shift led him away from early collaborators and toward projects that allowed greater creative freedom, but the grounding provided by bands like The Konrads remained essential.
Historical significance
Dave Hadfield occupies a modest but valid place in David Bowie’s early musical history. He represents the network of young musicians who shared Bowie’s first steps into professional music-making.
Within the broader narrative of Bowie’s career, Hadfield’s role belongs to the foundation — the formative experiences that made later reinvention possible.