DAVID BALFE

'David Balfe' (c.1958-) is a musician who is most notable for founding the Zoo and Food record labels.
Balfe was a member of several Liverpool bands in the late 1970s, including Big in Japan, Dalek I Love You and The Teardrop Explodes. He also played on and produced some early Echo & The Bunnymen and Strawberry Switchblade albums.
Balfe and Bill Drummond founded the Zoo record label in 1978 in order to release Big in Japan's EP From Y To Z and Never Again. The label went on to release early work from The Teardrop Explodes and Echo & the Bunnymen. Balfe and Drummond also did production work under the name of The Chameleons, and released the single "Touch" - credited to Lori and The Chameleons with a female vocalist - on the Zoo label.
After The Teardrop Explodes disbanded in 1983, Balfe founded the Food record label. One of the most prominent bands they signed was Blur. It was Balfe and his label co-owner Andy Ross that convinced the band to change their name from Seymour to Blur in 1989. Balfe directed two of their early music videos, ''She’s So High'' and ''There’s No Other Way''. EMI gained complete control of the label in 1994.
Balfe received a BA in creative writing from the University of Luton in 2003. In 2006 he completed an MA in Screenwriting at the University of Westminster. He is now writing and directing both film and theatre.