Darren Belk is an English songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

, bassist

Bassist

A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...

 and guitarist

Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

 best known for his tenures in the bands Beachbuggy

Beachbuggy

Beachbuggy were a rock group formed in early 1992 in Doncaster by Jack Straker , Jim VeVee and A.D . The band's name reflected singer and main songwriter Jack's obsession with classic cars, drag racing and Americana...

 and The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present are a British indie rock group based in Leeds, England, formed in 1985 from the ashes of the Lost Pandas. The band's music has evolved from fast-paced indie rock in the vein of their most obvious influences The Fall, Buzzcocks and Gang of Four to more varied forms...

.

Belk was roadie for the bands Cud

Cud (band)

Cud are a British indie rock band formed in Leeds, England in 1987, consisting of vocalist Carl Puttnam , guitarist/keyboardist Mike Dunphy , bassist William Potter , and drummer Steve Goodwin .Though an indie rock band, their music incorporated elements of funk...

 and The Wedding Present whilst playing guitar and writing songs for his own band Bungalow in the late 1980s/early 1990s. After Bungalow split Belk formed Beachbuggy and assumed the pseudonym Jack Straker.

Beachbuggy released a number of self-funded singles showcasing Belk/Straker's obsessions with hot rods and classic cars. These attained modest success before Belk was asked to join The Wedding Present in 1994 after the departure of band's bass player.

Belk played bass on the album Watusi before switching to guitar after the departure of Paul Dorrington

Paul Dorrington

Paul Dorrington is an English guitarist and bassist best known for his 1991-1995 tenure in The Wedding Present.Dorrington joined Sheffield group AC Temple in 1985, and recorded Rorschach Blot Test, a live compilation album featuring The Dustdevils and Kilgore Trout...

. Belk's influence then showed on Mini, the band's car-themed mini-album released in 1995 which proved to be his final recording with The Wedding Present.

Belk had continued to work sporadically with Beachbuggy during his tenure with The Wedding Present and he now returned to the band with a renewed vigour. They eventually released a US-only CD Unsafe.. At Any Speed (1998) before signing to UK label Poptones

Poptones

Poptones is a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Named after a Public Image Limited song, it is seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation...

 and recording two albums in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, USA with producer Steve Albini

Steve Albini

Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...

. Sport Fury (2001) and Killer-B (2003), along with a string of further singles met with critical acclaim that was not matched by sales and the band's contract with Poptones was allowed to lapse.

Beachbuggy continued to play live sporadically but by now Belk had begun to concentrate on new band Walker, which includes former Beachbuggy and Wedding Present bandmate Paul Dorrington

Paul Dorrington

Paul Dorrington is an English guitarist and bassist best known for his 1991-1995 tenure in The Wedding Present.Dorrington joined Sheffield group AC Temple in 1985, and recorded Rorschach Blot Test, a live compilation album featuring The Dustdevils and Kilgore Trout...

. After a handful of gigs with a lineup that saw the return of original drummer Jim VeVee, Beachbuggy finally ceased to exist in April 2006. Belk has since concentrated on playing bass and singing with Walker.

Discography: Albums

• The Wedding Present: Watusi (Island, 1994)
• The Wedding Present: Mini (Cooking Vinyl, 1995)
• Beachbuggy: Unsafe.. At Any Speed (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1998)
• The Wedding Present: John Peel Sessions 1992-1995 (compilation, Cooking Vinyl 1998)
• The Wedding Present: Singles 1995-1997 (compilation, Cooking Vinyl 1999
• Beachbuggy: Sport Fury (Poptones, 2001)
• Beachbuggy: Killer-B (Poptones, 2003)
• The Wedding Present: The Complete Peel Sessions 1986-2004 (6 CD Box Set, Sanctuary, 2007)