David Nizam Baksh, also known by his stage name Dave Brownsound, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as one of the guitarists of rock band Sum 41. Starting in May 2006, Baksh took a nine-year hiatus from Sum 41, returning in 2015. During this timespan, he became a singer and guitarist in his own heavy metal/reggae project Brown Brigade. He also plays guitar for Organ Thieves, with two of his fellow Brown Brigade members and the Canadian deathpunk four-piece Black Cat Attack.
Professional career
Sum 41 (1998–2006; 2015–present)
Baksh joined Sum 41 as the third member in 1997, after Deryck Whibley and Steve Jocz formed the bandin the summer of 1996. In addition to being the lead guitarist, Baksh also provided backing vocals. Baksh went by the name Pleasure in Sum 41's alter-ego band, Pain for Pleasure. Baksh also goes by the names Dave Brownsound and "Hot Chocolate", playing off of his Indian heritage and brown sound, the name Eddie Van Halen coined for his own guitar tone. He has stated his favorite Sum 41 songs are "Mr. Amsterdam," "Machine Gun," "Pain for Pleasure," and "The Bitter End", and his least favorite to play with the band is "Pieces". On July 23, 2015, Sum 41 played their comeback show at the Alternative Press Music Awards, which featured DMC and Baksh himself as guests. On August 14, 2015, after rumors and speculation, it was announced that Baksh had officially returned to Sum 41, and would appear on the band's sixth studio album. The resulting album 13 Voices was released on October 7, 2016. In 2019, Baksh confirmed that he regretted leaving the band after hearing the band's fifth album Screaming Bloody Murder.
Brown Brigade (2006–2008)
On May 11, 2006, Baksh announced in a statement through his management company that he was leaving Sum 41 for personal reasons. He explained that he could not keep trying to express himself through guitar skills without being a pain to the band. During the post-Chuck hiatus, he decided it was time to move on from Sum 41 and to focus on his side project Brown Brigade, his new band that he founded with his cousin Vaughn Lal and with which he currently plays lead guitar. Brown Brigade's debut albumInto the Mouth of Baddness was released September 18, 2007 in Canada and Japan only and became critically successful, even though it was not released widely in the US and have not brought the band any outside attention, the band still continues to tour Canada in support of the album. Baksh stated that the band is currently working on new and experimental songs to be released for free on the band's website. The new songs, unlike the band's traditional music, would feature varied music such as punk rock, funk and reggae and not metal like the debut album. In a show that took place on March 27, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Baksh joined Sum 41 to play "Pain for Pleasure" at the end of the show. Some thought this was a hint of him returning to the band, however, Deryck Whibley said that Baksh's appearance was a one-off cameo and that he would continue with Brown Brigade. On September 12, 2008, Baksh announced on the Brown Brigade's Myspace page that he would quit singing for the band, but would remain as the lead guitarist. The band was looking for a new lead singer to work on new material. On November 27, 2009, Baksh announced that due to his cousin Vaughn Lal's involvement in his business, they intended to keep Brown Brigade strictly a studio act, releasing single songs and collaborating in the studio with many different artists, with a small chance of playing live. Baksh's main focus will be The Organ Thieves and Vaughn's main focus will be his new business.
The Organ Thieves (2008–2015)
In mid-2008, Baksh started recording and producing his fellow Brown Brigade member Chuck Coles' new project The Organ Thieves. By November 2008, Coles has asked Baksh to join the band for a few live shows, resulting in Baksh joining as a full-time member. He recorded the band's first EP God's Favorite Sons in January 2009. The EP was released for free on the band's Myspace page and was later released into physical copies in March 2009. On the same month, Baksh also joined Canadian hardcore punk outfit Blackjacket for a short UK tour. In October 2009, Organ Thieves began pre-production for their first full-length studio album, with former longtime Sum 41 producer/manager Greig Nori. Organ Thieves has since become Baksh's main focus as he intends to keep Brown Brigade strictly a studio act. On April 24, 2012, their first full-length studio album, Somewhere Between Free Men and Slaves, was released through MapleMusic Recordings.
