Entertainment For Lively Minds
Help identifying lost pop star
David Hepworth's article on repeating documentaries (And another Thing, Oct 2011 reminded me of one the BBC (I think) screened donkeys years ago.
It featured a singer who had, had success in the 60s as part of a group. It was one of the saddest things I've ever seen. He was at his wits end. He'd been exploited by his management, and in an interview to camera while sitting on the deck of the Isle of Wight ferry without a shirt, freezing and "with only sixpence, in ma pocket' was close to tears.
After the IOW show he was in his dressing room, the management trying to persuade him to go back on stage for an encore, he arguing that he wanted paying first.
The main reason I'm writing is I cant think for the life of me who the singer was. I remember him having a Newcastle / Northern accent and I believe he passed away not long after filming. It was filmed in black & white.
If any of you knowledgeable bods at Wordland can remember (or hazard a guess), I would be very grateful.
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any more clues you can give, Bob?
ie if the doc was B&W was it filmed in the early 70s (when B&W was still occasionally used), looking back at the 60s, or was it made in, say, the 80s but using B&W purely as a technique?
And was the singer someone who had been part of a group or known as a solo artist?
Given that he's 'northern' we might be able to make some guesses if we could pin down a little more info...
..more clues!
It was a film maybe from late sixties early 70's. The singer had been part of a group, who had a bit of chart success and he was solo touring (small venues) on the back of it.
The main thing I remember was that he was getting ripped off by his 'management' who seemed to be very uncaring even by the standards of the day.
When I got to see the documentary it was a repeat.
More than that I can't remember, it was a long time ago well over 20 years.
I'm 99% sure he was Geordie.
If I get a name I'm sure I'll remember.
Cheers
Gene Vincent
I'm almost certain that this was actually a documentary about the tail end of Gene Vincent's career. It was recently unearthed again on Adam Curtis's blog. See it (and two other great music docs) here …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/07/between_the_gutter_and_the...
The Isle of Wight reference...
...made me think of that 1970 doc of Gene (he plays a gig there during the tour, with the cameras following him) but I don't recall him un-shirted on the ferry and he CERTAINLY doesn't have a northern accent - more a southern (US) drawl!
It's a terrific doc, all the same - I've had it on tape (now transferred to DVD) since it was rebroadcast about 20 years ago on BBC2. If it turns out to be the one, Bob, I'm happy to make you a copy... perhaps you could go off to youtube and see if there's a clip from it that makes you go 'Aha!'
Yes Gene it is!!
It was Gene Vincent! I've just been on You Tube and the doc is actually on there in its entirety.
Why the hell I thought he was Geordie I really don't know, it was also in colour, maybe we didn't have a colour tele at the time.
Thanks Colin H and Martin. You've both been v helpful.
Splendid!
...but it's an easy mistake to make: clearly, you were confusing Gene with that his near namesake and fellow dysfunctioning rock pioneer Geordie Vincent - best known for his hits 'Why-Aye-Man-A-Lu-La' and 'The Canny Lass Can't Help It', and for touring Britain in the early '60s with Geordie Cochrane (whose own smashes included 'AwayYaBoogaMan Everbody', 'Summer Tyne Blues' and 'Three Steps To Kevin (Keegan)'.
The world will not see their like again.
Here he is in all his glory...
Fan
bloody tastic!
Didn't Jimmy Nail
do a cover of the Ian Dury song in his memory? "Sweet Geordie Vincent" If I had the time I'd find the lyrics, I think it went..
"Black and white striped shirt....
Maybe some of you could fill in the rest??
Not forgetting
Gene's appearance in the 1956 movie Oor Lass Cannae Help It, So Haddaway And Shite, Ya Bastards
How could I possibly...
...have forgotten that! :-D
Haddaway and shite
...was of course, the 'What is Love' Hitmaker's reply album to 'Take That and Party'
The Genesis
Gene....
my case rests, Daddy of Progressive Rock
you can thank me later
As it's the 40th anniversary of Gene's death....
.....on October 12th, it would be terrific to see this doc in its full glory on BBC Four.
Anyone at Word got the ear of one of the 12 year olds (c/o Ed Reardon) at the Beeb?
Fantastic documentary
but heart-breaking.
On The Geordie/Gene interface how about...
b-i-Byker-bi bo-bo-go
Gan ,Gan ,Gan
Gives me an Excuse
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