Freddie Starr (1943-2019), born Frederick Leslie Fowell, was raised in Huyton, Liverpool, and became an entertainer at the age of 11 in 1954 when he joined a road show as a song and comedy act. In 1958 (aged 15, and still under his birth name Fred Fowell) he was recruited to play the part of a […]
The Colourful Era
1979 Lucien and Ricky Banlieue
In December 1978 a French comic writer Frank Margerin penned an 8-page story concerning a bunch of rock’n’rollers who had formed a rock’n’roll band. The story which was published shortly afterwards in a number of Métal Hurlant, a pioneering comic magazine, was entitled ‘Ricky Banlieue et ses Riverains – les rois du rock !’ (‘Suburb Rickie […]
1981 ‘Twentieth Century Box: Rockabilly’ LWT
‘Twentieth Century Box’ series on LWT June 1980 to September 1982, presented by Danny Baker (producer Janet Street Porter) a relatively short lived modern arts series (focusing on London and the Southeast) and broadcast in the London LWT area late on Friday night (if my memory serves me correctly) ‘Electro-disco music’ 23/08/1981, LWT = ‘new […]
1979 Dave Edmunds
I’d heard that he was going to cover Wilbert Harrison’s “Let’s work together.”, but Canned Heat got it first, so he switched to “I hear you knocking.”, which has almost the same chord progressions, at the last minute. Another song with almost the same chord progressions (in the chorus) that was out (at least in […]
1974-76 Portsmouth teds, Shazam and ‘Tommy’
Ted scene took off in Portsmouth in 1972. The Houndogs 1973 became Shazam 1974- who lasted till at least 1978 (down to a 4-piece in 1977). Pete to prison in 1978, reformed it for only 3-or-4 gigs in 1979. Prison again for Pete soon afterwards. Rock Therapy came out of the remaining members. opening […]
1986 ‘Buddy’ (tv series) & 1991 ‘Buddy’s Song’ (film)
The 1985-86 5-part BBC 2 schools drama series Buddy was based on the novel of the same name by Nigel Hinton, published in 1982. 12.Sep.1985 BBC2 ‘Arena: Buddy Holly’ Buddy has a hopeless father who is an ageing rocker, interested only in Elvis and bikes, and living on the fringes of the underworld. When Buddy’s mum walks […]