4 Comments

1. Spike says:

   August 28th, 2010 at 4:20 pm

   John is still regularly gigging, sometimes with a band sometimes on his own and occasionally with Wild Willy Barrett. One of the maddest live acts around and also in the original “R Whites” advert. Genius!
2. L says:

   August 28th, 2010 at 5:12 pm

   Takes me back, I saw them at Kingston Poly circa 77/78. They also did a great number called something like, Jemima Ridin’ n Ridin’ n Ridin on an ‘orse. Glad to hear they are still around and touring. BTW, at Kingston they were support act for a band called Wild Horses, a short lived act consisting of Brian Robertson who had just been kicked out of Thin Lizzie and Jimmy Bains (ex Rainbow) – I followed them around slavishly but they were rubbish really!
3. Duncan says:

   August 29th, 2010 at 9:53 am

   Have you ever seen that clip of them on Old Grey WT, where he falls off his mini-amp? Genius.
4. geo says:

   August 30th, 2010 at 10:05 am

   Otway’s Return to the Charts – Martin Newell

   A low autumn sun lit the beech trees
   As Charlotte came strolling from school,
   Past the pear-laden espalier
   Where father was clearing the pool,
   A high skein of geese graced the skyline,
   The drama unfolded below.
   “Tell me who Otway was daddy.
   My teacher said that you would know.”

   “Otway?” her father downed leaf-rake
   Rheumy eyes brimming with tears.
   Face now upturned, he sobbed softly,
   “I haven’t heard ‘head-butts’ for years.
   Why do you ask me, my daughter?
   Did you hear tales from rough men?”
   “No,” said the girl “but it’s charted.
   Straight in from nowhere to 10.”

   “Child are you sure?” her dad shouted.
   “Hear’Say break up? Otway charts?
   Unlock your mother, fetch brandy
   These are great days for the arts!”
   “But who were Otway?” Asked Charlotte,
   Are they a ‘were’, or an are?”
   Otway, her father said gravely.
   Was is and will be…. a star.”

   “Otway, like Robin of Locksley
   Robbed of his kingdom of pop,
   Had to go roaming the outlands,
   Gigging for years without stop.
   Otway had hits-well had one hit-
   After which he was unseated.
   But until now his best efforts
   Witnessed the trick unrepeated.”

   Charlotte stared hard at her father.
   Was it her tidings this night
   Stripped him of decades in seconds-
   Or was it the soft autumn light?
   “Miracle happen,” he told her.
   “Dreams can come true-if a lot pray,
   Flowers will bloom in the desert.
   But only John does it Otway.”
   After an absence of nearly 25 years,

   Note:
   John Otway, die hard punk pop star is back in the charts, straight in at number 10 with ‘Bunsen Burner’. The star’s famously loyal fans, who each year give him something special for his birthday, agreed to give him something special for his 50th-a hit.