'That is no country for old men....Caught in that sensual music all neglect Monuments of unageing intellect.' W.B.Yeats 'Sailing To Byzantium.' 1926
Friday, 23 July 2010
Britain says "Happy Birthday" to David Essex
David Essex is, like me a London 'baby boomer' and having been born in 1947, has reached the age of 63.
Things you probably didn't know about David, he :
* was born David Albert Cook in 'Plaistow' part of the County Borough of West Ham in London.
* had a father who was an East End dock worker and a mother who was a self-taught pianist.
* was two years old when his parents moved to Canning Town where he grew up.
* attended 'Star Lane Primary School' where he loved playing football and did not answer any of the questions in the '11+' exam so that could attend 'Shipman County Secondary School', where he knew they played the game.
* was a member of 'West Ham United Juniors' and dreamed of one day being a professional player.
* became interested in music and played drums with a local band before becoming a singer.
* made his first record entitled 'And The Tears Came Tumblin' Down' in 1963 and then toured for 2 years in a band called 'David Essex and the Mood Indigo'.
* had his first major stage role as the lead in the stage musical, 'Godspell' in 1971 at the age of 23.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PrqIuchd0s
* appeared 2 years later as the star in the film 'That'll Be The Day' and recorded his only international hit single 'Rock On'.
Here he is with Ringo Starr in the film :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGWhHU0AENM
and 'Rock On' :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR3hhc_Nfg8
* recorded 'Gonna Make You a Star' in 1974 and 'Hold Me Close' in 1975.
'Hold Me Close' :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G2lqY3Nuk0
* appeared in 'Stardust', the 1974 sequel to 'That'll Be The Day'.
The last scene with Adam Faith :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Ja0grUpvg&NR=1
* spent six years as an ambassador for 'Voluntary Service Overseas' and earned an O.B.E. in 1999. He said : "That was a big day. I took my two eldest kids, and me mum even went out and bought a hat".
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