ArtistInfo

John Otway

voc, g, *1952 GB, Aylesbury
Singer / Musician / Songwriter of Rock, Pop, Folk and World

Born October 2, 1952, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. John Otway, self-proclaimed as 'Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure', began his assault on the music industry in the mid-1970's in partnership with one 'Wild Willy' Barrett. They reached Number 27 in 1977 with the single 'Cor Baby, That's Really Free' but Otway's most remembered for accidentally crushing his 'crown jewels' on an amplifier whilst performing a cover of the Bob Lind song 'Cheryl's Going Home' live on the BBC's 'Old Grey Whistle Test'. Aside from numerous 'on/off' stints with Barrett he has also collaborated with Attila The Stockbroker and has gained a hardcore following performing as a solo artist and also with his 'Big Band'. Some 25 years after the 'Hit' he achieved his second (and highest charting) hit with 'Bunsen Burner' (straight in at Number 9) which was achieved via a Social Media campaign and the incredible support of his fan base. In 2013 Otway premiered his biopic 'Otway - The Movie' at the Odeon, Leicester Square, which was received with critical acclaim by the media. Ever the one for clever ways to sell his records Otway has tried them all (with varying degrees of success and failure) from releasing singles without vocals to circulating discs with counterfeit WEA labels to using the sleeves as free entry to gigs. Add to this the huge deposit paid (and lost) to hire a jet to take his fans on a World Tour that never got off the ground and two autobiographies and you have a remarkable career of more than 40 years that defies belief!

Instruments

• Vocals
• Guitar
• Saxophone

Genres

• Rock
• Pop
• Folk
• World

Plays With