David Essex

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Biography

David Essex Order of the British Empire|OBE (born David Albert Cook on 23 July 1947) is an English people|English musician , singer-songwriter and actor . Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones), and sixteen Top 40 albums. He has also had an extensive career as an actor performing on stage and screen.

Biography

Essex was born in Plaistow, Newham|Plaistow , which was at that time in Essex (hence his stage name), but now falls within the borders of Greater London . His father, Albert, was an East End dock worker and his mother, Olive (née Kemp), was a self-taught pianist and an Irish Traveller . His grandfather, Thomas Kemp, was named 'Philimore' which was the anglicised version of 'Philly Mor' - being Irish for 'Big Philly'. Essex was two years old when his parents moved out of the overcrowded home the family was sharing with relatives, to Canning Town where he grew up. Essex attended Star Lane Primary School, he loved playing football (soccer)|football and did not answer any of the questions in the Eleven plus exam for entry into a Grammar School , so that he could ensure he attended Shipman County Secondary School where he knew they played the game. He was also a member of West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United Juniors for a while and dreamed of one day being a professional player. He then also became interested in music and played drums with a local band, before becoming a singer.

Early career

He made his first record entitled "And The Tears Came Tumblin' Down" for the Fontana Records|Fontana labelDavid Essex, "Over The Moon" page 70 ("with my new name on the label next to the famous blue and white Fontana logo"), Virgin Books 2012, ISBN 978-0-7535-4033-6 in 1963. He then toured with a band called 'David Essex and the Mood Indigo' for two years. His first notable acting role aside from small appearances in the films Assault and All Coppers Are... was the lead in the musical theatre|stage musical , Godspell in 1971 at the age of 23. Two years later, he starred in the film '' That'll Be The Day (film)|That'll Be The Day '' (1973) and recorded his only international hit single, the self penned " Rock On (David Essex song)|Rock On ", in the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a music recording sales certification|gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in March 1974. A second single, "Lamplight", also reached the Top 40|Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart .

In the 1970s, Essex emerged as a performer of some note. His biggest Chart-topper|hit s during this decade included two UK Chart-topper|Number One single (Music)|single s: " Gonna Make You a Star " (1974), and " Hold Me Close " (1975). He also appeared in Stardust (1974 movie)|Stardust , a 1974 sequel to '' That'll Be The Day (film)|That'll Be The Day ''; the title song was another Top 10 hit. In 1976, Essex covered the Beatles song, “ Yesterday (The Beatles song)|Yesterday ”, for the musical documentary All This and World War II .

Essex's pop idol looks gave him a strong female fan base and his British tours created scenes of hysteria reminiscent of Beatlemania . According to The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X, he was voted the number one British male vocalist in 1974, and was a teen idol for more than a decade.

Musical roles

In December 1973, Essex appeared in the stage version of Tommy (musical)|Tommy at London's Rainbow Theatre.

In 1978, he appeared on Jeff Wayne 's concept album , a Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds|musical version of The War of the Worlds , as the Artilleryman. In the UK the two-record set remains a bestseller .

In the same year, Essex played the character Che, loosely based on Che Guevara , in the original production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita (musical)|Evita , and his recording of the show's " Oh What a Circus " reached Number 3. Two years later, he starred in the film Silver Dream Racer ; and the soundtrack song "Silver Dream Machine" was yet another Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart .

In 1985, he co-wrote and starred as Fletcher Christian in the West End theatre|West End musical Mutiny! , based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty (novel)|Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The score produced two more hit singles, including "Tahiti," his tenth Top 10 success.

Essex continued to perform in all areas of show business , to varying degrees of success. A 1988 sitcom, " The River (TV series)|The River ", achieved good ratings. In 1991, a compilation entitled His Greatest Hits reached Number 13; a 1993 album, Cover Shot, featuring a cover version of the Buzz Cason / Mac Gayden song " Everlasting Love ", peaked at Number 3. His autobiography, A Charmed Life , was published in 2002, and became a bestseller.

In 1999, Essex was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire . He still tours the UK every year and releases albums through his website. Despite his long and successful British career, he remains largely unknown in the United States. " Rock On (David Essex song)|Rock On " reached Number 5 in 1974, and was his only US Billboard (magazine)|Billboard Top 40 hit single .

Essex, who comes from a family of Irish Travellers , played a kind-hearted nomad in one episode of ITV1 's 1960s Yorkshire -based drama Heartbeat (UK TV series)|Heartbeat in 2000. IMDB.com Essex told Jake Bowers of the BBC's Rokker Radio , a programme for Gypsies and Travellers, on 30 July 2006, that he has always been openly proud of his Traveller roots, but that having moved to the US, Essex has said he feels it inappropriate for him to continue as Patron of Britain's National Gypsy Council, which works for equal rights, education, and services for Romani people|Romany and Irish Travellers .

In 2005, he appeared as a guest vocalist on Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne 's album Tales from Turnpike House . Also that year, he appeared in the Channel 4 Documentary film|documentary Bring Back...The Christmas Number One .

Essex was due to join the cast of soap opera EastEnders , in early 2006, as new character Jack Edwards (EastEnders)|Jack Edwards . However, the role was expanded beyond the three weeks planned, and Essex was unable to commit the time. The role instead went to Nicky Henson .

A model and recording of Essex is featured in the museum of West Ham United Football Club . In the recording, he explains his reasons for supporting West Ham and his love of the team.

Essex spent six years as an ambassador for Voluntary Service Overseas , which earned him an OBE in 1999. "That was a big day. I took my two eldest kids, and me mum even went out and bought a hat".

Present

Essex used to record and release records on his own 'Lamplight' record label . He has since changed the name of his company to Joseph Webster Ltd, named after his first grandchild. He tours regularly and still treads the boards, appearing in Boogie Nights 2 , Footloose (2011 film)|Footloose and Andrew Lloyd Webber 's musical Aspects Of Love . From September 2008 to the summer of 2009 he took his own musical, All The Fun Of The Fair , on a tour of the United Kingdom. He followed this in the autumn with a sell out tour of the UK, named the Secret Tour. Essex has released a DVD on his website of the last night of the tour, filmed in Bournemouth . He returned to London's West End with All The Fun Of The Fair .

In 2010, Essex married Welsh actress Susan Hallam-Wright, his third wife, at St Cross Church, Talybont, near Bangor, Wales . He had previously been married to Maureen Neal (in 1971) and Carlotta Christy (in 1997).David Essex, "Over The Moon", Virgin Books 2012, ISBN 978-0-7535-4033-6

In January 2011, it was announced that Essex had finally joined the cast of EastEnders as Eddie Moon , five years after he was initially supposed to appear in the show. His first on-screen appearance was on 3 June 2011. Eddie left the square on Thursday 6 October 2011

UK discography

Singles

" Rock On (David Essex song)|Rock On " - 1973 - Number 3

"Lamplight" - 1973 - Number 7

"America" - 1974 - Number 32

" Gonna Make You a Star " - 1974 - Number 1

"Stardust" - 1975 - Number 7

"Rolling Stone" - 1975 - Number 5

" Hold Me Close " - 1975 - Number 1

"If I Could" - 1975 - Number 13

"City Lights" - 1976 - Number 24

"Coming Home" - 1976 - Number 24

"Cool Out Tonight" - 1977 - Number 23

" Stay with Me (Lorraine Ellison song)|Stay With Me Baby " - 1978 - Number 45

" Oh What A Circus " - 1978 - Number 3

"Brave New World" - 1978 - Number 55

"Imperial Wizard" - 1979 - Number 32

"Silver Dream Machine (Part 1)" - 1980 - Number 4

"Hot Love" - 1980 - Number 57

"Me And My Girl (Night-Clubbing)" - 1982 - Number 13

" A Winter's Tale (David Essex song)|A Winter's Tale " - 1982 - Number 2

"The Smile" - 1983 - Number 52

"Tahiti (From 'Mutiny In The Bounty')" - 1983 - Number 8

"You're In My Heart" - 1983 - Number 59

"Fishing For The Moon" - 1984 - Number 76

"Welcome" - 1984 - Number 80

"Fallen Angels Riding" - 1985 - Number 29

"Friends" - 1985

"Myfanwy" - 1987 - Number 41"Myfanwy" is a poem by John Betjeman set to music. For lyrics see http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/4550/

"The River" - 1988

"Rock On" ( remix ) - 1989

" The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore " - 1989

" True Love Ways " - 1994 (with Catherine Zeta Jones ) - Number 38

Albums

Rock On (David Essex album)|Rock On - 1973 - Number 7

David Essex (album)|David Essex - 1974 - Number 2

All The Fun Of The Fair - 1975 - Number 4

On Tour - 1976 - Number 51

Out On The Street - 1976 - Number 31

Gold and Ivory - 1977 - Number 29

David Essex Album - 1979 - Number 29

Imperial Wizard - 1979 - Number 12

Hot Love - 1980 - Number 75

Silver Dream Racer - 1980 Retrieved 4-17-2010.

Be-Bop the Future - 1981 Retrieved 4-17-2010.

Stage-Struck - 1982 - Number 31

The Very Best Of David Essex - 1982 - Number 32

The Whisper - 1983 Retrieved 4-17-2010.

''This One's For You - 1984 Retrieved 4-17-2010.

Central Stage - 1987

Living in England - 1995

A Night at the Movies - 1997 - Number 14

I Still Believe - 1999

Thank You - 2000

Wonderful - 2001

Theatre Of Dreams - 2001

Forever - 2001

Sunset - 2004

''It's Gonna Be Alright - 2004

Greatest Hits (David Essex album)|Greatest Hits - 2006

Beautiful Day - 2006

Happy Ever After - 2007

All The Fun Of The Fair - Greatest Hits - 2008 - UK Albums Chart|UK #23

Selected filmography

Smashing Time (1967)

Assault (film)|Assault (1971)

All Coppers Are... (1972)

'' That'll Be the Day (film)|That'll Be the Day (1973)

Stardust (film)|Stardust (1974)

The Big Bus (1976)

Silver Dream Racer (1980)

The River (TV series)|The River (1988)

Tribe (2011)

EastEnders (2011) Eddie Moon

Copyright Citations

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Undetermined Music Artists

David Essex

Biography

Biography

Early career

Musical roles

Present

UK discography

Singles

Albums

Selected filmography

References

External links

Copyright Citations