Conference marvin::uk_music

	I'm afraid that as far as I am aware there are no CDs available from 
the splendid John Otway. I was browsing in Virgin Oxford St the other day & 
looked specifically for any but there were none. There only appears to be one 
album available now too 'John Otway's Gleatest Hits', the cover is a spoof of a 
Japanese record.

	I think that I have all of Otway's LPs. From memory these are in 
chronological order

	John Otway & Wild Willie Barret
	Deep & Meaningless
	Where did I go right?
	Way & Bar
	All Balls & No Willy
	Gleatest Hits
	I think there is another compilation called 'Gone with the Bin'

There are various songs that are only on singles e.g. 'Julie', 'Whoops 
Apocalypse', 'Jerusalem'.

I have seen Otway numerous times in the past 10/11 years and have always had a
great time. It is really only when seen playing live that one appreciates the
full entertainment value that he gives, really hilarious. 

On top of that over the years he has written a number of great songs (esp. 
'Geneva') and his covers of other songs are tremendous ('Green Green Grass of 
Home' given the punk treatment among others).

I have spoken with him on a number of occasions and found him a thoroughly 
generous & approachable guy delighted to talk about his and others music

I would thoroughly recommend going to see him if you ever get the chance. 

Nigel

PS
I have a few gaps in my collection of Otway artefacts so if there is anyone out
there who has any Otway records/tapes/photos etc that they would like to part
with please contact me. 

Thanks for the info...
    
    I'll have to keep looking and hoping....
    
    	John

    Otway's playing the 100 club tonight. He'll be on stage about 9:30,
    going on till about 11.
    
    Nick

    For all you reading this tomorrow, it was yesterday..  8^)
    
    That is, I thought I ought to make it clear that he's playing on
    Thursday 26th - I wouldn't want anyone rushing up there on the wrong
    night...
    
    Nick

    Well, John was excellent last night - I haven't had so much fun
    at a gig in ages.
    
    I asked him if any of his LPs were available on CD (how's that for
    service to the notes community). There aren't any at the moment,
    but he's been approached by a company called Happy Squid records
    (honestly!) to produce a greatest hits compilation on CD.
    
    Nick

	Anyone spot Otway playing the part of a painter/decorator in the new 
ITV drama series 'Forever Green' ?

	This goes out on Sunday nights & stars John Alderton & Pauline Collins. 
He's in it next episode too because I've seen a trailer. I noticed that he 
seems to have taken out his earrings to further his acting career. 

Nigel

    Yup, his character will be a regular in the whole series. You'll
    notice that his accent moves about a bit geographically, so to
    speak...!
    
    Nick

    For those of you who're going to be at the British Music Fair, go and
    see John at the H.W. International stand (the Shure microphone people).
    I think he's going to be performing a bit. You'll also get a chance to
    be involved in his "Around the World in 18 days" tour.
    
    Basically, Otway is going to do 11 nights around the world (spread out
    over 18 days, surprise surprise!). Channel 4 have already said they'll
    provide a camera crew to cover the event. If all goes well, there'll be
    a competition on the HW stand to attend John's New York gig.
    
    He's also down to be the compere (for want of a better word) at this
    year's Reading festival.
    
    Finally, he's going to be re-recording Geneve, with Rick Wakeman on
    keys, and Phil Collins on drums. When I first heard, I thought it was a
    wind-up, but I've been assured it's for real - Otway met Wakeman in a
    pub (!), and Ronnie (Otway's guitarist) was in a very early incarnation
    of Genesis...
    
    Nick

Thanks for the update Nick. I'd be interested in any news on British gigs, or 
new recordings.

>    Finally, he's going to be re-recording Geneve, with Rick Wakeman on
>    keys, and Phil Collins on drums. When I first heard, I thought it was a
>    wind-up, but I've been assured it's for real - Otway met Wakeman in a
>    pub (!), and Ronnie (Otway's guitarist) was in a very early incarnation
>    of Genesis...

This sounds like fun. It is 11 years since Otway had his hit single so perhaps 
with the help of some celebrity friends maybe he can get another one. I think 
that one of Otway's strongets points is the ability to write strong melodic 
songs that deserve a much wider audience than they do receive. 'Geneva' is the 
Otway love song par excellence. BTW for any paedophiles reading it is about a 
fifteen year old girl.

Has he got a new guitarist? Last time I saw him (>1year ago) he had Robin with 
him who has been his guitarist (& roadie) since the final split with Wild 
Willie.

Nigel
(Noting remotely from Valbonne in the sunny South of France-its a tough life in 
SWAS)

    Nigel,
    
    John's playing regularly in the pub circuit in London, and occasionally
    gets out to the colonies like Leeds and Manchester 8^) As far as I
    know, he hasn't managed to get to the south of France yet... 
    
    Rather than posting his schedule here (which would be pretty long and
    usually out of date) it'd probably be better if you ask about specific 
    dates or venues. In other words, if you want to know where he's playing 
    on  the week of the 5th-11th of June, for example, or you want to know 
    when he's playing the Kings Head in Fulham, I can find out.
    
    As for Robin - that was Robin Boult. He and Otway went their separate
    ways when Otway "retired" and went into acting. When he started gigging
    again, Robin had joined a band with a recording deal, so Otway signed
    up Ronnie Caryl, who's still with him.
    
    BTW, I got the info about Robin/Ronnie from a draft of Otway's
    autobiography. He intends to release it just before Xmas, so put your
    order in today!! Of course, I don't know who you'd order it from, as
    Otway intends to publish it himself...
    
    Nick

    As of this morning. Karen (his SO) had a baby girl - they're
    considering calling her Amy.
    
    Nick

    Otway is playing the After Dark club (nee the Paradise) tomorrow night
    (Friday 2nd Feb). The address is 112 London St, Reading
    
    Nick

    I wonder if he'll do his Boris Becker impersonations ?

    I saw him about a year ago at the Oval in London.

    - Tim

    You can catch John Otway LIVE at Friends Pizza, 12-14 London Street
    tomorrow (3 March) at lunch time.  Phone Danny/Greg 594549 for more
    information regarding times etc....
    
    Sarah

Otway has got a CD released next week.  Entitled "Cor Baby, that's really me!"
it contains 21 tracks including all his classics.  Apparently it's being
released in conjunction with a book on the man.

Lee

I forgot to mention that one track on the CD is

The Last Of The Mohicans - Otway back with Barrett trying to record the Wimp 
and The Wild L.P.

This is the first that I've heard of this, I don't even know whether it is a 
recent recording.

Anyone know anymore about this? Nick Creasy?

Nigel

    Nigel,
        
    The Wimp and the Wild came out some time ago (not quite sure when, but
    it's in the book!). Otway hasn't written any new songs in ages... but
    he's still gigging with Ronnie Carrol. And I have no idea what Willy's 
    doing.
    
    BTW, Otway's doing his book tour at the moment (it started at the
    beginning of the month, and finishes early next month). He's playing at
    the After Dark in Reading on June 1st (but be warned, the gig doesn't
    start until 1am, as he's playing in Oxford first at about 9.45!).
    
    Between now and then, he's playing Hull, Leicester, Birmingham,
    Falmouth, Berkhampstead, Dunstable, High Wycombe, London Thames Poly
    and Windsor.
    
    Nick

    Otway (pratt!) is back on tour with Wild Willy Barrett. I saw him
    in Oxford last week: the Boris Becker impersonation is still there along
    with much head abuse, mike eating and Laurie Anderson-style human
    drum-machine.
    
    Everything from 'Cor baby thats really me!' is now on 'Otway Records',
    a smallish label (cheques are payable to Otway's personal bank
    account!). He has a new album out, "Under the covers and over the top"
    which contains cover versions beyond description.
    
    Re: 0 Its on CD!
    
    +Mark+

    
    It's titled in French and is a cover/cross of "Wild thing" and "Je
    t'aime"
    
    Mike Webster. London.
    

    Wandering past my local CD shop this weekend, I saw a postcard in the
    window for Otway and Attila doing "Cheryl - the Opera", at Hall Green
    Little Theatre (in suburban Birmingham). Unfortunately I'd already
    missed all three performances (go away for a fortnight and this is wot
    happens, sniff) but the ad said it was being video'd for broadcast.
    Could be interesting... 
    
    slowly the editor fazes my brain
    john

    I've heard that Otway is doing a pub crawl of London over the next few
    weeks.  Anyone got any further details?
    
    Ian

    
    
    	John Otway Dates as of 30/1/97
    
    
         February 
    
         2nd The Square Harlow 
         THE LONDON PUB CRAWL TOUR STARTS 
         6th Kingston Grey Horse 
         7th East Dulwich Tavern 
         9th Islington The Weavers Arms 
         12th Gray's Inn Road The Water Rat 
         13th Finchley The Torrington 
         14th Rayners Lane Rayners Hotel 
         20th New Barnet The Duke Of Lancaster 
         21st Rotherhite Prince Of Orange 
         27th Clapham The Bread And Roses 
         28th Worcester Park Cagney's 
    
         March 
    
         1st Putney Half Moon 
         8th Streatham Park Hotel 
         9th Islington Weavers Arms 
         13th Egbaston Waterworks 
         14th Glossop The Blues Club 
         15th Winchester Tower Arts Centre 
         16th Orange West Kensington 
         END OF PUB CRAWL TOUR 
         20th Nottingham Running Horse 
         22nd Milton Keynes Open University 
         28th Brentwood Essex Arms 
    
         April 
    
         4th Lutterworth The Moorbarns Inn 
         5th Leicester Princess Charlotte 
         6th Sheffield The Pheasant 
         7th York Fibbers 
         12th Albert Hall Meeting 
         23rd Stowe Maris Prince Of Wales 
         25th Sandbach Arts Fetival TBC 
         26th Aylesbury Limelight Theatre
    
    
    
    
    Graham