Alvin Stardust turns the clock back
Seventies glam rock icon Alvin Stardust is turning the clock back to the 50s and 60s as he brings his 50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll tour to venues across the Midlands over the next few months.
Seventies glam rock icon Alvin Stardust is turning the clock back to the 50s and 60s as he brings his 50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll tour to venues across the Midlands over the next few months.
Best known for his 70s hits including My Coo-Ca-Choo, Jealous Mind and You, You, You, Stardust's latest tour sees him paying tribute to his rock 'n' roll heroes, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard.
The tour brings him to Lichfield's Garrick Theatre on September 17; Solihull Arts Centre on October 7; The Barn, Birmingham on October 18; The Prince Of Wales Theatre, Cannock, on November 1 and Walsall Football Club on November 14.
Stardust was born Bernard William Jewry, on September 27, 1942, in north London but first found fame under the pseudonym Shane Fentone, which he picked up in tragic circumstances.
In the early 60s, Jewry was a roadie for an unknown teenage band called Shane Fenton and The Fentones who had sent a demo tape to the BBC. While waiting for a reply, the band's 17-year-old singer Shane Fenton (who was born Johnny Theakstone) died as a result of the rheumatic fever he had suffered as young boy.
The band decided to break up, but then received a letter inviting them to audition in person for the BBC.
Theakstone's mother asked the band to stay together, and to keep its name, in honour of her son's memory. – and Jewry was asked to become the new Shane Fenton.
This version of the Fentones scored four top 40 UK hits from 1961-1962 with I'm A Moody Guy, Walk Away, It's All Over Now and Cindy's Birthday before the group broke up, and Jewry also appeared in Billy Fury's movie, Play It Cool.
In 1973 Jewry burst back into the spotlight with his new glam rock persona, Alvin Stardust, singing his biggest hit My Coo-Ca-Choo. The name Alvin Stardust was dreamed up Michael Levy (later Lord Levy) who owned his record label, Magnet Records.
Moving into musical theatre, Stardust starred in the UK tour of Godspell; and played Uriah Heep in David Copperfield - The Musical as well as Sir Billy Butlin in The Butlin Story at the London Palladium.
In 2005 Stardust starred as the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Palladium. He recently appeared in the touring production of Boogie Nights.
Stardust has numerous television appearances to his credit, including the bar tender in The Grimleys, in which he appeared with fellow 70s glam hero Noddy Holder.
