Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust , actually Bernard William Jewry , also known as Shane Fenton , (born September 27, 1942 in London , † October 23, 2014 in Billingshurst , West Sussex ) was a British rock musician and actor .
Career
As a four-year-old boy, Bernard William Jewry was enthusiastic about pantomime . In the early 1960s he replaced the late singer Johnny Theakston in the group Shane Fenton & the Fentones, which in June 1962 was able to record a top 20 hit in the British charts with the single Cindy's Birthday .
In 1965 he became a manager and took care of artists such as Lulu and The Hollies . In the early 1970s, Jewry met producer Peter Shelley. He gave himself the stage name Alvin Stardust and was one of the most popular stars of the glam rock scene from 1974 to 1975 . He took over the black leather outfit from Dave Berry . Between 1973 and 1976 Stardust was able to place itself in the British Top 20 with six songs written by Peter Shelley. It was not until the 1980s that he was able to record three more hits, including Pretend (1981, written by Nat King Cole ) and the homage I Feel Like Buddy Holly (1984) written by Mike Batt , whose lyrics include Buddy Holly's Raining in My Heart as well as Paul McCartney's Beatles song Yesterday and Paul Simons Homeward Bound . In April 1985 he took part in the British preliminary decision for the Eurovision Song Contest . Despite his comeback, his contribution The Clock on the Wall only came third behind the newcomers Vikki and Kerri Wells.
Jewry was an actor in musical performances of Godspell and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang . He also had supporting roles in some British television series such as Hollyoaks or The Grimleys . His son Adam Fenton (* 1972) is a well-known British drum and bass producer.
In 2004 the single Boppin 'on a Saturday Night , recorded with the German rockabilly band The Wild Black Jets , was released, which was played very often on German, Dutch and British radio stations; a club tour followed. In 2007 the album Rockin 'Train was recorded together .
Jewry died on October 23, 2014 at the age of 72 at his home in Billingshurst, West Sussex, England, of complications from prostate cancer .
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DE
|
 AT
|
 UK
|
|||
| 1974 | The Untouchable |
DE41 (8 weeks) DE |
- |
UK4th  (12 weeks)UK |
|
| 1974 | Alvin Stardust | - | - |
UK37  (3 weeks)UK |
|
| 1975 | Rock with Alvin | - | - |
UK52 (2 weeks) UK |
|
More albums
- 1982: I'm A Moody Guy (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1983: A Picture of You
- 1984: I Feel Like ...
- 2007: Rockin 'Train (with The Wild Black Jets )
Compilations
- 1977: Greatest Hits
- 1982: Profiles
- 1987: 20 of the Best
- 1993: The Hits Go On
- 1993: I'm a Moody Guy (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1996: Still Standing. Greatest & Latest
- 2001: The Alvin Stardust Story
- 2003: The Complete A-Sides and B-Sides (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 2005: The Platinum Collection
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
|||
| 1961 | I'm a moody guy | - | - |
UK22 (8 weeks) UK |
Shane Fenton and the Fentones
|
| 1962 | Walk away |
- | - |
UK38 (5 weeks) UK |
Shane Fenton and the Fentones
|
| It's All Over Now |
- | - |
UK29 (7 weeks) UK |
Shane Fenton and the Fentones
|
|
| Cindy's Birthday |
- | - |
UK19 (8 weeks) UK |
Shane Fenton and the Fentones
|
|
| 1973 | My Coo Ca Choo The Untouchable |
DE3 (23 weeks) DE |
AT2 (16 weeks) AT |
UK2 (21 weeks)UK |
|
| 1974 | Jealous Mind The Untouchable |
DE5 (16 weeks) DE |
AT10 (8 weeks) AT |
UK1 (11 weeks) UK |
|
| Red Dress Alvin Stardust |
DE14 (7 weeks) DE |
AT8 (8 weeks) AT |
UK7 (8 weeks) UK |
||
| You You You Alvin Stardust |
DE19 (8 weeks) DE |
AT4 (8 weeks) AT |
UK6th (10 weeks)UK |
||
| Tell Me Why Alvin Stardust |
- | - |
UK16 (8 weeks) UK |
||
| 1975 | Good Love Can Never Die Rock With Alvin |
DE35 (2 weeks) DE |
- |
UK11 (9 weeks) UK |
|
| Sweet Cheatin 'Rita |
- | - |
UK37 (4 weeks) UK |
||
| 1981 | Pretend A Picture Of You |
DE36 (14 weeks) DE |
AT5 (10 weeks) AT |
UK4th (10 weeks)UK |
|
| A Wonderful Time Up There A Picture Of You |
DE61 (3 weeks) DE |
- |
UK56 (8 weeks) UK |
||
| 1984 | I Feel Like Buddy Holly I Feel Like ... Alvin Stardust |
DE37 (10 weeks) DE |
- |
UK7 (12 weeks) UK |
|
| I Won't Run Away I Feel Like ... Alvin Stardust |
- | - |
UK7 (15 weeks) UK |
||
| So Near to Christmas I Feel Like ... Alvin Stardust |
- | - |
UK29 (7 weeks) UK |
||
| 1985 | Got a Little Heartache |
- | - |
UK55 (4 weeks) UK |
|
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
More singles
- 1962: Why Little Girl (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1962: Too Young for Sad Memories (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1963: Hey Miss Ruby (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1963: Don't Do That (as Shane Fenton)
- 1963: A Fool's Paradise (as Shane Fenton)
- 1975: Move It
- 1975: Angel from Hamburger Heaven
- 1976: It's Better to Be Cruel Than Be Kind
- 1977: Growin 'Up
- 1977: Sweet Little Rock'n'Roller
- 1977: Shane Fenton & the Fentones (EP) (as Shane Fenton and the Fentones)
- 1982: Weekend
- 1982: I Want You Back in My Life Again
- 1983: Walk Away Renee
- 1983: Candy
- 1983: Corina Can
- 1985: Sleepless Nights
- 1986: Jailhouse Rock
- 1986: I Hope and I Pray (with Sheila Walsh)
- 1989: Christmas
Web links
- Literature by and about Alvin Stardust in the catalog of the German National Library
- Alvin Stardust in theInternet Movie Database(English)
- Online encyclopedia: Alvin Stardust
- Alvin Stardust at Allmusic (English)
- Alvin Stardust at Discogs (English)
- Shane Fenton at Discogs (English)
- Shane Fenton and the Fentones at Discogs (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ UK NATIONAL FINAL 1985. Retrieved May 19, 2020 .
- ^ Billingshurst-based pop icon Alvin Stardust dies. In: West Sussex Gazette, October 23, 2014 (accessed October 23, 2014).
- ↑ Alvin Stardust, glam rock singer, dies aged 72. Obituary on the BBC website of October 23, 2014 (accessed October 23, 2014).
- ↑ a b Chart sources: Singles Albums UK
- ↑ a b UK gold / platinum database
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Stardust, Alvin |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Jewry, Bernard William (real name); Fenton, Shane |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British rock musician and actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 27, 1942 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London , England , UK |
| DATE OF DEATH | 23 October 2014 |
| Place of death | Billingshurst , West Sussex , England , United Kingdom |