Alvin Stardust (October 23, 2014) – Anniversary: Remembering Alvin Stardust
REMEMBERING ALVIN STARDUST
Today marks the anniversary of the passing of Bernard William Jewry, better known to generations of music fans first as Shane Fenton and later as Alvin Stardust.
Born on September 27, 1942, Jewry enjoyed a remarkably enduring career that stretched from the pre-Beatles world of British pop through the glam rock years of the 1970s and into a successful revival during the 1980s.
SHANE FENTON
His first period of chart success came during the early 1960s under the name Shane Fenton.
The name itself carried an unusual history. The original Shane Fenton, Johnny Theakston, had been the teenage singer with the Fentones but died while the group was awaiting news of a possible BBC appearance. At the request of Theakston's mother, the group continued under the same name, with Bernard Jewry, who had been working with the band as a roadie, taking over as Shane Fenton.
Shane Fenton and the Fentones subsequently entered the UK charts with records including "I'm A Moody Guy", "Walk Away", "It's All Over Now" and their biggest hit of the period, "Cindy's Birthday".
Jewry also appeared in the films Play It Cool in 1962 and It's All Happening in 1963.
BECOMING ALVIN STARDUST
After spending a number of years away from the spotlight, Jewry returned during the glam rock era with an entirely new identity.
Alvin Stardust had originally been conceived by songwriter and producer Peter Shelley, who wrote, recorded and sang "My Coo Ca Choo" in 1973. When the record began climbing the charts and a performer was needed to take the character into public appearances, Bernard Jewry stepped into the role.
With distinctive sideburns, black leather and a striking stage image, the Alvin Stardust persona gave Jewry a second and ultimately much bigger chapter in his career.
Following "My Coo Ca Choo", he established himself as one of the familiar faces of British 1970s pop with records including "Jealous Mind", "You, You, You", "Red Dress" and "Good Love Can Never Die".
"Jealous Mind" gave Stardust a UK No. 1, and across his career he accumulated seven Top Ten entries.
BEYOND THE GLAM YEARS
Unlike many artists primarily associated with the early 1970s glam period, Alvin Stardust returned successfully to the charts in the following decade.
"Pretend" reached No. 4 in the UK in 1981, while 1984 brought further success with "I Feel Like Buddy Holly" and "I Won't Run Away", both reaching No. 7. "So Near To Christmas" also charted that year.
His career extended well beyond records. Stardust appeared extensively on television, was featured on This Is Your Life in 1985 and hosted the ITV children's programme It's Stardust in 1989.
He also developed a substantial stage career, appearing in productions including Godspell, David Copperfield – The Musical, The Butlin Story and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in which he played the Child Catcher at the London Palladium.
A CAREER ACROSS GENERATIONS
What makes Alvin Stardust's story particularly interesting is its longevity.
Bernard Jewry first reached British record buyers as Shane Fenton at the beginning of the 1960s, successfully reinvented himself for a very different musical landscape as Alvin Stardust in the 1970s, and returned to significant chart success during the 1980s.
Behind the black leather and carefully constructed Alvin Stardust image was therefore a career spanning several distinct eras of British popular entertainment.
Bernard William Jewry died on October 23, 2014, aged 72. His death came shortly before the planned release of Alvin, his first album in 30 years, and only six days after what became his final performance at the Regal Cinema in Evesham.
DISCOGRAPHY
The Untouchable – 1973
Alvin Stardust – 1974
Rock with Alvin – 1975
A Picture of You – 1983
I Feel Like... Alvin Stardust – 1984
Alvin – 2014, posthumous release
Behind the Wheel – 2021, posthumous release
Today, on the anniversary of his passing, we remember the performer who travelled from Shane Fenton and the Fentones to the unmistakable black-leather image of Alvin Stardust, leaving behind a career extending far beyond the glam rock era with which he became so closely associated.
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied
Comments