David Essex
Encyclopedia
David Essex OBE
(born David Albert Cook on 23 July 1947) is an 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.
, 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
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
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.
label 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 stage musical
, Godspell
in 1971 at the age of 23. Two years later, he starred in the film That'll Be The Day
(1973) and recorded his only international hit single, the self penned "Rock On
", in the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
by the R.I.A.A. in March 1974. A second single, "Lamplight", also reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart
.
In the 1970s, Essex emerged as a performer of some note. His biggest hits during this decade included two UK Number One single
s: "Gonna Make You a Star
" (1974), and "Hold Me Close
" (1975). He also appeared in Stardust, a 1974 sequel to That'll Be The Day
; the title song was another Top 10 hit. In 1976, Essex covered 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.
In 1978, he appeared on Jeff Wayne
's concept album
, a 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, 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
musical Mutiny!, based on the 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
", 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 on a yearly basis and releases albums through his website. Despite his long and successful British career, he remains largely unknown in the United States. "Rock On
" reached Number 5 in 1974, and was his only US 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 in 2000. 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 Romany and Irish Travellers.
In 2005, he appeared as a guest vocalist on Saint Etienne
's album Tales from Turnpike House
. Also that year, he appeared in the Channel 4
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. 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".
. 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
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 [www.davidessex.com] 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 at St Cross Church, Talybont, near Bangor, Wales
.
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 6th October 2011
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born David Albert Cook on 23 July 1947) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. 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 PlaistowPlaistow, Newham
Plaistow is a place in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It formed part of the County Borough of West Ham in Essex until 1965.Plaistow is a mainly residential area, including several council estates; the main road is the A112 - Plaistow Road, High Street, Broadway, Greengate Street and...
, which was at that time in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
(hence his stage name), but now falls within the borders of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. His father, Albert, was an East End dock worker and his mother, Olive (née Kemp), was a self-taught pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and an Irish Traveller
Irish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
. 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
Canning Town
Canning Town is an area of east London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
where he grew up. Essex attended Star Lane Primary School, he loved playing football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and did not answer any of the questions in the Eleven plus exam for entry into a Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, 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
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
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 DeccaDecca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
label 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 stage musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
in 1971 at the age of 23. Two years later, he starred in the film That'll Be The Day
That'll Be The Day (film)
That'll Be the Day is a 1973 British film starring David Essex and Ringo Starr, written by Ray Connolly and directed by Claude Whatham. It is set in the late '50s/early '60s and was partially filmed on the Isle of Wight. A sequel, Stardust, was released in 1974.-Plot summary:Jim MacLaine's mother...
(1973) and recorded his only international hit single, the self penned "Rock On
Rock On (David Essex song)
"Rock On" is a song that was composed and sung by English singer/songwriter David Essex in 1973. In March 1974, it reached #1 in Canada on the RPM national Top Singles chart and was a Top 5 song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop-music chart. It was Essex's only Billboard Top 40 hit. The song also...
", in the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the R.I.A.A. in March 1974. A second single, "Lamplight", also reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
In the 1970s, Essex emerged as a performer of some note. His biggest hits during this decade included two UK Number One single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s: "Gonna Make You a Star
Gonna Make You a Star
Gonna Make You A Star was a popular music recording by David Essex.Written by David Essex and produced by Jeff Wayne, Gonna Make You a Star was Essex's first number one single in the UK, spending three weeks at the top in November 1974....
" (1974), and "Hold Me Close
Hold me close
"Hold Me Close" was a UK Singles Chart number-one hit single in October 1975 for three weeks by English singer David Essex.-Song profile:"Hold Me Close" is a cheery love song written by Essex and produced by Jeff Wayne. It was Essex's second and final UK #1. The B-side is titled "Good Ol' Rock and...
" (1975). He also appeared in Stardust, a 1974 sequel to That'll Be The Day
That'll Be The Day (film)
That'll Be the Day is a 1973 British film starring David Essex and Ringo Starr, written by Ray Connolly and directed by Claude Whatham. It is set in the late '50s/early '60s and was partially filmed on the Isle of Wight. A sequel, Stardust, was released in 1974.-Plot summary:Jim MacLaine's mother...
; the title song was another Top 10 hit. In 1976, Essex covered the Beatles song, “Yesterday
Yesterday (song)
"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
”, for the musical documentary All This and World War II
All This and World War II
All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s...
.
Essex's pop idol
Pop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
looks gave him a strong female fan base and his British tours created scenes of hysteria reminiscent of Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
. 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 at London's Rainbow Theatre.In 1978, he appeared on Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne
Jeffry "Jeff" Wayne, born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, is a musician best known for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, his musical version of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds...
's concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, a musical version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
, as the Artilleryman. In the UK the two-record set remains a bestseller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
.
In the same year, Essex played the character Che, loosely based on Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
, in the original production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
musical Evita, and his recording of the show's "Oh What a Circus
Oh What a Circus
"Oh What a Circus" is a song from the 1976 musical Evita, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is the first song after the introductory "Requiem for Evita" from the musical, as Ché critically ponders the life of Eva Perón and the reaction to her death, finally coming...
" reached Number 3. Two years later, he starred in the film Silver Dream Racer
Silver Dream Racer
Silver Dream Racer is a film starring David Essex and Beau Bridges. Essex stars as Nick Freeman, a motorcycle racer who, following the death of his brother, inherits a revolutionary prototype motorcycle, and is determined to race it at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.The opening title scenes...
; and the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Silver Dream Machine" was yet another Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
In 1985, he co-wrote and starred as Fletcher Christian
Fletcher Christian
Fletcher Christian was a master's mate on board the Bounty during William Bligh's fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical Mutiny!, based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (novel)
For the actual event described in this book, see Mutiny on the Bounty.Mutiny on the Bounty is the title of the 1932 novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, based on the mutiny against Lieutenant William Bligh, commanding officer of the Bounty in 1789. It has been made into several films...
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
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
, to varying degrees of success. A 1988 sitcom, "The River
The River (TV series)
The River was a British TV series from 1988 starring David Essex, Katy Murphy and David Ryall.The River follows the tranquil life of lovable, Cockney, ex-convict Davey Jackson who is lock keeper on the canal near the village of Chumley-on-the-Water. His peaceful life is turned upside down by the...
", 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
Buzz Cason
Buzz Cason is an American rock singer, songwriter, producer and author....
/Mac Gayden
Mac Gayden
McGavock Gayden better known as Mac Gayden born in Nashville, Tennessee is an American rock and country singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is also president of Wild Child Records formed in 2004....
song "Everlasting Love
Everlasting Love
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden that has been a hit for various artists, including Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Love Affair, and Gloria Estefan.- Overview :...
", 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 on a yearly basis and releases albums through his website. Despite his long and successful British career, he remains largely unknown in the United States. "Rock On
Rock On (David Essex song)
"Rock On" is a song that was composed and sung by English singer/songwriter David Essex in 1973. In March 1974, it reached #1 in Canada on the RPM national Top Singles chart and was a Top 5 song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop-music chart. It was Essex's only Billboard Top 40 hit. The song also...
" reached Number 5 in 1974, and was his only US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top 40 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
.
Essex, who comes from a family of Irish Travellers, played a kind-hearted nomad in one episode of ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
's 1960s Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
-based drama Heartbeat in 2000. Essex told Jake Bowers of the BBC's Rokker Radio
Rokker Radio
Rokker Radio was a radio programme which has been broadcast on BBC Three Counties Radio since April 2006 for Gypsies and the travelling community. The programme was discontinued late in 2008.It is the only radio programme for Traveller Communities in the UK....
, 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 Romany and Irish Travellers.
In 2005, he appeared as a guest vocalist on Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
's album Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House
Tales from Turnpike House is an album by British pop group Saint Etienne. Is a concept album in which the songs depict characters who all live in the eponymous block of flats in London.-Setting:...
. Also that year, he appeared in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Bring Back...The Christmas Number One.
Essex was due to join the cast of soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, in early 2006, as new character 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
Nicky Henson
Nicholas Victor Leslie "Nicky" Henson is an English actor who has portrayed many roles since 1963. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. He was born in London.-Early life:...
.
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
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
, 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 labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. 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
Footloose (2011 film)
Footloose is a 2011 American dance film directed by Craig Brewer. It is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name and stars Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, and Andie MacDowell. The film follows a young man who moves from Boston to a small southern town and protests the town's ban...
and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's musical Aspects Of Love
Aspects of Love
Aspects of Love is a musical/chamber opera with a book and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart. It is famous for the song "Love Changes Everything."...
. 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
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on his website [www.davidessex.com] of the last night of the tour, filmed in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. He returned to London's West End with All The Fun Of The Fair.
In 2010, Essex married Welsh actress Susan Hallam-Wright at St Cross Church, Talybont, near Bangor, Wales
Bangor, Wales
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
.
In January 2011, it was announced that Essex had finally joined the cast of EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
as Eddie Moon
Eddie Moon
Edward "Eddie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon , Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon . Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme...
, 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 6th October 2011
Singles
- "Rock OnRock On (David Essex song)"Rock On" is a song that was composed and sung by English singer/songwriter David Essex in 1973. In March 1974, it reached #1 in Canada on the RPM national Top Singles chart and was a Top 5 song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop-music chart. It was Essex's only Billboard Top 40 hit. The song also...
" - 1973 - Number 3 - "Lamplight" - 1973 - Number 7
- "America" - 1974 - Number 32
- "Gonna Make You a StarGonna Make You a StarGonna Make You A Star was a popular music recording by David Essex.Written by David Essex and produced by Jeff Wayne, Gonna Make You a Star was Essex's first number one single in the UK, spending three weeks at the top in November 1974....
" - 1974 - Number 1 - "Stardust" - 1975 - Number 7
- "Rolling Stone" - 1975 - Number 5
- "Hold Me CloseHold me close"Hold Me Close" was a UK Singles Chart number-one hit single in October 1975 for three weeks by English singer David Essex.-Song profile:"Hold Me Close" is a cheery love song written by Essex and produced by Jeff Wayne. It was Essex's second and final UK #1. The B-side is titled "Good Ol' Rock and...
" - 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 BabyStay with Me (Lorraine Ellison song)"Stay with Me" is a song co-written by Jerry Ragovoy and George David Weiss. It was first recorded in 1966 by Lorraine Ellison, produced by Ragovoy....
" - 1978 - Number 45 - "Oh What A CircusOh What a Circus"Oh What a Circus" is a song from the 1976 musical Evita, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is the first song after the introductory "Requiem for Evita" from the musical, as Ché critically ponders the life of Eva Perón and the reaction to her death, finally coming...
" - 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 TaleA Winter's Tale (David Essex song)A Winter's Tale is a song by David Essex from the 1983 album The Whisper. First released as a single in 1982, it reached #2 in the UK singles chart in January 1983.-Production and release:...
" - 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
- "The River" - 1988
- "Rock On" (remixRemixA remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
) - 1989 - "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine AnymoreThe Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine " is the name of a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. It was originally released as a single by Frankie Valli in 1965 on the Smash label and has been recorded by numerous artists since, including The Walker Brothers, Cher, and Keane.- Frankie Valli original :The...
" - 1989 - "True Love WaysTrue Love Ways"True Love Ways" is a song co-written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and recorded with the Ray Ellis orchestra in October 1958, four months before the singer's death. It was first released on the posthumous "The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2"...
" - 1994 (with Catherine Zeta Jones) - Number 38
Albums
- Rock OnRock On (David Essex album)Rock On is the debut album of singer/songwriter David Essex. Its lead single and title track, "Rock On", is still Essex's best known song in the US...
- 1973 - Number 7 - 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
- Be-Bop the Future - 1981
- Stage-Struck - 1982 - Number 31
- The Very Best Of David Essex - 1982 - Number 32
- The Whisper - 1983
- This One's For You - 1984
- 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 HitsGreatest Hits (David Essex album)Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album released by David Essex on 6 March 2006.The album contains 20 of his biggest hits to date.- Track listing :All songs written by David Essex, except where specified.# "Rock On"# "Gonna Make You a Star"...
- 2006 - Beautiful Day - 2006
- Happy Ever After - 2007
- All The Fun Of The Fair - Greatest Hits - 2008 - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#23
Selected filmography
- Smashing TimeSmashing TimeSmashing Time is a 1967 British comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of Swinging London.It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis...
(1967) - AssaultAssault (film)Assault is a 1971 British thriller film directed by Sidney Hayers and starring Suzy Kendall, Frank Finlay and Freddie Jones, with Lesley-Anne Down making an early screen appearance. It is based on the novel The Ravine by Kendal Young, and tells about a police attempt to track down a dangerous...
(1971) - All Coppers Are... (1972)
- That'll Be the DayThat'll Be the Day"That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison and recorded by various artists including The Crickets and Linda Ronstadt. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles...
(1973) - StardustStardust (film)Stardust is a 2007 fantasy film from Paramount Pictures, directed by Matthew Vaughn. The film is based on Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name and stars an ensemble cast including Charlie Cox, Ben Barnes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Mark Strong, Rupert Everett, Ricky Gervais,...
(1974) - The Big BusThe Big BusThe Big Bus is a 1976 American James Frawley spoof comedy starring Stockard Channing and Joe Bologna. A spoof of most disaster movies popular at the time, it follows the maiden cross-country trip—New York to Denver, non-stop—of an enormous nuclear powered bus named Cyclops equipped with a bowling...
(1976) - Silver Dream RacerSilver Dream RacerSilver Dream Racer is a film starring David Essex and Beau Bridges. Essex stars as Nick Freeman, a motorcycle racer who, following the death of his brother, inherits a revolutionary prototype motorcycle, and is determined to race it at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.The opening title scenes...
(1980) - The RiverThe River (TV series)The River was a British TV series from 1988 starring David Essex, Katy Murphy and David Ryall.The River follows the tranquil life of lovable, Cockney, ex-convict Davey Jackson who is lock keeper on the canal near the village of Chumley-on-the-Water. His peaceful life is turned upside down by the...
(1988) - TribeTribeA tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
(2011) - EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
(2011) Eddie MoonEddie MoonEdward "Eddie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon , Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon . Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme...
External links
- Official David Essex website
- Allthefunofthefair.com
- Jeff Wayne's "The War Of The Worlds" 1978
- Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita, song "Oh What a Circus" by David Essex
- David Essex to appear in "Aspects Of Love" a new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Saint Etienne: Tales From Turnpike House released: 13 June 2005
- former patron of the Gypsy Council in Britain
- David Essex awarded the OBE in 1999 in recognition of his charity work with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)
- Essex starred in and wrote score for movie "Silver Dream Racer"
- A Charmed Life: The Autobiography of David Essex - published 2002 (Orion)
- "Essex played Fletcher Christian in his own musical Mutiny! (co-written with Richard Crane) which played at the Piccadilly Theatre for sixteen months