History
John Otway, born October 2, 1952, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, is a singer-songwriter known for cultivating a dedicated cult following through persistent touring, a distinctive sense of humor, and an endearing underdog persona. Despite an early start with his 1972 single "Gypsy/Misty Mountain," Otway's initial rise to prominence was fueled by the punk rock movement and a memorable, energetic performance on the television show The Old Grey Whistle Test.
Early Success and Polydor Records
His 1977 single, the half-spoken love song "Really Free," achieved modest success, reaching number 27 on the UK Singles Chart. This became his most significant chart hit for some time, making it relatively easy to find on the second-hand market. Rarer still are the single's picture cover and the even more elusive advertising sleeve, which featured promotional material and a cut-out sticker. The success of "Really Free" secured Otway a five-album deal with Polydor Records, who initially perceived him as a punk artist.
Collaboration with Wild Willy Barrett
Otway's first album, recorded with Wild Willy Barrett and produced by Pete Townshend, experienced limited commercial success. Subsequent singles, despite creative promotional efforts such as offering in-person performances for omitted vocal copies, also struggled. The duo's sole other UK chart appearance came in July 1980 with "DK 50-80," which peaked at number 45.
Solo Career and Diversification
As Otway transitioned to a solo career, his audience remained loyal, perhaps drawn to his unpredictable live performances, which sometimes included physical antics. In the mid-1980s, he was a regular performer on the Old Profanity Showboat in Bristol. When his music career faced challenges, Otway explored other creative avenues, co-authoring the play Verbal Diary and finding work in television commercials portraying a likable, disorganized character.
Autobiography and Continued Touring
His 1990 autobiography, Cor Baby, That's Really Me (Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure), was characterized by its self-deprecating humor and underscored his continued reliance on touring for support. The book quickly outsold most of his previous albums. During the 1990s, he toured as "Headbutts and Halibuts" with Attila the Stockbroker, with whom he created the rock opera Cheryl. Otway continued to draw significant crowds, performing at GuilFest in 1992, attracting 2,500 fans to a London gig in 1993, and celebrating his birthday with 4,000 attendees at the Royal Albert Hall in 1998, coinciding with the release of Premature Adulation, his first album of new material in over a decade.
Fan Engagement and the "Second Hit" Campaign
By this time, Otway had learned to leverage his fanbase for publicity stunts. A grassroots campaign resulted in his song "Beware of the Flowers Cause I'm Sure They're Going to Get You Yeah" being voted the seventh greatest lyric of all time in a BBC poll. For his 50th birthday in 2002, Otway famously requested "a second hit." A coordinated effort, including a fan poll to select the track, saw "Bunsen Burner" reach number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The song, featuring music sampled from The Trammps' "Disco Inferno" and lyrics inspired by his daughter's chemistry homework, earned Otway an appearance on Top Of The Pops. To encourage multiple purchases, three different versions of the single were released. The B-side, "The Hit Mix," was a cover of "The House of the Rising Sun" recorded at Abbey Road Studios with 900 fans providing backing vocals, each credited on the sleeve. This second hit enabled the release of his Greatest Hits album, a title Otway humorously noted he was proud to finally have in the plural.
Ambitious Projects and Ongoing Performances
Following the success of the "Bunsen Burner" campaign, Otway planned an ambitious world tour for October 2006, intending to charter a jet for his band and 300 fans to perform at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House. However, the tour was canceled due to escalating costs. Otway continues to tour in various configurations. In 2009, he reunited with Wild Willy Barrett for a UK tour, and the duo now performs regularly, releasing the album 40-Odd Years of Otway and Barrett in 2011, featuring re-recorded older songs and a new track, "The Snowflake Effect." Otway also performs solo, with Richard Holgarth, and with his Big Band.
"Otway the Movie" and Legacy
To commemorate his 60th birthday in October 2012, Otway screened the documentary of his life, "Otway the Movie," at the Odeon Leicester Square. The film was funded by fans who became producers, with the final scenes shot live on the red carpet. Following the premiere, the completed film was set to be shown at international film festivals in 2013. Otway also has a fan-based motorcycle club, the Beware of the Flowers MCC. He continues to deliver humorous lectures on "Making success out of failure," and his autobiography sequel, I Did It Otway (Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure), was published in May 2010.