John Otway

John Otway (born 2 October 1952) is an English singer-songwriter who has built a cult audience through extensive touring. Otway was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. From the age of nine all he ever wanted to be was a pop star.
Although his first single, "Gypsy"/"Misty Mountain" was released in 1972, Otway gained wider recognition riding the wave of punk rock and his unique performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test. His sixth single, the half-spoken love song "Really Free" reached number 27 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977. It would be his greatest success for some time. The song earned him a five-album deal with Polydor Records, who viewed him as a punk rather than merely an eccentric. His first album, recorded with Wild Willy Barrett, was produced by Pete Townshend but sold only fitfully. The follow-up singles fared no better despite some imaginative promotion, which included an offer for Otway to come to a buyer's house and perform the 1979 single, "Frightened and Scared", if their copy was one of only three copies from which the vocal had been omitted. Otway's and Barrett's only other UK chart success came in July 1980 with "DK 50/80", a modest No. 45 hit.
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==Links to Peel==
Peel discovered John Otway along with Wild Willy Barrett in the early 70’s well before he got a hit in 1977. A year later they both did a session together for his show in 1978, but after the 80's, he never bothered to revisit them on his radio programmes. 
==Sessions==
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1. Recorded with Wild Willy Barrett: 1978-06-14. First Broadcast: 26 June 1978
*Place Farm Way / Oh My Body Is Making Me / Can't Complain / The Alamo
==Other Shows Played==
;1973
*17 April 1973 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Murder Man (single) Track
*03 May 1973 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Murder Man (single) Track
;1977
*07 June 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Louisa On A Horse (album - John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett) Extracked
*04 August 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Misty Mountain (album - John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett) Polydor 
*04 August 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): If I Did (album - John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett) Polydor 
*04 August 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Racing Cars (Jet Spotter of the Track) (album - John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett) Polydor 
*PM029 (24 August 1977 or 25 August 1977) (& Wild Willy Barrett): Running From The Law (7" - Racing Cars (Jet Spotter Of The Track)) Polydor 2058 916
*02 November 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Really Free (7") Polydor 2058 951
*04 November 1977 (& Wild Willy Barrett): Really Free (7") Polydor 2058 951
;1978
*13 September 1978: 'Baby's In The Club (7")' (Polydor)
;1980
*30 July 1980 (& Wild Willy Barrett): The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (album - Way & Bar) Polydor
*14 October 1980: Mine Tonight (v/a album - Miniatures (A Sequence Of Fifty-One Tiny Masterpieces Edited By Morgan-Fisher)) Pipe 
*03 November 1980: Green Green Grass Of Home (7") Stiff 
*10 November 1980: Green, Green Grass Of Home (7") Stiff (JP: "I do hope that doing ridiculous versions of sentimental songs is becoming fashionable again.")
*13 November 1980 (BFBS): Green Green Grass Of Home (7") Stiff 
*15 November 1980 (BFBS): Green Green Grass Of Home (7") Stiff 
*27 December 1980 (BFBS) (& Wild Willy Barrett): Beware Of The Flowers
;1982
*22 June 1982: Too Much Air Not Enough Oxygen (album - All Balls & No Willy) Empire 
;1984
*09 June 1984 (BFBS): Green, Green Grass Of Home (7") Stiff
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Official Website
Category:Artists