Stardust - David Essex

He's the unofficial British ambassador to the Romany nation. He played a Gypsy Jesus in Godspell. He looks great with a hankerchief around his neck. He played Fletcher Christian in 'Mutiny on Ice'. In TV sitcom, the River, he lived on a barge and had a pet piglet.

This track is taken from the movie Stardust. Easily the best British rock movie of all time, Stardust chronicles the rise and fall of fictional sixties rock idol Jim McLaine though the groupies, the ex-wives, the conceptual rock operas, the scheming managers, the mainlining, the freebasing, the casual sex, the uppers, the downers and the machinations of an American record executive (played by a pre-JR Larry Hagman).

Essex's performance is so good you have to believe that he's lived out every one of those rock 'n' roll cliches...

In his revealing autobiography, A Charmed Life, Essex describes how they used several different piglets while filming The River. Pigs grow fast. Rock on.

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Golden Ring - George Jones & Tammy Wynette

Wynette and Jones head on down to Elizabeth Duke to pick out wedding rings... and matching gold pendants with dolphins on them.

George and Tammy's marriage was blighted by George's appetite for liquor and cocaine. Attempting to curtail his habits, Tammy took away George's car keys and emptied their house of booze. Since their ranch was some distance from Nashville and without his cars keys, George attempted to drive to the nearest bar on a sit-down lawnmower.

The last few weddings I've been to have been a New Age mockery: Couples designing their own rings etched with sacred symbols originating from Phoenician artisans; Yohji Yamamoto white silk deconstructed hoop skirt wedding dresses; string quartets playing avant-garde works by Louis Andriessen at the reception...

Vegan wedding cake and tapenade? I want a an ox tongue buffet and a Dexy's-centric disco.

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Manifesto & Book News

If it's ever been on K-Tel or Ronco, it's in. If it features hand claps, cow bells, syrupy orchestration, walls of sound, wrecking crews, sha-la-las, toothy teen idols, candy-based metaphors for carnal acts or lyrics about hugging, squeezing and rocking all night long, it's in.

9ct Gold Garnet and Diamond Moveable Clown pendant £69.99



> Martin Lampen (latest book news, contact details and other stuff)

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