IMPERIAL WIZARD |
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Beginnings
Fans of David will know all about his background - the struggles, frustrations and bitter disappointments he suffered for years before he eventually exploded into the lkimelight with his stunning performance as Jesus in GODSPELL in 1971. The show, already popular in America opened at London's Round House in the November of that year, transferring to Wyndam's Theatre on 26 January 1972. David stayed with the show for two years, leaving on 15 September 1973. |
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By this time his single ROCK ON was high in the British charts, THAT'LL BE THE DAY' was a huge success, and the Essex presence was very much in demand for TV chat showsk hoto sessions for teenage and pop magazines, and interviews for music papers. David had made it; with the help and determination of his manager and friend Derek Bowman behind him, he was at last recognised as what he undoubtedly is - a star.
On the day David left GODSPELL a touching scene took place. He had written a song for the occasion and dedicated it to the cast - his friends - and as he played the track for them, they were all choking back the tears of emotion. It had been a happy time, and they had all become very close. The song - simply called SEPTEMBER 15th - subsequently appeared as the final track on David's first album, ROCK ON |
| DAVID ESSEX: CHRIST ROLE
David Essex, who recently completed a filming role in ALL COPPERS ARE... at Pinewood Studios, has been signed to play the role of Jesus Christ i the new musical GODSPELL which opens in London's West End next month. The show has already been touring in the States, and David was chosen to head the British cast by the American team of producers and directors from 2,000 applicants. |
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| DAVID: DARK HORSE OF THE POP WORLD?
RECORD MIRROR: 2 Nov 1968 Is David Essex the dark horse of the pop world? The 21-year-old singer has been on the sidelines of recording fame for some time, but now, with Leslie Grade taking over as his personal agent, the question becomes valid. Leslie Grade is always extremely selective about an artiste he chooses to represent personally. Already he has booked young david into the lead role in THE MAGIC CARPET - a musical at the classy Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford - and he has told him: 'You've got just the right face for films. Take your time and don't be in a hurry. Look what we did for Cliff.'
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| Despite his striking good looks, the dark-haird, blue-eyed Essex certainly hasn't hurried to date. But he is a fighter and where scores of singers he started out with three years ago have given up, he battles on in his quest for recognition.
Some prestige recognition he has had but everyone knows it has to be commercial to win the sort of prestige that opens all the right office doors. David has recorded intermittently, first for Ritz-Fontana (Bunny Lewis), then for MCA's Uni label, without finding a song that has made an impact on the charts. He has sporadically loomed on the horizon only to vanish from sight for months on end. DJs from Alan Freeman to Paul Kay and Sam Costa to John Peel have plugged him but some people in pop haven't heard of him. When Stuart Henry met him at a parth thrown by Lionel Bart recently he was surprised to discover David was British and not American! With his new release JUST FOR TONIGHT David's voice seems to have undergone a startling change. What were once raw rave-up pipes have assumed a much smoother texture. The voice has range, power and is both whiplash and honeyed. Is the vocal change part of his growing up? His manager, Derek Bowman, says: 'To a large extent it is. But another factor is that David has been in stage musicals belting out numbers in 1500-seat theatres whilst at the same time recording delicate songs under Mike Leander's baton. He has had to adapt his voice to different media.' Pye have now signed him, and Tony Macaulay who has produced the record says of his voice: 'It's got a hell of a lot of guts. I wanted to record him when I first heard him sing two years ago but he wasn't free. He looks so great - really the voice is surprisingly mature for such a young face.' Macaulay has joined forces with Barry Mason to write the song - their first together. It's a good song and if producers give it a chance, it could see David into the charts. But David is not as worried about that as he once was. Leslie Grade says: 'It's a marvellous record but I'm not just concentrating on that. I'm even more excited about David's future in the theatre and films.' In his upcoming show David will have to act, sing, dance, fence and play an Oriental drum. He is accomplished in all these departments as during the gaps between his records he managed to get into a repertory company. He toured Britain i musicals and even did a short course at RADA. As a dancer he has been trained by American negro coach, Buddy Bradley. As a drummer - well that's how it all started - singing and drumming in R&B in East End pubs. He's an all-rounder in fact. |
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David Essex in Godspell: 1971-72 | Issue 1: Page 2 SONGWORDS
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