discussion: Tommy Steele

Subject: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Leadbelly
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 04:55 PM

I was just listening to some fine recordings of Tommy Steele on YouTube.
On wikipedia they say that he was the first british rock'n'roll star.
What do you think?
Apart from this I like his performance. I do own a single from long, long ago which isn't real rock: A handful of songs/water,water.

Subject: RE: Tommy Steele
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 05:16 PM

He was ! And became a major M O R stage and film star in his later days

Subject: RE: Tommy Steele
From: rosma
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 05:42 PM

This is the sort of thing he started with - definitely rock'n'roll - Rock with the Caveman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KK0-z7Ik_s

What slightly confuses things is that in the early days of rock'n'roll local artists would cover songs first recorded by foreign artists, so you would end up with one song in the charts (sorry, "Hit Parade") twice at the same time - once for an American singer, and once for a British one.

Subject: RE: Tommy Steele
From: Bluegrassman
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 08:49 PM

We certainly did follow the Americans rosma, and then an invasion force called the Beatles crossed the Atlantic and the world changed….

Subject: RE: Tommy Steele
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Aug 13 - 08:58 PM

"In his later days" as Leadfingers puts it could be taken to mean Tommy is dead. He's not. There has been a hoax on facebook this month I believe, saying he'd been kiled in a car crash, but it's not true.

His Rock and Roll days may be long gone, but he's still performing and singing as an actor.

Subject: RE: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 01:43 AM

He always seemed to be a reluctant rocker, and very early on stated his desire to be the dreaded "all-round entertainer".

When his only contemporaries were the likes of Cuddly Dudley, Dickie Pride and Wee Willie Harris he was a class apart, but apart from his Singing the Blues he didn't stack up against Marty Wilde, Billy Fury and Roy Young. For me anyway.

He's had a great career though.

g

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 04:10 AM

Recently he has been doing sculpture and, I think, did a revival of one of his musicals. "A Handful of Songs" and "Singin' the blues" are still part of what I laughingly call my repertoire.

RtS

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: r.padgett
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 04:14 AM

Probably one of the first examples of budding singers encouraging a youth following in coffee bars (which gave way to pubs) and early folk club style venues

My view certainly singled out by "promoters" and his appeal was without question!

Yea a great all rounder and role model, still entertaining and enjoying life ~ good for you!

Little white bull? yea

Ray

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 07:00 AM

He's a good artist as well: his work has been selected for the Royal Academy summer exhibition twice to my knowledge.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 08:14 AM

Even his brother Colin made some recordings with minor success.
But it's impressive watching him jumping like Jagger (on YouTube).

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 08:45 AM

It's funny how Terry Dene keeps getting "painted out of the picture"!
I consider Terry to be the first British rock'n'roll star.
Surely, Tommy was merely "playing at it" whereas Terry was a committed rock'n'roller, and - very quickly - got a reasonable grasp of the genre.

Terry Rocks!

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 09:01 AM

But the real deal for a first English version of Rock was and is Joe Brown..

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 10:03 AM

In his autobiography he claimed, whilst serving in the merchant navy, to have seen Buddy Holly play in Norfolk Virginia and was turned on to Rock and roll as a result.

R

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 26 Aug 13 - 10:19 AM

I agree with Kevin about joe Brown. Touring at the moment- I've booked to see him in Camberley.
RtS

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 27 Aug 13 - 07:14 AM

In his autobiography, he also claimed; to have shown Elvis round the streets of London.Wonder if he has a fertile imagination? I had one once.Sold it on Ebay though.

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 27 Aug 13 - 08:07 AM

He was a great hope of UK Rock but he couldn't wait to betray us for the All Round Entertainer / Middle of the Road stuff.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Aug 13 - 08:37 PM

He has always basically been a latter day Music Hall performer. That's not a sneer, it's the highest of compliments.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 04:34 AM

Joe Brown? Nice chap,but very modestly talented! Even by British early rock,nroll standards.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 05:51 AM

Skiffle disappeared, Tommy sold out, how long would it be before we found another obscure genre to embrace?

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,AlanG at work
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 06:10 AM

I don't think Tommy Steel ever sold out. Musicals were always his passion from a very early age and skiffle was his route into it. How many of us have achieved our objectives via diverse routes?

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 06:46 AM

Surely 'purism', with related accusations of the heinous crime of 'selling out', in relation to so ephemeral a phenomenon as "Rock'n'Roll" [not to be confused with Rock, which developed from it as an ongoing predominant popular music style] is somewhat misplaced? Tommy Steele is a true professional, who brings his utmost talent to whatever he undertakes, whether in music or in drama. I have agreeable recollection of a distinguished production of Goldsmith's classic C18 comedy She Stoops To Conquer, in which Mr Steele excelled as Tony Lumpkin.

~M~

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 08:14 AM

Surely, Tommy, like Jim Dale, were more interested in being successful than pursuing/developing a real interest in 50s rock/pop music;
indeed, both of those performers considered that would have a very short life-span as pop/rock musicians and so "jumped ship".
Career wise, it was the correct thing to do, but it does show a lack of interest in - never mind a commitment to -rock'n'roll!

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 08:14 AM

Surely, Tommy, like Jim Dale, were more interested in being successful than pursuing/developing a real interest in 50s rock/pop music;
indeed, both of those performers considered that would a very short life-span as pop/rock musicians and so "jumped ship".
Career wise, it was the correct thing to do, but it does show a lack of interest in - never mind commitment to -rock'n'roll!

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 08:32 AM

I feel sure you are all quite right but my 10 year old self still feels betrayed

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Brakn
Date: 28 Aug 13 - 08:53 AM

Never thought of him as R'n'R. When I got my tennis racket out it was for Eddie Cochran and Joe Brown.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Aug 13 - 12:09 AM

"Joe Brown? Nice chap,but very modestly talented! Even by British early rock,nroll standards. "???

Not in My book.

CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 29 Aug 13 - 01:01 AM

Joe Brown was never edgy enough for rock 'n roll. Great rocking guitarist but his gentle nature and fairly weak vocals didn't get him far.

Funnily enough, I've recently been bashing out his Picture of You on my guitar - great track, but never rock 'n roll.

And I'm booked in to see him later this year too.

And I agree with Tunesmith about Terry Dene - he had some edge - though A White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation was a bit of a stretch.

And I still think Roy Young never got the acclaim he deserved, even though he has had a great career too. A true rocker!

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,jonesnudger
Date: 29 Aug 13 - 04:58 PM

Tommy Steele: too show biz and schmaltzy for me. I seem to remember when asked on 'Desert Island Discs' what he would miss most in his isolation, he replied "not hearing the national anthem when TV and radio closed down for the day..."
I was stunned to learn that the statue of Eleanor Rigby in Liverpool city centre was sculpted by Tommy so a great contributor to art after all. Just forget the London Palladium etc bit.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Aug 13 - 05:30 PM

"Edge" - I've never quite understood what that means. Or indeed whether it's such a good thing, whatever it is.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 30 Aug 13 - 05:25 AM

"Edge" - don't worry about it - you won't be troubled by much of it in Harlow.

g

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: GUEST,Dazbo at Work
Date: 30 Aug 13 - 07:59 AM

My old mum always said, and I agree with her, that Tommy should have played the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins instead of Dick van Dyke.

Subject: RE: discussion: Tommy Steele
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Aug 13 - 10:13 AM

I agree, Dazbo, but if he had we would never had the classic Americockney "Cor blimey, It's Mary Bloomin' Poppins" :-)

I like Joe Brown now. Good Mandolin player too. I never really listened to him in the early days but as I was probably just too young at the time. My musical awakening was The Beatles, closely followed by rock, then folk-rock and then complete nonsense...

Tommy Steele is an excellent artist of all sorts with lots of talent but his music was never really my cup of tea. Did he ever do a part in a production of Oliver Twist?

Cheers

DtG