On June 16, 1999, this remarkable story ended, when Sutch's last partner, Yvonne Elwood, entered his London home, and found him - standing upright by the stairs, or so it appeared. whatever it took to entertain, Lord Sutch would do. Sutch's colorful run marked the first of nearly 40 similar campaigns, which - along with his live gigs, and records - gave new meaning to the word "flamboyant" - whether it meant leaping from a coffin to start the show, singing with a toilet seat around his neck, or setting various objects on fire. However, Sutch's last two proposals became law in five years - so, perhaps, the ghoul knew more than the public cared to admit. Still, Sutch's tally (208) "was actually quite heartening in view of the fact that the teenagers whom he was representing did not yet have the vote," notes Joe Meek's biographer, John Repsch. In the end, Tory candidate Angus Maude swept to the House of Commons with 15,000 votes. "But when it comes to voting you are still a child." (Repsch: 210-211) "You can fight for your country at 18 and you can be hung," Sutch proclaimed. Running on the slogan, "Vote for the ghoul - he's no fool," Sutch called for abolishing dog licenses, more public toilets in Stratford, the introduction of commercial radio, and the right to vote at 18. However, even in a land that's long welcomed eccentrics of all stripes, the horror-themed rock 'n' roll singer who called himself Screaming Lord Sutch cut an unusual figure indeed. In August, 1963, the strangest of characters gatecrashed the British political landscape - in William Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, no less, as the National Teenage Party candidate. Further observations are welcome for now, just sit back, crank up one of the records discussed here - and reflect on Screaming Lord Sutch's life and times. The final text of my presentation follows below, along with additional insights from longtime Savages drummer "Wild" Bob Burgos - whom I also thank, as well, for his contributions. His responses, in turn, formed the heart of a presentation that I gave to my local depression support group in October 2013. To gain a deeper understanding of the Sutch phenomenon, I reached out to Graham. However, you don't need to be a show business denizen to understand the issues that Sutch faced - which inspired me to give a presentation for my local depression support group. The story of His Lordship's real life counterpart, David Sutch, is that of a quintessential outsider - one shaped by postwar poverty, and a drive to be heard - who also struggled with lifelong depression, as well as the natural doubts and vulnerabilities that any entertainer in his position fconfronts. Like most committed music fans, however, I knew little about the man behind the monster rock image until I picked up Graham Sharpe's biography, THE MAN WHO WAS LORD SUTCH (2005).Īs it turns out, the real story is every bit as compelling as the image, if not more so. I only had one question: did the contents rock? The answer was a resounding "yes," with the title track - a sequel, of sorts, to Sutch's 1964 single, "Jack The Ripper" - making the strongest impression. The album is chiefly remembered for the controversy over its creation - allegedly, recorded live, without the participants' knowledge - though I honestly didn't give a damn about the implications. So did the "Heavy Friends" whose names are plastered prominently on the cover (Ritchie Blackmore, Matthew Fisher, Carlo Little, Keith Moon and Noel Redding). As a budding record collector, the cover - featuring His Lordship in full cape and top hat, seemingly ready to spring from a dark alley - offered ample incentive to check out the contents. I first got acquainted with Screaming Lord Sutch's music at the local public library, of all places, where I stumbled across HANDS OF JACK THE RIPPER (1972). Includes interview with Wild Bob Burgos > Screaming Lord Sutch at The Towers, Westminster, London, UK, 1983.Ĭommunique by Chairman Ralph, December 29, 2013 Entertainment Or Death: The Strange Case Of Screaming Lord Sutch
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