Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde was ‘discovered’ by Lionel Bart, who knew a good-looking lad when he saw one. He tipped off impresario Larry Parnes, who signed him immediately, concocting a fictitious, romanticised biog for the media. After three dispiriting flops, Marty’s fourth single ‘Endless Sleep’ broke out nationally and he was soon a fixture on Saturday evening television. Cool and outspoken, he insisted that his Wildcats be allowed to play on his records – and, years before R&B caught on, he picked ‘Smokestack Lightning’ by Howlin’ Wolf as one of his favourite tracks.
Read all about him in ‘The Restless Generation’ by Pete Frame.
