Penny Valentine
Encyclopedia
Penelope Ann Valentine was a British
music journalist, rock critic, and occasional television personality.
She was born in London
, of Jewish and Italian ancestry. In 1959 she became a trainee reporter, first on the Uxbridge
Post, and in the early 1960s on Boyfriend, a weekly magazine for teen girls. In 1964, she joined the staff of Disc
, a weekly pop music magazine (later Disc and Music Echo), as a journalist and record reviewer, becoming for a time Britain's most influential reviewer of new pop singles. According to fellow journalist Richard Williams
, "She was probably the first woman to write about pop music as though it really mattered." She loved soul music
, and supported singers such as Aretha Franklin
and Marvin Gaye
before they became famous. As a young woman, she also wrote articles for a variety of publications on the then-current Swinging London
phenomenon. Chris Welch
commented that she "was part of a social whirl of receptions, parties and night-clubbing that made Swinging London such fun...The Beatles and Rolling Stones certainly preferred to be interviewed by the vivacious young lady from Disc magazine than by some spotty chap in a raincoat." She also made regular appearances on Juke Box Jury
in the mid-1960s.
In 1970 she left Disc to join a new magazine, Sounds
, and in 1973 was hired by her friend Elton John
to become the press officer for his record label, Rocket Records
. She also wrote for Record Mirror
, and in the 1970s for the American
rock magazine Creem
. After a period working in New York
, she returned to London in 1975 to help launch another new magazine, Street Life, later joining Time Out before leaving in 1980 to help found the more politically radical City Limits. She became active in a number of bodies, including Women in Media and the National Union of Journalists
. After gaining a BA in film studies and English, she then pursued a freelance career teaching and writing. With Vicki Wickham
, she wrote a biography of Dusty Springfield
, Dancing With Demons (2000).
She died at the age of 59 after suffering from cancer for some time.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music journalist, rock critic, and occasional television personality.
She was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, of Jewish and Italian ancestry. In 1959 she became a trainee reporter, first on the Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
Post, and in the early 1960s on Boyfriend, a weekly magazine for teen girls. In 1964, she joined the staff of Disc
Disc (magazine)
Disc was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into Record Mirror. It was also known for periods as Disc Weekly and Disc and Music Echo ....
, a weekly pop music magazine (later Disc and Music Echo), as a journalist and record reviewer, becoming for a time Britain's most influential reviewer of new pop singles. According to fellow journalist Richard Williams
Richard Williams (journalist)
Richard Williams is a British music and sports journalist.As a writer, then deputy editor, of the weekly rock magazine Melody Maker, he became an influential commentator on the rise of new forms of rock music at the end of the 1960s. Williams and MM, as it was known, helped to promote and...
, "She was probably the first woman to write about pop music as though it really mattered." She loved soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and supported singers such as Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
before they became famous. As a young woman, she also wrote articles for a variety of publications on the then-current Swinging London
Swinging London
Swinging London is a catch-all term applied to the fashion and cultural scene that flourished in London, in the 1960s.It was a youth-oriented phenomenon that emphasised the new and modern. It was a period of optimism and hedonism, and a cultural revolution. One catalyst was the recovery of the...
phenomenon. Chris Welch
Chris Welch
Chris Welch is a music journalist, reviewer and critic with Melody Maker, famous during the 1960s and 1970s for reporting on the rise of such bands as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, If, Cream and Jeff Beck. During that time he also reported on the UK jazz scene.- Career...
commented that she "was part of a social whirl of receptions, parties and night-clubbing that made Swinging London such fun...The Beatles and Rolling Stones certainly preferred to be interviewed by the vivacious young lady from Disc magazine than by some spotty chap in a raincoat." She also made regular appearances on Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury was a musical panel show which originally ran on BBC Television from 1 June 1959 until December 1967. The programme was based on the American show Jukebox Jury, itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series....
in the mid-1960s.
In 1970 she left Disc to join a new magazine, Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
, and in 1973 was hired by her friend Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
to become the press officer for his record label, Rocket Records
Rocket Records
The Rocket Record Company was a record label founded by Elton John, with Bernie Taupin, Gus Dudgeon and Steve Brown among others, in 1972. The name is from the hit, "Rocket Man"...
. She also wrote for Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
, and in the 1970s for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock magazine Creem
Creem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
. After a period working in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, she returned to London in 1975 to help launch another new magazine, Street Life, later joining Time Out before leaving in 1980 to help found the more politically radical City Limits. She became active in a number of bodies, including Women in Media and the National Union of Journalists
National Union of Journalists
The National Union of Journalists is a trade union for journalists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists .-Structure:...
. After gaining a BA in film studies and English, she then pursued a freelance career teaching and writing. With Vicki Wickham
Vicki Wickham
Vicki Heather Wickham is an English talent manager, entertainment producer, and songwriter.-Career:She is most known for producing the 60s British television show Ready Steady Go!, and managing well known pop/soul acts Labelle and Dusty Springfield....
, she wrote a biography of Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
, Dancing With Demons (2000).
She died at the age of 59 after suffering from cancer for some time.
External links
- Review of Dancing with Demons, "You don't have to say you love me", The ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, September 3, 2000, Barbara Ellen - Obituary, Richard Williams, The Guardian.