Wayne Fontana
Encyclopedia
Wayne Fontana is an English
pop
singer. In 1962, he formed his backing group, the Mindbenders
and got a recording contract
.
after parting with The Mindbenders. However, Fontana got his stage name
from Elvis Presley
's drummer
D. J. Fontana
, rather than his record label
. He soldiered on alone, using musician
s under the name of the Opposition. Notably, Frank Renshaw (lead guitar) (born 22 June 1943, Wythenshawe
, Manchester
), Bernie Burns (drums), Roy 'Rossi' Henshall (bass), Rod Gerrard (guitar, ex Herman's Hermits
, and Phil Keane (drums) amongst others. Sometimes they were billed as the Mindbenders, or just as the Wayne Fontana band. Fontana's most successful solo single release was also his last, "Pamela, Pamela", which reached Number 11 in the UK Singles Chart
early in 1967.
In 2005, he fought off bankruptcy, but was arrested after police
were called by bailiff
s who went to his home in Glossop
, Derbyshire
. He poured petrol on to the bonnet of a car, and set it alight with a bailiff inside. Fontana was remanded in custody on 25 May 2007 in regard to the charge. He appeared at Derby
Crown Court
dressed as the lady of justice, with a sword, scales, crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind". He dismissed his lawyers. On 10 November 2007, he was sentenced to 11 months for setting fire to the car but was released because he had already served the equivalent of the term, held under the Mental Health Act 1983
.
In March 2011 Fontana was arrested at the Palace Theatre, Manchester
after failing to appear in court in Wakefield
, West Yorkshire
over an unpaid speeding fine.http://menmedia.co.uk/glossopadvertiser/news/s/1410597_60s_star_wayne_fontana_handcuffed_and_arrested_as_he_prepares_to_take_the_stage_at_palace_theatre
In the court, regarding this speeding fine, it was found that a ticket was never issued to Mr. Fontana. He returned home to Spain not aware that he had an outstanding speeding ticket.
It was also determined in Magistrates court in Wakefield that points had been erroneously been added to Mr. Fontana's license which were removed by the court.
All fines were paid at that time as well as any pending parking fines. That cleared the record with the British government.
Fontana continues to perform, notably in the 2008 Solid Silver Sixties Tour.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer. In 1962, he formed his backing group, the Mindbenders
The Mindbenders
The Mindbenders was a 1960s beat group from Manchester, England. They were part of the mid 1960s British Invasion with their chart-toppers "Game of Love" and "A Groovy Kind of Love"....
and got a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
.
Biography
He remained under contract to Fontana RecordsFontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
after parting with The Mindbenders. However, Fontana got his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
from Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
D. J. Fontana
D. J. Fontana
Dominic Joseph Fontana is an American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. He played on over 460 RCA cuts with Elvis....
, rather than his record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. He soldiered on alone, using musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s under the name of the Opposition. Notably, Frank Renshaw (lead guitar) (born 22 June 1943, Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
), Bernie Burns (drums), Roy 'Rossi' Henshall (bass), Rod Gerrard (guitar, ex Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, and Phil Keane (drums) amongst others. Sometimes they were billed as the Mindbenders, or just as the Wayne Fontana band. Fontana's most successful solo single release was also his last, "Pamela, Pamela", which reached Number 11 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
early in 1967.
In 2005, he fought off bankruptcy, but was arrested after police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
were called by bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s who went to his home in Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He poured petrol on to the bonnet of a car, and set it alight with a bailiff inside. Fontana was remanded in custody on 25 May 2007 in regard to the charge. He appeared at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
dressed as the lady of justice, with a sword, scales, crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind". He dismissed his lawyers. On 10 November 2007, he was sentenced to 11 months for setting fire to the car but was released because he had already served the equivalent of the term, held under the Mental Health Act 1983
Mental Health Act 1983
The Mental Health Act 1983 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which applies to people in England and Wales. It covers the reception, care and treatment of mentally disordered persons, the management of their property and other related matters...
.
In March 2011 Fontana was arrested at the Palace Theatre, Manchester
Palace Theatre, Manchester
The Palace Theatre, Manchester, is one of the main theatres in Manchester, England. It is situated on Oxford Street, on the north-east corner of the intersection with Whitworth Street. The Palace and its 'sister' theatre the Manchester Opera House on Quay Street are operated by the same parent...
after failing to appear in court in Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
over an unpaid speeding fine.http://menmedia.co.uk/glossopadvertiser/news/s/1410597_60s_star_wayne_fontana_handcuffed_and_arrested_as_he_prepares_to_take_the_stage_at_palace_theatre
In the court, regarding this speeding fine, it was found that a ticket was never issued to Mr. Fontana. He returned home to Spain not aware that he had an outstanding speeding ticket.
It was also determined in Magistrates court in Wakefield that points had been erroneously been added to Mr. Fontana's license which were removed by the court.
All fines were paid at that time as well as any pending parking fines. That cleared the record with the British government.
Fontana continues to perform, notably in the 2008 Solid Silver Sixties Tour.
Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
- "Hello Josephine" b/w "Road RunnerRoad Runner (Bo Diddley song)"Road Runner" is a song written and performed by American rock and roll performer Bo Diddley, originally released as a single by Checker Records in January 1960, and later released on the LP record Bo Diddley in the Spotlight. The song reached #20 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart, and...
" - 1963 - UK #46 (UK Fontana TF404) - "For You, For You" b/w "Love Potion No. 9Love Potion No. 9 (song)"Love Potion No. 9" is a song written in 1959 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally performed by The Clovers.-Story:The song describes a man seeking help finding love, so he talks to a Gypsy, who determines through palm reading that he needs "love potion number 9"...
" - 1963 (UK Fontana TF418) - "Little Darlin'" b/w "Come Dance With Me" - 1964 (UK Fontana TF436)
- "Stop Look and Listen" b/w "Duke of EarlDuke of Earl"Duke of Earl" is a 1962 number-one song, originally by Gene Chandler. It is the best known of Chandler's songs, and he subsequently dubbed himself 'The Duke of Earl'. The song was penned by Bernice Williams, Eugene Dixon, and Earl Edwards....
" - 1964 - UK #37 (UK Fontana TF451) - "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, UmUm, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um"Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" is a 1964 single by Major Lance. The single was written by Curtis Mayfield and produced by Okeh label president, Carl Davis. The song was Major Lance's third release to make the Billboard Hot 100 and his most successful hit. "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" went to number five on...
" b/w "First Taste of Love" - 1964 - UK #5 (UK Fontana TF497) - "Game of LoveGame of Love"Game of Love" is a song by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders that reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1965.It was later covered in 1987 by New Zealand musician Ian Morris, under the stage name Tex Pistol....
" b/w "Since You've Been Gone" - 1965 - UK #2, US #1 (UK Fontana TF535/US Fontana F-1503) - "Game of Love" b/w "One More Time" - 1965 (US Fontana F-1509)
- "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" b/w "Long Time Comin'"- 1965 - UK #20, US #45 (UK Fontana TF579/US Fontana F-1514)
- "She Needs Love" b/w "Like I Did" - 1965 - UK #32 (UK Fontana TF611/US Fontana F-1524)
Wayne Fontana (solo)
- "It Was Easier to Hurt Her" b/w "You Made Me What I Am Today" - 1965 - UK #36 (UK Fontana TF642/US MGM 13456)
- "Come on Home" b/w "My Eyes Break Out In Tears" - 1966 - UK #16 (UK Fontana TF684/US MGM 13516)
- "Goodbye Bluebird" b/w "The Sun's So Hot Today" - 1966 - UK #49 (UK Fontana TF737)
- "Pamela Pamela" b/w "Something Keeps Calling Me Back" - 1966 - UK #11 (UK Fontana TF770/US MGM 13661)
- "24 Sycamore" b/w "From A Boy To A Man" - 1967 (UK Fontana TF827/US MGM 13762) (huge hit in Australia)
- "The Impossible YearsThe Impossible YearsThe Impossible Years is a 1965 comedy play by Robert Fisher and Arthur Marx, son of famed comedian Groucho Marx.The comedy revolves around Jonathan Kingsley, a teaching psychiatrist at the local university, his wife, and their two teenaged daughters...
" b/w "In My World" - 1967 (UK Fontana TF866) (Australian hit) - "Gina" b/w "We All Love the Human Race" - 1967 (UK Fontana TF889) (No.1 in Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
) - "Storybook Children" b/w "I Need To Love You" - 1968 (UK Fontana TF911)
- "The Words of Bartholomew" b/w "Mind Excursion" - 1968 (UK Fontana TF933)
- "Never An Everyday Thing" b/w "Waiting For A Break In The Clouds" - 1968 (UK Fontana TF976)
- "Dayton Ohio 1903" b/w "Say Goodbye To Yesterday" - 1969 (UK Fontana TF1008/US Metromedia 133)
- "We're Building a Love" b/w "Charlie Cass" - 1969 (UK Fontana TF1054, early pressings)
- "Charlie Cass" b/w "Linda" (UK Fontana TF1054, later pressings) - 1969
- "Together" b/w "One Man Woman" (UK Warner Bros. K 16269) (hit in Australia) - 1973
- "The Last Bus Home" b/w "Give Me Just A Little Bit" - 1976 (UK Polydor 2058 758)
Albums
- Wayne One - 1966 (UK Fontana TL5351 (Mono)/STL5351 (Stereo))
- Wayne Fontana - 1967 (US MGM E 4459 (Mono)/SE 4459 (Stereo))