GENE VINCENT SINGS EDDIE’S FAVOURITE
(New Musical Express)
(probably May )
Gene Vincent paid tribute to his close buddy, the late Eddie Cochran, when he resumed his long tour of Britain at the Lewisham Gaumont, on Sunday, following his brief holiday in the States.
“I want to sing for you now,” he announced, rubbing his left shoulder softly, the collar bone of which was injured during the fatal car crash recently, “Eddie’s favourite song.”
He then broke into a sad, falsetto-voiced, jerky version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. Girls in the audience cried and moaned during it.
But that over, Gene, in a new tartan outfit, was on the rock-a-beat trail again with “Be Bop A Lula.” Despite a crocked leg and shoulder, he displayed more life and action than his able-bodied co-artists, and he gets more from his instrumental group (Colin Green and Beat Boys) by being one of them.
No standing in front of them to sing. He mingles right in among them and gives them generous solos, egging them on to greater heights of abandon.
Yes, Gene is a great performer who makes others work for him - including the audience.