In Britain Again
(HIT PARADE)
(February 1961)
THAT RIP-ROARING ROCKER GENE VINCENT
Every performance whips the fans into frenzied excitement
If there’s one American singer that British fans will always welcome back to these shores-irrespective of whether or not his discs rocket to the top of the charts-it’s Gene Vincent.For Gene, currently on another tour of Britain, which will give his followers in many provincial towns a chance to see him again, is a performer whom you never tire of watching once you have got accustomed to his unique style…
Reports reaching us from the States, immediately prior to Gene’s opening performance here last month, indicated that he was anxious to try out a lot of new material…
There’s no doubt that no disc Gene has ever waxed will be capable of capturing the excitement, the feeling and the sheer pulsating climax of his stage performance.
It has yet to be rivalled by any similar type of artist-British or American.
As audiences are finding out right now, Gene starts his act off quietly-at least for about the first eight bars-and then begins to rock.
Gripping hold of the microphone, sweat pouring from his brow, his legs kicking, sliding, bending; doing everything in fact but stand still, he rips into a number.
Few will forget his first stage appearance after the accident involving Gene and Eddie Cochran.
Although his leg was in plaster and various other parts of his body were strapped up, he gave the most fantastic performance that most of his audience have ever seen.
As the theatre manager remarked, frantic, frenzied fans yelling all around him: “The way that fellow’s going on, he’s going to fall to pieces any moment.”
…Perhaps the strangest teaming of all will be later this month, when Gene undertakes a series of one-night stands with Jess Conrad.
Compare Jess’s quiet manner to Gene’s rip-roaring stage performance, and there’ll be quite some contrast!
Finally, HIT PARADE can predict that Gene is going to have something special by which he will be able to remember this tour.
His fan club president Mike Bartlett and Alan Vince held a whip-round of members to buy Gene a present for his birthday.
The result: a plush gold watch, inscribed “To Gene From His British Fan Club,” which will be presented to him on February 11 at Maidstone Granada.
Although this isn’t his birthday - it falls a day later - Mike and Alan feel that Gene won’t mind. After all, what more of a token of esteem could an artist wish for ?