John Otway is largely regarded as one of the most unlikely musicians to have ever managed to achieve success (albeit only briefly) after Polydor Records signed him following his stunt on the BBC's 'Old Grey Whistle Test' music show. As seen in his new documentary, John Otway managed to injure himself by jumping on top of a less than sturdy amplifier while singing his track 'Cor Baby That's Really Free'; a song which subsequently achieved UK chart success. It was 1977 and everyone was looking for some fresh new punk singer to smash the music industry - only as it turns out, Otway wasn't really it. From then on, his career was about him, his fans and his guitarist Wild Willy Barrett trying in desperation to get him another hit and now he's back at his old school teaching students what not to do when trying to break the music industry.
'Rock And Roll's Greatest Failure: The Otway Movie' is an endearing documentary about the trials and tribulations of cult legend John Otway's musical career. It has been directed by Steve Barker and features interviews with various people, including Otway's own mother, as well as archival footage of his most memorable performances.
Starring: John Otway, Wild Willy Barrett, David Crabtree, Eleanor Man, Surani Perera, Hazel Jones, Angelika Paszkiewicz, Kerry Leonard, Taylor Ness, Eleanor Cox, Eden Phillips Harrington, Heshma Ramdoyal, Sam Cockell, Zoe Brown, Stephanie Thomas