Biography
England during the final years of the 1950s witnessed a wave of adolescent heartthrobs shaped by managers intent on securing one or two chart entries before steering them toward broader entertainment paths, sometimes extending into television or motion pictures. Among them, Cliff Richard and Billy Fury displayed authentic rock & roll vigor in their earliest phase, whereas most merely simulated the style and possessed insufficient ability to sustain influence in any performance domain.
One standout was Adam Faith, the late-1950s and early-1960s vocalist who later built a solid reputation through roles on television, in cinema, and on the stage. Born Terence Nelhams in Acton, West London, he first performed publicly at the storied 21's Coffee Bar in Soho. Producer Jack Goode noticed him, leading to an introduction to bandleader John Barry, music director for Goode’s Oh Boy! and for Drumbeat, which in turn earned Faith an audition for the latter series. Initial releases on Top Rank and HMV yielded scant chart movement until Drumbeat arrived in 1959.
His matinee-idol appearance and engaging on-screen manner quickly turned him into a household name. EMI’s Parlophone label signed him shortly after work on Drumbeat began. The November 1959 single “What Do You Want” climbed to number one on the British charts during a nineteen-week stay. Its buoyant string arrangement and lively take on Elvis Presley’s brooding vocal manner placed the material closer to teen pop than rock & roll, yet the recordings remain consistently enjoyable. Follow-up “Poor Me” proved stronger and also topped the chart, while the third release, “Somebody Else’s Baby,” reached number two. Although far from cutting-edge rock & roll (and setting aside items such as “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”), the output stayed agreeable and recalled Buddy Holly numbers like “True Love Ways.” The finest single, the John Barry–co-written “Made You,” drew from tracks such as “Nervous Breakdown” and demonstrated Faith’s command of straightforward rock & roll.
Six of his songs entered the Top Ten across 1960, followed by three more in 1961. Major hit-making largely ceased by summer 1962, just prior to the Beatles and other Liverpool groups reshaping the musical terrain, although he returned to the Top Ten once more in late 1963 with “The First Time.” It is clear why the Beatles and more assertive Liverpool predecessors such as Tony Sheridan and the Big Three viewed performers like Faith with disdain: he could appear excessively saccharine on novelty items such as “Lonely Pup (In a Christmas Shop),” a number-four single during the 1960 holiday season, and showed no reluctance in doing so.
Despite limited credentials as a rock & roller, Faith carried one lasting asset out of the post-Beatles period—his exceptional backing group the Roulettes, whose members included future Argent musicians Russ Ballard and Bob Henrit. The band produced some of the strongest early British Invasion recordings and, beginning in 1963, maintained an independent recording and touring schedule that included notable EMI releases later compiled by BGO Records. Their work alongside Faith was equally distinguished and accounted for several of his final major successes. In 1965 Faith issued his last new album, the live set Faith Alive, which captured him and the Roulettes in a raw, energetic performance.
Early screen roles generally reinforced his musical persona, above all the 1961 delinquency drama Beat Girl. He increasingly pursued stage acting, then shifted in the 1970s to business ventures that included a thriving finance firm and a directorship at the Savoy Hotel. Theater work resumed during that decade; he originated the title character in the series Budgie and later adapted it for the stage. Film appearances continued, notably a prominent supporting part in Michael Apted’s 1975 Stardust opposite David Essex, the 1980 Roger Daltrey vehicle McVicar, and the 1985 television production of Murder on the Orient Express. He also entered artist management in the 1970s, most significantly guiding Leo Sayer. Adam Faith died of a heart attack at age 62 on March 8, 2003, the day after falling ill following a performance of Love and Marriage in Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire, England.
One standout was Adam Faith, the late-1950s and early-1960s vocalist who later built a solid reputation through roles on television, in cinema, and on the stage. Born Terence Nelhams in Acton, West London, he first performed publicly at the storied 21's Coffee Bar in Soho. Producer Jack Goode noticed him, leading to an introduction to bandleader John Barry, music director for Goode’s Oh Boy! and for Drumbeat, which in turn earned Faith an audition for the latter series. Initial releases on Top Rank and HMV yielded scant chart movement until Drumbeat arrived in 1959.
His matinee-idol appearance and engaging on-screen manner quickly turned him into a household name. EMI’s Parlophone label signed him shortly after work on Drumbeat began. The November 1959 single “What Do You Want” climbed to number one on the British charts during a nineteen-week stay. Its buoyant string arrangement and lively take on Elvis Presley’s brooding vocal manner placed the material closer to teen pop than rock & roll, yet the recordings remain consistently enjoyable. Follow-up “Poor Me” proved stronger and also topped the chart, while the third release, “Somebody Else’s Baby,” reached number two. Although far from cutting-edge rock & roll (and setting aside items such as “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”), the output stayed agreeable and recalled Buddy Holly numbers like “True Love Ways.” The finest single, the John Barry–co-written “Made You,” drew from tracks such as “Nervous Breakdown” and demonstrated Faith’s command of straightforward rock & roll.
Six of his songs entered the Top Ten across 1960, followed by three more in 1961. Major hit-making largely ceased by summer 1962, just prior to the Beatles and other Liverpool groups reshaping the musical terrain, although he returned to the Top Ten once more in late 1963 with “The First Time.” It is clear why the Beatles and more assertive Liverpool predecessors such as Tony Sheridan and the Big Three viewed performers like Faith with disdain: he could appear excessively saccharine on novelty items such as “Lonely Pup (In a Christmas Shop),” a number-four single during the 1960 holiday season, and showed no reluctance in doing so.
Despite limited credentials as a rock & roller, Faith carried one lasting asset out of the post-Beatles period—his exceptional backing group the Roulettes, whose members included future Argent musicians Russ Ballard and Bob Henrit. The band produced some of the strongest early British Invasion recordings and, beginning in 1963, maintained an independent recording and touring schedule that included notable EMI releases later compiled by BGO Records. Their work alongside Faith was equally distinguished and accounted for several of his final major successes. In 1965 Faith issued his last new album, the live set Faith Alive, which captured him and the Roulettes in a raw, energetic performance.
Early screen roles generally reinforced his musical persona, above all the 1961 delinquency drama Beat Girl. He increasingly pursued stage acting, then shifted in the 1970s to business ventures that included a thriving finance firm and a directorship at the Savoy Hotel. Theater work resumed during that decade; he originated the title character in the series Budgie and later adapted it for the stage. Film appearances continued, notably a prominent supporting part in Michael Apted’s 1975 Stardust opposite David Essex, the 1980 Roger Daltrey vehicle McVicar, and the 1985 television production of Murder on the Orient Express. He also entered artist management in the 1970s, most significantly guiding Leo Sayer. Adam Faith died of a heart attack at age 62 on March 8, 2003, the day after falling ill following a performance of Love and Marriage in Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire, England.
Albums
Hits
2011
Adam Faith Singles Collection: His Greatest Hits
2008
A's B's & EP's
2003
I Survive
1974
Greatest Hits
1963
Adam
1960
Singles
