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Thread: George Melly (August 17 1926 - July 5, 2007)

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    George Melly, jazz singer - born 17 August 1926 in Liverpool,educated at Stowe public school where he discovered his interest in modern art, jazz and blues. He rose to fame with Mick Mulligan’s Magnolia Jazz Band. From 1965-1973 he was a critic for The Observer. He also lectures on art history.

    Ermine tastes much the same as sackcloth when there's nothing left to eat.

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    Senior Member Howie's Avatar
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    Default George Melly

    George Melly, jazz legend, writer and raconteur, was born in 1926 and made his name in the late 40s and 50s, singing with Mick Mulligan's band. In the 1960s he switched careers and became one of the UK's most ubiquitous critics, writers and TV personalities. He has published many books, including his acclaimed three previous volumes of autobiography: Owning Up (1965), Rum, Bum and Concertina (1977) and Scouse Mouse (1984). In 2004 George Melly was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC's Jazz Awards.

    Just got back from listening to him giving a reading at Liverpool Art School from his new book Slowing Down. My favourite quote from George this evening: "Tony Blair is a c*nt". George might be approaching eighty but hasn't lost his knack for plain speaking.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Howie
    George Melly, jazz legend, writer and raconteur, was born in 1926 and made his name in the late 40s and 50s, singing with Mick Mulligan's band. In the 1960s he switched careers and became one of the UK's most ubiquitous critics, writers and TV personalities. He has published many books, including his acclaimed three previous volumes of autobiography: Owning Up (1965), Rum, Bum and Concertina (1977) and Scouse Mouse (1984). In 2004 George Melly was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC's Jazz Awards.

    Just got back from listening to him giving a reading at Liverpool Art School from his new book Slowing Down. My favourite quote from George this evening: "Tony Blair is a c*nt". George might be approaching eighty but hasn't lost his knack for plain speaking.
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    Senior Member bobbymac's Avatar
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    Default George Melly

    I remember having a few old records of his, the only one I can recall was something like '???????? was a railroadin' man, yeah lord.' Tho. I didn't know he was one of us.

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    Senior Member lindylou's Avatar
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    I love George Melly. I seen an 'Audience with George Melly' in Liverpool about 10 years ago. You could listen to him talk and sing all night
    He's funny, witty and a great entertainer.

    I've read two of his books; 'Rum Bum & Concertina' and 'Scousemouse'

    He lived in the Sefton Park area - off Lark lane.

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    Senior Member john's Avatar
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    Jazz musician George Melly has died at his London home aged 80, his wife Diana has confirmed.

    Melly was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year. Two years ago he was also discovered to have lung cancer.

    Born in Liverpool in 1928, Melly made his name in the jazz trad scene singing with Mick Mulligan's band in the late 40s and 50s

    In the 60s he changed careers becoming one of the UK's most respected critics, often writing about film and TV.

    Despite suffering health problems, he had continued to be active in music and writing.

    He leaves behind his wife Diana, who he married in 1963, his son Tom, his daughter Pandora, his step-daughter Candy and four grandchildren.

    http://itn.co.uk/news/ba8bc745d09632...33de9217c.html


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Melly
    Last edited by john; 07-05-2007 at 10:35 PM.
    " If you know your history, then you would know where you coming from".


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    PhilipG
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    He really was one of Liverpool's greats, and never forgot where he came from.
    It was mainly because of him that the Palm House was restored, and he always plugged Sudley, which was the home of his cousins.

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    Senior Member lindylou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PhilipG View Post
    He really was one of Liverpool's greats, and never forgot where he came from.
    It was mainly because of him that the Palm House was restored, and he always plugged Sudley, which was the home of his cousins.
    That's one of the things I liked about him - his loyalty to Liverpool.

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    Senior Member Howie's Avatar
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    Obituary: George Melly

    With his flamboyant suits, oversize hats and Havana cigars, George Melly was a good-time Renaissance man who indulged, often over-indulged, his passions for jazz, film, art, fishing, writing, drink and sex.


    George Melly was loved for his
    talent and flamboyant lifestyle


    He was born in Liverpool in 1926 and educated at the ultra-liberal Stowe public school in Buckinghamshire, where he pursued his interests with vigour and without inhibition.

    At school, he first became interested in art, particularly Surrealism.

    He served as an able-seaman in the Royal Navy towards the end of World War II, where he got into trouble for distributing anarchist literature.

    He moved to London in 1948 to work in an art gallery run by Belgian artist ELT Mesens, a leading light in the International Surrealist movement.

    Melly became recognised as an authority on the subject and later wrote a book, Paris and the Surrealists.

    According to his memoirs, it was at this time that he augmented the promiscuous homosexuality of his schooldays, indulging in a series of menages a trois, initially with Mesens and his wife Sybil.


    Melly became a pop music critic for
    The Observer - and the BBC


    He had also developed a love of jazz, and started singing with Mick Mulligan's band in 1949. His voice was described by John Mortimer as possessing "the raucous charm of an old negress".

    A fan of Bessie Smith and Fats Waller, he was to become famous for his routine of singing jazz numbers from the 1920s, interspersed with ribald jokes and saucy asides.

    'Too respectable'

    The band's drink and sex-fuelled wild adventures were recalled in Melly's first book, Owning Up.

    His first venture into journalism came in 1956, when he started writing the captions for the Flook newspaper strip cartoon, a job which continued for 15 years and inspired two books.

    In 1965, he joined The Observer as pop music critic, and, over the next eight years, graduated to television and film.

    But he returned to jazz singing because he thought the Observer work was making him too respectable. He joined John Chilton's Feetwarmers whose clarinettist, Wally Fawkes, had drawn the Trog cartoons.

    With his loud hat and suits, modelled on the old gangster movies of the 1930s and 40s, he became a favourite on the Dixieland jazz circuit.


    Melly was also a keen fisherman in
    his later years


    His love of fly-fishing, which began in childhood, never left him. In later life, he sold several important paintings to enable him to buy a mile of the River Usk in Wales.

    George Melly suffered from arthritis, psoriasis and a condition which precluded his drinking wine.

    The latter did not hold him back, however, and his seemingly endless stream of amusing anecdotes made George Melly one of British showbusiness's most colourful and sought-after personalities.

    Source: BBC NEWS | Entertainment

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    chippie
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    I squeezed past him on the London train once, he had a friend who looked like his bouncer, with him. My dad was a fan of his and went to see him a few times.

    Rest In Peace now, Melly, your days are over.

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    PhilipG
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    You squeezed past him once, Chippie.
    I wonder who enjoyed it the most!

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    Originally a Swiss family, he is also a descendant of (was it) Pierre Charles/ or Charles Pierre Melly of the Melly drinking fountains fame.
    www.inacityliving.piczo.com/

    Updated weekly with old and new pics.

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    chippie
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    That,s interesting Ged.

    Philip, the answer to your question was...the bodyguard

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    Senior Member shytalk's Avatar
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    I just watched "They call me good time George", it's a BBC program, worth a watch.
    You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.
    Winston Churchill

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    PhilipG
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    Default "Liverpool Is My Oyster" by a 19-year-old George Melly.

    Last edited by PhilipG; 08-01-2007 at 01:06 AM.

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