Screaming Lord Sutch
Sutch (centre, with top hat)
Born
David Edward Sutch

(1940-11-10)10 November 1940
Died16 June 1999(1999-06-16) (aged 58)
Cause of deathSuicide by hanging
Occupation(s)Musician, perennial candidate
Style
Political partyOfficial Monster Raving Loony Party
Children1

Screaming Lord Sutch (born David Edward Sutch,[5] 10 November 1940[6] – 16 June 1999) was an English musician and perennial parliamentary candidate.

He was the founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and served as its leader from 1983 to 1999, during which time he stood in numerous parliamentary elections. He holds the record for contesting the most Parliamentary elections: 39 between 1963-97.[7] As a singer, he variously worked with Keith Moon, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Charlie Watts, John Bonham, Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell and Nicky Hopkins, and is known for his recordings with Joe Meek including "Jack the Ripper" (1963).

Musical career

Sutch was born at New End Hospital in Hampstead, North London,[1] and grew up in Harrow.[8] In the 1960s, inspired by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, he changed his stage name to "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", despite having no connection with the peerage.

After his career as an early 1960s rock and roll attraction, it became customary for the UK press to refer to him as "Screaming Lord Sutch", or simply "Lord Sutch". Early works included recordings produced by audio pioneer Joe Meek.[9]

During the 1960s Screaming Lord Sutch was known for his horror-themed stage show, dressing as Jack the Ripper, pre-dating the shock rock antics of Arthur Brown and Alice Cooper. Accompanied by his band, the Savages, he started by coming out of a black coffin (once being trapped inside of it, an incident parodied in the film Slade in Flame). Other props included knives and daggers, skulls and "bodies". Sutch booked themed tours, such as 'Sutch and the Roman Empire', where Sutch and the band members would be dressed up as Roman soldiers. Fellow musician Chas McDevitt has claimed that he gave the idea for a Screamin' Jay Hawkins-inspired act to Sutch's manager Paul Lincoln after seeing Hawkins perform in New York in 1957, having already considered emulating Hawkins himself by starting his act by emerging from a silk-lined coffin but deciding that he "(didn't have) the personality to carry this off", stating that "no one in this country had heard of Hawkins until the mid-60s".[10]

Despite a self-confessed lack of vocal talent, Sutch released horror-themed singles during the early to mid-1960s, the most popular being "Jack the Ripper", which was covered live and on record by garage rock bands including the White Stripes, the Gruesomes, the Black Lips and the Horrors, the latter for their debut album. His single "The Cheat" has been cited as a proto-psychedelic recording.[11]

Radio Sutch on a Shivering Sands guntower

In 1963 Sutch and his manager, Reginald Calvert, took over Shivering Sands Army Fort, a Maunsell Fort off Southend, and in 1964 started Radio Sutch, intending to compete with other pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline. Broadcasts consisted of music and Mandy Rice-Davies reading Lady Chatterley's Lover. Sutch tired of the station, and sold it to Calvert, after which it was renamed Radio City, and lasted until 1967. In 1966 Calvert was shot dead by Oliver Smedley over a financial dispute. Smedley was acquitted on grounds of self-defence.[12] About this time Ritchie Blackmore left the band. Roger Warwick left to set up an R&B big band for Freddie Mack.

Sutch's album Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends was named in a 1998 BBC poll as the worst album of all time, a status it also held in Colin Larkin's book The Top 1000 Albums of All Time,[13] despite the fact that Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Jeff Beck, Noel Redding and Nicky Hopkins performed on it and helped write it.

For his follow-up, Hands of Jack the Ripper, Sutch assembled British rock celebrities for a concert at the Carshalton Park Rock 'n' Roll Festival. The show was recorded (though only Sutch knew), and it was released to the surprise of the musicians. Musicians on the record included Ritchie Blackmore (guitar); Matthew Fisher (keyboard); Carlo Little (drums); Keith Moon (drums); Noel Redding (bass) and Nick Simper (bass).

In 2017 his song "Flashing Lights" was featured in Logan Lucky, directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Political activities

In the 1960s Sutch stood in parliamentary elections, often as representative of the National Teenage Party. His first was in 1963, when he contested the Stratford by-election caused by the resignation of John Profumo.[9] He gained 208 votes. His next was at the 1966 general election when he stood in Harold Wilson's Huyton constituency. Here he received 585 votes.[9]

He founded the Official Monster Raving Loony Party on 16 June 1982 at the Golden Lion Hotel in Ashburton, Devon, and fought the 1983 Bermondsey by-election. In his career he contested over 40 elections. He was recognisable at election counts by his flamboyant clothes and top hat. In 1968 he officially added "lord" to his name by deed poll.[14] In the mid 1980s, the deposit paid by candidates was raised from £150 to £500.[9] This did little to deter Sutch, who increased the number of concerts he performed to pay for campaigns. He achieved his highest poll and vote share at Rotherham in 1994 with 1,114 votes and a 4.2 per cent vote share.

At the Bootle by-election in May 1990, he secured more votes than the candidate of the Continuing Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by former Foreign Secretary David Owen. Within days the SDP dissolved itself. In 1993, when the British National Party gained its first local councillor, Derek Beackon, Sutch pointed out that the Official Monster Raving Loony Party already had six. He contested 39 parliamentary elections – a record number – losing his deposit in all of them.[7]

He appeared as himself in the first episode of ITV comedy The New Statesman, coming second ahead of the Labour and SDP, in the 1987 election which saw Alan B'Stard elected to Parliament.

Adverts in the 1990s for Heineken Pilsener boasted that "Only Heineken can do this". One had Sutch at 10 Downing Street after becoming Prime Minister.

Sutch pulled out of the 1997 general election to take care of his sick mother in South Harrow.[15] Later that year he contested his last two by-elections, in Uxbridge and Winchester.

In 1999 Sutch starred in a Coco Pops advert as a returning officer announcing the results of its renaming competition.[16]

Personal life

Sutch was friends with, and at one time lived at the house of, Cynthia Payne.[17]

He had a history of depression, and killed himself by hanging on 16 June 1999 at his late mother's house.[18] At the inquest, his fiancée Yvonne Elwood said he had manic depression, now known as bipolar disorder.[17]

Sutch is buried beside his mother, who died on 30 April 1997, in Pinner New Cemetery (Section J2, Grave 27), Middlesex. He is survived by a son, Tristan Lord Gwynne Sutch, born in 1975 to American model Thann Rendessy.[19]

In 1991 his autobiography, Life as Sutch: The Official Autobiography of a Raving Loony (written with Peter Chippindale), was published. In 2005 Graham Sharpe, who had known him since the late 1960s, wrote the first biography, The Man Who Was Screaming Lord Sutch.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

  • Jack the Ripper (1985), Autograph Records ASK 780
  • Story/Screaming Lord Sutch & the Savages (1991)
  • Raving Loony Party Favourites (1996)

Posthumously released:

  • Monster Rock (2000)
  • Munster Rock (2001)
  • Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages: 1961-1968 (2020)

Extended plays

Posthumously released:

  • Midnight Man (2000)
  • The London Rock & Roll Show DVD

Singles

  • "'Til the Following Night" b/w "Good Golly Miss Molly" (1961)
  • "Jack the Ripper" b/w "Don't You Just Know It" (1963)
  • "I'm a Hog for You" b/w "Monster In Black Tights" (1963)
  • "She's Fallen In Love With The Monster Man" b/w "Bye Bye Baby" (1964)
  • "Dracula's Daughter" b/w "Come Back Baby" (1964)
  • "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" b/w "Honey Hush" (1965)
  • "The Cheat" b/w "Black And Hairy" (1965)
  • "Purple People Eater" b/w "You Don't Care" (1966)
  • "'Cause I Love You" b/w "Thumping Beat" (1970), as Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends
  • "Election Fever" b/w "Rock the Election" (1970), as Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends
  • "Gotta Keep A-Rocking" b/w "Country Club" (1972), as Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends

Elections fought

ElectionTypeConstituencyPartyVote% votePlaceCandidates
15 August 1963BEStratford-upon-AvonNational Teenage2090.655
31 March 1966GEHuyton 1National Teenage5850.9322
18 June 1970GECities of London and WestminsterYoung Ideas1420.455
10 October 1974GEStafford and StoneGo to Blazes3510.644
24 February 1983BEBermondseyOfficial Monster Raving Loony970.3616
23 March 1983BEDarlingtonOfficial Monster Raving Loony3740.748
9 June 1983GEFinchley 1Official Monster Raving Loony2350.6511
28 July 1983BEPenrith and The BorderOfficial Monster Raving Loony4121.148
1 March 1984BEChesterfieldOfficial Monster Raving Loony1780.3517
4 July 1985BEBrecon and RadnorOfficial Monster Raving Loony2020.557
10 April 1986BEFulhamOfficial Monster Raving Loony1340.4511
17 July 1986BENewcastle-under-LymeOfficial Monster Raving Loony2770.747
14 July 1988BEKensingtonOfficial Monster Raving Loony610.3715
10 November 1988BEGlasgow GovanOfficial Monster Raving Loony1740.678
15 December 1988BEEpping ForestOfficial Monster Raving Loony2080.679
23 February 1989BERichmond (Yorks)Official Monster Raving Loony1670.369
4 May 1989BEVale of GlamorganOfficial Monster Raving Loony2660.6811
15 June 1989BEVauxhallOfficial Monster Raving Loony1060.41014
15 June 1989EELondon CentralOfficial Monster Raving Loony8410.568
22 March 1990BEMid StaffordshireOfficial Monster Raving Loony3360.6714
24 May 1990BEBootle 2Official Monster Raving Loony4181.268
27 September 1990BEKnowsley SouthOfficial Monster Raving Loony1970.967
8 November 1990BEBootle 3Official Monster Raving Loony3101.157
7 March 1991BERibble Valley 3Official Monster Raving Loony2780.669
4 April 1991BENeathOfficial Monster Raving Loony2630.878
16 May 1991BEMonmouth 4Official Monster Raving Loony3140.747
4 July 1991BELiverpool WaltonOfficial Monster Raving Loony5461.456
9 April 1992GEHuntingdon 1Official Monster Raving Loony7281.0610
9 April 1992GEIslwyn 5Official Monster Raving Loony5471.355
9 April 1992GEYeovil 6Official Monster Raving Loony3380.656
6 May 1993BENewburyOfficial Monster Raving Loony4320.7719
29 July 1993BEChristchurchOfficial Monster Raving Loony4040.856
5 May 1994BERotherhamOfficial Monster Raving Loony1,1144.245
9 June 1994BEBradford SouthOfficial Monster Raving Loony7272.445
9 June 1994BEEastleighOfficial Monster Raving Loony7831.4514
16 February 1995BEIslwynOfficial Monster Raving Loony5062.257
25 May 1995BEPerth and KinrossOfficial Monster Raving Loony5861.459
27 July 1995BELittleborough and SaddleworthOfficial Monster Raving Loony7821.9410
1 February 1996BEHemsworthOfficial Monster Raving Loony6523.0510
11 April 1996BESouth East StaffordshireOfficial Monster Raving Loony5061.2513
31 July 1997BEUxbridgeOfficial Monster Raving Loony3961.3411
20 November 1997BEWinchesterOfficial Monster Raving Loony3160.658

Notes:-

References

  1. 1 2 3 Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1998–1999". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  2. Unterberger, Richie. "Screaming Lord Sutch Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  3. Luerssen, John D. (September 2012). Bruce Springsteen FAQ. Backbeat. p. 65. ISBN 9781617134609.
  4. Staff (17 June 1999). "Screaming Lord Sutch, '60s Shock-Rock Pioneer, Found Dead". MTV News. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  5. "David 'Screaming Lord' Sutch, Pop Star, Politician 1940 -1999". NME. 17 May 1999. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  6. Talevski, Nick (2010). Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 628. ISBN 978-0-85712-117-2. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Most UK elections contested and lost". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  8. "IN BRITAIN'S CRAZY POLITICS, LORD SUTCH HAS NO PEER". Chicago Tribune. 16 April 1997. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Solly, Bob (28 March 2009). "Sutch's life". Record Collector. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  10. "The 2i's and the birth of British rock". Record Collector. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  11. Campbell, Marc (22 November 2010). "The Wild World Of Screaming Lord Sutch". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  12. Stafford, David; Stafford, Caroline (2013). Cupid Stunts:The Life & Radio Times Of Kenny Everett. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-867-6. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  13. "1994 Colin Larkin – All Time Top 1000 Albums". Timepieces.nl. 24 October 1962. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  14. "Obituaries – Screaming Lord Sutch". The Daily Telegraph. 18 June 1999. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  15. "That was 1997, that was". News Shopper. 17 January 1998. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  16. Crawford, Anne-Marie (13 May 1999). "Coco Pops back after vote". Campaign. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  17. 1 2 "Lord Sutch fought long battle with depression. – Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  18. Millar, Stuart (31 August 1999). "Madcap maverick of politics hid his life of despair". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  19. "Minor British Pop Star And Leader of the Monster Raving... News Photo | Getty Images | 3140812". Getty Images. 1 January 1975. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
General
  • Chippindale, Peter. "Sutch, David Edward (1940–1999)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/72456
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1974–1983, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1984)
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