I first discovered Adam Faith one Saturday morning in Spring
1960. I was 12 years old. My parents had gone to town and I was alone in the house. I switched on the radio for company
and the programme was 'Saturday Club'. They were playing 'Someone Elses Baby'. I loved it. I was hooked right away.
Until then I hadn't been into the charts, but as my 13th birthday
approached, I began to turn into a teenager. What was it that attracted me to Adam? Well, first it was his unusual voice and
his individual style. He was different. There was something quirky, a touch of humour.
At that point I didn't know what he looked like but, when
I saw his picture - Wow! I've always gone for small, blond men, and I loved leather jackets. He was a dream.
I began buying all of his records. in fact it got to a point
where I would go into our local record shop on the day a new single was being released and they would have it ready in
a bag for me!
At school we were divided into two camps - Cliff fans and
Adam fans. It was mad really but we were very competetive. I remember buying six copies of a comic that was having a vote
for your favourite singer and sending them off to people I knew who might vote for Adam!
That summer we were going to South Devon for a holiday. I
heard he was doing a concert in Torquay and wanted to book seats. My dad persuaded me there was no need. We could just turn
up and buy them there. I can't understand why he believed this. Maybe he just didn't understand the impact of pop music. Of
course the concert was fully booked, and I cried buckets on Torquay promenade.
The following year I heard that he was coming to the Granada
Theatre in my home town of Shrewsbury. My dad knew the theatre manager, and he owed me a favour. I persuaded him to try to
arrange for me to meet Adam. I don't know how he did it, but he suceeded in arranging a meeting. Dad came with me to introduce
me to the theatre manager. Then Adam appeared. I was so thrilled, I was speechless. I stood there, hardly saying a word. Somehow
Dad and Adam began discussing cars! Cars were Dad's big passion and Adam's. I couldn't get a word in then. I asked Adam for
a photo and he posed. He looked straight at me with those gorgeous blue eyes! But the photo never came out! Never mind, I
still have his autograph in my copy of his early autobiography, 'Poor Me', which I had taken with me -
To Sylvia,
with love,
Adam Faith
I even copied the little squiggle under his name into my own
signature. I still sign that way to this day!
Before we left, I mentioned I was going to his Birmingham
concert and he said,
"Pop backstage and see me."
This was too good an opportunity to leave to fate. Anticipating
the crowds of fans at the stage door, I wrote to the manager of the theatre in Birmingham and said that Adam Faith had
personally invited me backstage and was that OK with him. He replied saying, of course I could go backstage if I had been
personally invited. When I went to the concert I showed the manager's letter and was led past all of the fans through the
stage door!
When I went into his dressing room Adam looked up and said,
"Hi Silv"
I couldn't believe he had remembered my name, but maybe
he had checked it on the letter.
It was December and I had brought him a Christmas present.
I gave it to him and he said,
"Thanks"
I was somewhat nonplussed when he tossed it onto a large pile
of presents in the corner of the room.
I met him one more time in 1962 when I went to the New Musical
Express Poll Winners Concert at Wembley. Cliff Richard was top of the bill. Adam had second billing. I slipped out after Adam's
act and, sure enough, he was just driving out in his Jag trying to miss the crowds. He stopped, though.
"Hi Silv" - so he did remember me!
My dad died the next year. The first thing I did when I heard
was to play one of Adam's records. He helped me through it.
I guess I grew away from his music a little after that. He
wasn't getting the big hits any more and later went into acting. I still followed him, though. I loved 'Budgie'.
Then, In 1973, I was in London on a drama holiday when I heard
of his car crash. That night I cried and prayed. I wrote to him in hospital, told him how important he had been in my life,
how he got me through a bad time. I had a reply from Angela, who used to run his fan club. I had met her once. She said Adam
had a lot of letters like mine and he treasured them.
I remember going to see 'Stardust' and then sort of lost touch
until 'Love Hurts' on TV. I loved that series.
Then one evening he was on TV, on the Midland news. He was
touring in a play. It was going to Malvern which was not too far from where I lived. I thought, why not go to see him agan.
I was going to ring up and book tickets. The next day I heard of his death - too late.
Adam, whever you are, Thank You. You were a very important
person in my life. I'll never forget you.
