| Wayne Fontana | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | Glyn Geoffrey Ellis |
| Birth Date: | 28 October 1945 |
| Birth Place: | Manchester, England |
| Death Place: | Stockport, England |
| Occupation: | Singer |
| Years Active: | 1962–2020 |
| Label: | Fontana |
Glyn Geoffrey Ellis (28 October 19456 August 2020),[1] known professionally as Wayne Fontana, was an English rock and pop singer best known for fronting the beat group the Mindbenders, with whom he recorded the hit singles "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" (1964) and "The Game of Love" (1965). After leaving the Mindbenders to pursue a solo career, Fontana had further UK successes including "Pamela Pamela" (1966). Despite legal issues in the 2000s, he continued to perform on the 60s nostalgia circuit until his death.
Fontana was born in Levenshulme, Manchester, Lancashire, and took his stage name from John Wayne and Elvis Presley's drummer, D. J. Fontana.[2] In June 1963 he formed his backing group, the Mindbenders, and secured a recording contract with, coincidentally, Fontana Records.[2] With the band, Fontana released his biggest single "The Game of Love" and after several less successful singles, including "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" and "She Needs Love" he left the band in October 1965.[2] He reportedly quit during a concert performance.[3]
Fontana remained under contract to the label after parting with the Mindbenders and continued alone, using musicians working under the name of the Opposition, notably Frank Renshaw (lead guitar) (born 22 June 1943, Wythenshawe, Manchester), Bernie Burns (drums), Stuart Sirret (bass), and Phil Keen (drums), among others. Sometimes the band was billed as the Mindbenders, sometimes just as the Wayne Fontana Band. Struggling to achieve chart success, Fontana recorded a number of songs by outside writers with B-sides being mostly his own compositions. Fontana's biggest solo single, "Pamela, Pamela", written by Graham Gouldman, reached No. 5 in Australia's Kent Music Report and No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1967.[4] It was his last single to chart in the UK.[5] The later singles included another Gouldman composition, "The Impossible Years". In 1970 he was one of the first performers at the Glastonbury Festival.[3] After a streak of flopped releases, Fontana took a break in 1970.[6]
In 1973, trying to re-launch his career, Fontana recorded yet another Gouldman song, "Together". It was backed with an original song, "One-Man Woman", that was co-produced with Eric Stewart, an ex-bandmate from the Mindbenders. The single failed to chart. After his last single, "The Last Bus Home", released by Polydor in 1976, he largely left the music business.[7] For a short period around the early 1980s The Salford Jets backed him, billed as Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders. He told the Daily Express in 2017, "I went into self-retirement, drank too much and didn't know where I was half the time."[3] After giving up drinking he joined the 60s revival circuit.[3]
In 2005, he fought off bankruptcy but was arrested after police were called by bailiffs who went to his home in Glossop, Derbyshire. He poured petrol onto the bonnet of a bailiff's car and set it alight with the bailiff still inside.[8] [9] Fontana was remanded in custody on 25 May 2007. He later appeared at Derby Crown Court dressed as Lady Justice, complete with a sword, scales, crown, cape and dark glasses, and claiming "justice is blind".[10] [11] He dismissed his lawyers.[12] On 10 November 2007 he was sentenced to 11 months for setting fire to the car but was released because he had already served the equivalent of the term, having been held under the Mental Health Act 1983.[13]
In March 2011 Fontana was arrested at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, after failing to appear in court in Wakefield, over an unpaid speeding fine.[14]
Fontana continued to perform, notably in the Solid Silver 60s Shows.[15]
Fontana died from cancer on 6 August 2020, at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, at the age of 74.[1] His long-term partner was by his side. He had a daughter and two sons.[7]
| Year | Single | Catalogue[20] | Chart Positions | UK album | US album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [21] | AUS [22] | CAN [23] | IRL [24] | US [25] [26] | ||||||
| 1963 | "Hello Josephine" b/w "Road Runner" | UK Fontana TF404 | 46 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | Non-album tracks | |
| "For You, for You"[27] b/w "Love Potion No. 9" | UK Fontana TF418 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1964 | "Little Darlin'" b/w "Come Dance with Me" | UK Fontana TF436 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Stop Look and Listen" UK B: "Duke of Earl" US B: "Road Runner" | UK Fontana TF451 US Fontana 1917 | 37 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" b/w "First Taste of Love" | UK Fontana TF497 | 5 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1965 | "The Game of Love" b/w "Since You've Been Gone" b/w "One More Time" (Second US pressing) | UK Fontana TF535 US Fontana 1503 US Fontana 1509 (Second US pressing) | 2 | 38 | 3 | 10 | 1 | A: Non-album track B1: Non-album track B2: Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders | A: The Game of Love B1: Non-album track B2: The Game of Love | |
| "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" b/w "Long Time Comin'" | UK Fontana TF579 US Fontana 1514 | 20 | 55 | 9 | — | 46 | Eric, Rick, Wayne and Bob | Non-album tracks | ||
| "She Needs Love" b/w "Like I Did" | UK Fontana TF611 US Fontana 1524 | 32 | — | — | — | — | A: Non-album track B: Eric, Rick, Wayne and Bob | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
| Year | Single | Catalogue | Chart Positions | UK album | US album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [28] | AUS | IRL | BR | |||||||
| 1965 | "It Was Easier To Hurt Her" b/w "You Made Me What I Am Today" | UK Fontana TF642 US MGM 13456 | 36 | — | — | — | Wayne One | Wayne Fontana | ||
| 1966 | "Come on Home" b/w "My Eyes Break Out in Tears" | UK Fontana TF684 US MGM 13516 | 16 | 38 | — | — | A: Non-album track B: Wayne Fontana | |||
| "Goodbye Bluebird" b/w "The Sun's So Hot Today" | UK Fontana TF737 | 49 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | Non-album tracks | |||
| "Pamela Pamela" b/w "Something Keeps Calling Me Back" | UK Fontana TF770 AU Fontana TF770 US MGM 13661 | 11 | 5 | 20 | — | Wayne Fontana | ||||
| 1967 | "24 Sycamore" b/w "From a Boy To a Man" | UK Fontana TF827 US MGM 13762 | 52 | 33 | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| "The Impossible Years" b/w "In My World" | UK Fontana TF866 | — | 72 | — | — | |||||
| "Gina" b/w "We All Love the Human Race" | UK Fontana TF889 | — | — | — | 1 | |||||
| 1968 | "Storybook Children" b/w "I Need To Love You" | UK Fontana TF911 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "The Words of Bartholomew" b/w "Mind Excursion" | UK Fontana TF933 | — | 84 | — | — | |||||
| "Never an Everyday Thing" b/w "Waiting For a Break in the Clouds" | UK Fontana TF976 | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1969 | "Dayton Ohio 1903" b/w "Say Goodbye To Yesterday" | UK Fontana TF1008 US Metromedia 133 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "We're Building a Love" b/w "Charlie Cass" | UK Fontana TF1054 | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Charlie Cass" b/w "Linda" | UK Fontana TF1054 | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1973 | "Together" b/w "One Man Woman" | UK Warner Bros. K 16269[29] | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1976 | "The Last Bus Home" b/w "Give Me Just a Little Bit" | UK Polydor 2058 758[30] | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||