DVD: Otway the Movie – Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure

For someone who tags himself rock and roll's greatest failure, John Otway hasn’t done too badly. Anyone attempting to navigate their way through a career in rock ‘n’ roll wouldn’t do badly looking to Otway as an example to follow. He’s had chart singles, headlined the Royal Albert Hall, written two autobiographies and has a massive, loyal fan base. At age 61, he’s still at it over 40 years after the 1972 release of his first single.

Judging from Otway the Movie, he does what he does full time, has a roof over his head, has a wife and an enviably articulate daughter. Failure? Hardly.

The funding to make Otway the Movie came from his fan base, as have many of the sales spikes which have taken him into the charts. Although undoubtedly loved, and this film is a product of that love, this is not the place to come to discern what drives him or discover the inspiration for his peculiar folk-ish, country-slanted, punk-edged music. Or even why he allowed on-off musical partner Wild Willy Barrett to whack his head repeatedly on a microphone during performances of the the song “Headbutts”, often drawing blood. Beginning with 1977’s emblematic hit “Really Free”, it takes the story to today with Otway speaking to a class of sixth formers about his worldview. The John Otway seen here is a single-minded, albeit eccentric, man who through tenacity, tremendous energy and the nose for a stunt has taken every opportunity that has come his way and made the most of it, whether or not it has resulted in sales or taken him into the charts.

Though fun and enhanced on DVD by extras including unabridged live performances from the Albert Hall, the trailer, offcuts and footage of the film’s arrival at Cannes Film Festival, the thin Otway the Movie is a tribute by and for fans.

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Overleaf: Watch the trailer for Otway the Movie – Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure