Barron Antony | |
|---|---|
 Antony in 1964 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Antony Michael John Osmond |
| Also known as | Barron Antony |
| Born | 15 June 1934 RAF Abingdon, Abingdon, England |
| Genres | Pop, novelty |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Bass, vocals |
| Years active | 1959-1985 |
| Formerly of | The Barron Knights |
Barron Antony (born Antony Michael John Osmond, 15 June 1934 [1] ) is a retired comic musician, known for being the founder of the pop group The Barron Knights.
Barron was born Antony Michael John Osmond in the RAF Abingdon air force station in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England on 15 June 1934.
He formed The Barron Knights in 1959 in Leighton Buzzard, England under the name "The Knights of the Round Table", although the name was changed in 1960 when the group realised they couldn't fit the entire name on posters, and it was shortened down to "The Barron Knights", with Peter Langford and Butch Baker. With the additions of Duke D'Mond, and Dave Ballinger, they often performed in English dance halls and travelled to Hamburg, Germany. At a performance in Aylesbury in July 1961, Bill Wyman, later of The Rolling Stones, saw Barron playing the electric bass guitar; this was the first time Wyman had ever seen an electric bass, and soon after, Wyman took up playing the newly discovered instrument. [2] [3] Originally a serious band, they took inspiration from The Four Preps, and soon changed to comedy.
The Barron Knights were spotted by Beatles manager Brian Epstein in 1963, and were asked to support the band at their Christmas shows in London. The group became one of few acts to tour with both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. [3] Under the stagename Barron Antony, they signed to Fontana Records, and released their first single, "Let's Face It" / "Never Miss Chris". [4] Having been born in 1934, he was a few years older than the rest of the members, who were all born in 1939, 1941, and 1943, and he was often quoted to have been born in 1940 in interviews, to seem younger. [4] The bands big break came in 1964, with their song Call Up the Groups, a song with the basis of famous 60s pop and rock stars having to enlist in the army of navy. The track included parodies of songs by The Searchers, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Rolling Stones, The Bachelors, The Dave Clark Five, and The Beatles. After a recording a demo, the band was sceptical about weather or not the song would be released, as many of the acts they parodied denied permission for them to use their songs. Call Up the Groups was an instant smash hit, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart. [5] [6]
Call Up the Groups was followed up with Pop Go the Workers, which included parodies from new artists, such as The Supremes, Sandie Shaw, and Val Doonican. According to Antony, "Pop Go the Workers" came about as an accident – "We were booked to appear on TV's 'Crackerjack' show and the producer asked if we could include an impersonation number. Although it was still a bit rough, we did 'Pop Go The Workers.' That was on the Friday. By Monday EMI orders had 30,000 for the record – and we hadn't even recorded it!" [7] Pop Go the Workers became a top-ten hit in the UK and was awarded a silver disc by Disc for sales of over 250,000 copies. [8]
The third of their medley hits was Merry Gentle Pops, a song themed around Christmas. By the late 1960s, the Barron Knights were slowly fading out the public eye. In 1974, they toured with Petula Clark in South Africa. [9] In 1977, they signed on to Columbia Records, and with it, came a strain of hits which boosted the band back into the public eye again. A Taste of Aggro, which was a medley of parodies of Rivers of Babylon (Boney M.), The Smurf Song (Vader Abraham), and Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs (Brian and Michael) went to number three on the UK charts, and was followed with multiple appearances on Top of the Pops from 1977 to 1980, which included Live in Trouble, A Taste of Aggro, Food for Thought, and Christmas Presents, most of which were in the top 10 as some point. [10] [11] [12] Christmas Presents, released in 1980, became their last charting hit, peaking at No. 23. [13]
Antony remained a member of the Barron Knights until he announced his retirement on Saturday, 5 October 1985. Antony's retirement coincidentally came around exactly 25 years after the band changed their name from "The Knights of the Round Table" to "The Barron Knights". [14] Upon his retirement, he was replaced by Bill Coleman. [15]
Antony now lives a private life, and very little is currently known about him.
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