Wayne Fontana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This page is about the musician; for the Pennsylvania politician , see Wayne Fontana (Pennsylvania politician).

Wayne Fontana
Birth name	Glyn Geoffrey Ellis
Born	October 28, 1945 (1945-10-28) (age 62)
Origin	Manchester, Lancashire
Genre(s)	Beat, Pop
Occupation(s)	singer
Years active	1962-present
Label(s)	Fontana
Associated acts	The Mindbenders
Website	waynefontana.com

Wayne Fontana (born Glynn Ellis on 28 October 1945, Manchester, Lancashire), is a singer. In 1962, he formed his group Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and got a recording contract.

He was still under contract to Fontana Records after parting with The Mindbenders. He soldiered on alone, using musicians under the name of the Opposition. Notably, Frank Renshaw (now in the Canary Islands), Bernie Burns (drums), Roy 'Rossi' Henshall (bass) (also now Canary Islands), Rod Gerrard (guitar, ex Herman's Hermits - now in America) and Phil Keane (drums) amongst others. Sometimes they were billed as the Mindbenders, or just as the Wayne Fontana band. Fontana's most successful solo single release was also his last, "Pamela, Pamela", which reached Number 11 in the UK Singles Chart early in 1967.

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 on to the bonnet of a car, and set it alight with a bailiff inside.^[1]^[2] Fontana was remanded in custody on 25 May 2007 in regard to the charge. He appeared at Derby Crown Court dressed as the lady of justice, with a sword, scales, crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind".^[3] He dismissed his lawyers.^[4] 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, held under the Mental Health Act 1983.^[5]

[edit] Discography

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders

"Hello Josephine" b/w "Road Runner" - 1963 - UK #46
"For You, For You" b/w "Love Potion No. 9" - 1963
"Little Darlin'" b/w Come Dance With Me - 1964
"Stop Look and Listen" b/w Duke of Earl - 1964 - UK #37
"Um Um Um Um Um Um" b/w "First Taste of Love" - 1964 - UK #5
"Game of Love" b/w "Since You've Been Gone" - 1965 - UK #2, U.S. #1
"Just a Little Bit Too Late" b/w "Long Time Comin'"- 1965 - UK #20, U.S. #45
"She Needs Love" b/w "Like I Did" - 1965 - UK #32

Wayne Fontana (solo)

"It Was Easier to Hurt Her" b/w You Made Me What I Am Today - 1965 - UK #36
"Come on Home" b/w My Eyes Break Out In Tears - 1966 - UK #16
"Goodbye Bluebird" b/w The Sun's So Hot Today - 1966 - UK #49
"Pamela Pamela" b/w Something Keeps Calling Me Back - 1966 - UK #11
"24 Sycamore" b/w From A Boy To A Man - 1967 (huge hit in Australia)
"The Impossible Years" b/w In My World - 1967 (Australian hit)
"Gina" b/w We All Love the Human Race - 1967 (No.1 in [[Rio de Janeiro])
"Storybook Children" b/w I Need To Love You - 1968
"The World of Bartholomew" b/w Mind Excursion - 1968
"Never An Everyday Thing" b/w Waiting For A Break In The Clouds - 1968
"Dayton Ohio 1903" b/w Say Goodbye To Yesterday - 1969
"We're Building a Love" b/w Charlie Cass - 1969 (Calders Collection's cover made top ten in South Africa)
"Charlie Cass" b/w Linda - 1969
"Together" b/w One Man Woman (hit in Australia) - 1973
"The Last Bus Home" b/w Give Me Just A Little Bit - 1976