ARRIVING on the back of punk rock and a gymnastic performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, John Otway’s first single, the half-spoken love song Really Free, reached number 27 in the UK Singles Chart.

It would be his greatest success for some time.

The song earned him a five album deal with Polydor Records, who viewed him as a punk rather than merely an eccentric.

His first album, recorded with Wild Willy Barrett, was produced by Pete Townshend but sold only fitfully.

The follow-up singles fared no better despite some imaginative promotion, which included an offer for Otway to come to a buyer's house and perform the single if their copy was one of the few from which the vocal had been omitted.

Wild Willy Barrett is an English folk singer whos musical style is witty and his humour on stage is dry. He is known for his virtuoso fiddle playing, ability with a great number of stringed instruments, and playing slide guitar with a whole raw egg!

Such eccentricity will be on stage at Worcester’s Huntingdon Hall this Saturday (October 3) when the two will perform together from 8pm.