Alvin Stardust
A British glam rock star who reinvented himself with a brooding, leather-clad persona and scored a string of theatrical 1970s and 80s pop hits.
1942–2014 (age 72)·English singer·Birthday: September 27·The Silent Generation
Biography
Alvin Stardust's story is one of pop reinvention. He first tasted fame in the early 1960s as Shane Fenton, leading a beat group to several chart entries just before the Beatles changed everything. When that chapter closed, he retreated from the spotlight, only to re-emerge a decade later as a completely new character. As Alvin Stardust, he was a figure of glam rock theatre: clad head-to-toe in black leather, with a menacing stare and a trademark fingerless glove pointing accusingly at the camera. This calculated image, coupled with catchy, dramatic singles like 'My Coo Ca Choo' and the chart-topping 'Jealous Mind', made him a major star of the era. His later career saw him successfully transition into stage musicals and pantomime, proving the durability of his performer's instinct long after the glam rock era faded.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Alvin was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alvin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Alvin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Died at 72
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Topped the UK Singles Chart in 1974 with the dramatic hit 'Jealous Mind'.
- Successfully reinvented himself from 1960s pop act Shane Fenton to 1970s glam icon Alvin Stardust, securing a second wave of fame.
- Achieved four UK Top 40 hits in the early 1960s as Shane Fenton, including 'I'm a Moody Guy'.
- Enjoyed a sustained chart career across two decades under two different stage names.
Did You Know?
He adopted the stage name Alvin Stardust on the suggestion of his manager, who took it from a 1950s song by Buddy Holly.
His first wife was the actress and singer Liza Goddard.
He was a committed Christian and recorded several gospel music albums later in his life.
He originally auditioned to be the bassist for the Shane Fenton and the Fentones group but became the lead singer after the original Shane Fenton (Johnny Theakston) died unexpectedly.
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