Dana Gillespie 'You're a Heartbreak Man' video 1966

Dana Gillespie's own song 'You're a Heartbreak Man', for a 1965 single at age sixteen. A blues-based tune - at 15 she'd discovered the blues (and Bowie's Mannish Boys) at the Marquee Club. By the time of this clip, 17-year old Dana had 'liaised' with David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Roman Polanski, Jimmy Page; and perhaps Mick Jagger, Michael Caine, Keith Moon, Sean Connery, and even Allen Klein, who are all somewhere in her thrilling chronology. Embodying the Swinging Sixties, Dana was a precocious party girl from a posh liberal family; the interactions were incidental to the lifestyle and wouldn't be listed if she were male. She tells all in her book 'Weren't Born a Man'; a briefer resume is in this interview by Garth Cartwright in the Guardian.

The single was one of two produced by Jimmy Page and released by Pye in 1965. Savvily, she got to write both b-sides, and performed this one for a Belgian TV special (is that her guitar or is she miming to Page's?). Although not successful then, the 7"s now trade for good money at ebay or Discogs. Also filmed was 'Donna Donna' - here:    • Dana Gillespie 'Donna Donna' video 1966  

In 1971, David Bowie wrote 'Andy Warhol' for Dana. She accompanied Bowie and manager Tony Defries to the Roundhouse to see Warhol's 'Pork' play - a key event in the evolution of Bowie and his MainMan management. They befriended the cast, and when Bowie became a star, the cast became Bowie's entourage. Pork star Wayne (later Jayne) County signed as a recording artist; Cherry Vanilla became a PR girl, Leee Black Childers was the official photographer and Iggy minder, and Tony Zanetta had a senior role. Also signed to MainMan was Iggy Pop - and of course Dana Gillespie.

Dana has since had a long and varied career, issuing 73 albums, having hits in Europe and appearing in numerous movies. She is still busily recording, touring, performing around the world as well as running an annual blues festival, and a long-running Youtube music talk show 'Globetrotting With Gillespie' - chatting with Nick Mason, Tim Rice, Marc Almond, Laurence Myers, Keith West and many more. She's regularly gigging, off to SXSW, attempting to gatecrash Eurovision, etc, etc. Look her up! @TAM88
   • Globetrotting With Gillespie  

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