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The Blackheath Jungle

Jon Savage, MOJO, February 1995

MARTY WILDE WAS, ALONG WITH CLIFF, BRITAIN'S BIGGEST ROCK star from 1958 through 1960: there was even a girl's comic named after him. Born Reginald Smith, he formed his own skiffle band, The Hound Dogs, before being discovered by Larry Parnes at Soho's Condor Club, renamed and signed to Philips. Marty Wilde scored immediately with a great cover of 'Endless Sleep': his stardom was assured by being the featured lead on Jack Good's groundbreaking Oh Boy! TV show.

Total word count of piece: 1090

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