David Cassidy on the Web
I David Cassidy
February 17, 2007
By Manchester Evening News
DAVID Cassidy, who follows up his triumphant show last November with a pair of dates at the Manchester Apollo this weekend, genuinely seems to enjoy his close relationship with his fanatically loyal fans, taking time out to talk to them at every opportunity.
"It's so rare that you have the opportunity, after 30 years, to go out and play for people who know it and love it and want to see it," admits David. "I'm having the time of my life. I'm always an optimist. I mean, you have to be with my career,'' he adds, laughing. "I've never gone out and changed my style to suit my times. It''s important to reveal your own fragility, faults and mistakes. That honesty is naturally compelling and, in general, it's what people want to see.
"Without that, all the flash in the show is merely empty effects. Bringing that human element to my work is the most important thing I can do as an entertainer."
Hailing from a family of actors, including mother Evelyn Ward and father Jack Cassidy, his fate as a performer was sealed at a young age but his roller coaster ride to fame really started in the seventies when he joined the hit show, The Partridge Family. By the end of 1970, the year the show premiered, David had been on the cover of virtually every teen magazine in the world. By the age of 21, heart-throb David was the world''s highest paid performer, with his poster on the wall of every pubescent girl in the country. His official fan club became the largest in history, exceeding those of Elvis Presley and The Beatles
A bit more recently, Cassidy has starred on Broadway in the original production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, appeared in London''s West End in Time and toured with a hugely-acclaimed production of Blood Brothers. In 1999, he pre-empted George Clooney, Brad Pitt and their pals by writing The Rat Pack Is Back, a show that has been running to packed houses ever since at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.
"They were tearing down all these fabulous buildings there and it just seemed to make sense to save a building by paying tribute to the stars who had, in many ways, created that town," he remembers.
The last UK tour happened almost by accident, beginning with a promoter advertising some stadium dates for him, even though he says he knew nothing about them. As soon as he got wind of them, he took legal action but was then faced with the prospect of disappointing fans who''d bought tickets in good faith. So a series of smaller dates were set up and promptly sold out. Thus, the current Rock Me tour and, doubtless, more inappropriately lustful squeals from all the women who, in their hearts, are once more 12 years old and in love for the first time.
"I love doing it more now than I ever did," laughs our boy gleefully.
David Cassidy performs at the Manchester Apollo, Ardwick Green, Friday and Saturday. 7.30pm. Please call 0161-242 2560 to confirm ticket availability.
