The Last Kiss /Alan Tarney , David Cassidy

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Dick Leahy (1937-2020)  (in the 70's he was also famous for  his very posh suits and full length mink coat ), was a very successful music industry executive and publisher.  

He had a real talent for spotting hits, eg he backed David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' to be a hit when nobody was playing it on the radio. He worked with Dana, Donna Summer, he signed Bay City Rollers after seeing them performing in a club in Edinburgh, he guided George Michael's career with 'Wham' and  solo. He was not only George Michael's publisher, but also his guru and guide.  As a Bell Records' manager in the UK from 1971, he supervised David Cassidy's career in Europe, and he made David a big star there. They became friends..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVvkmFfq8I0

And it was  Dick Leahy who  welcomed DC when he first came to London in February 1972.  In 1984 when David was making the 'Romance' album, he lived with Dick and his wife Tinca , at the Wick on Richmond Hill.

David told many times that Richmond was his favourite part of London. When Sue and David wrote 'Lyin' To Myself', they took the song to Dick. Sue Shifrin : "..we played it for him and he said, 'This song is fantastic, but you need to rework the chorus'. We changed it and Dick said , 'This is  a number one record.' (David Cassidy: Could It Be Forever ?, 2007)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9abTz7tVGA

It was Dick Leahy (again) who in 1984 introduced David to  George Michael. He arranged  a dinner for them. 

George Michael..On June 25th was his birthday, he died nearly 5 years ago. Born in 1963, he knew how big was DC in the 70s.  They became friends. They partied and worked together and that friendship was written about a lot : 'Wham ! heartthrob George Michael joined David Cassidy to help The Last Kiss rocked to #6 in the charts. Award-winning musician George, was happy just to sing backing vocals on that hit. George worked to help David with his comeback hit and David was happy to be the subject of his friend's first interview when George tried his hand at rock writing'' (August, 1985). 

So first the song. This is my number 1 DC's performance of 'The Last Kiss' , since that video has appeared on YT on April 9th, 2021..A great song and David Cassidy is breathtaking..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxTcoUyxcgs

And the interview. It was on 'Ritz Magazine' in June 1985, and it's something really special. This is more like a conversation, sincere and  sophisticated. They were talking about life, showbusiness, music, fame, money and horses. When asked what he thought about being famous again, David said - 

'I want success again. I wouldn't be doing it otherwise. Singing and performing, it becomes like a drug. When 'The Last Kiss' was in the Top 10, I looked up and said - thank you Jesus. I can still make it'. About The Last Kiss :' It's about something very real and important that actually happened to me. Every time I sing it I keep going to the experience in order to be real for me.' 

About money  he earned in the 70s : 'I was tragically wealthy and unhappy. You are making more money that you ever imagined - filthy money that people are constantly trying to steal from you' ..and the last fragment : 'If anyone asked me what I really wanted in the world, that would be to win the Kentucky Derby'...

http://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/InPrintPages/Mag1985JuneRitz.html



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