How Playing the Part of a Real Troublemaker Secured Roadent His Place in the Pop Cultural Imagination

Roadent in 1977

 

Everyone (of a certain age) will remember the haunting hit single by The Passions, 'I'm in Love With a German Film Star' [1]. 

 

But not everyone will know that the object of Barbara Gogan's desire - whom she once saw in the corner of a bar trying not to pose - was neither German, nor, to be honest, a film star [2]; it was, rather, Stephen Conolly, aka Roadent, an English punk rocker, famed for his association with the Sex Pistols and the Clash. 

 

For me, Roadent is one of those somewhat shadowy and almost legendary figures from back in the day; someone who, to a large extent, is now of more interest than the (surviving) members of the bands whom he once assisted; and someone who, by playing the part of a real troublemaker, has secured his place in the pop cultural imagination.  

 

 

Notes

 

[1] The Passions were a post-punk band from West London, fronted by the Dublin-born songstress Barbara Gogan. The single 'I'm in Love With a German Film Star' was released in January 1981 on Polydor Records and reached the top 30 in the UK singles chart (which, for The Passions, was as good as it got). 

      Those who cannot recall the tune, or have never heard it, are invited to click here to play on YouTube. Or to watch a Top of the Pops performance, click here.  

[2] Having said that, it's true that Roadent has had minor roles in a couple of German films - including Brennende Langweile (dir. Wolfgang Büld, 1979) - and he also played the character of Joker in two episodes of the German TV series Das Ding (1978).