Janie Jones
Marion Mitchell (born 1941,[1] Seaham, County Durham), better known by her stage name, Janie Jones, was an English singer. She became renowned for being a madame in London during the 1970s, and was jailed for her involvement in the BBC Radio One 'sex for airplay' payola scandal. She first achieved notoriety in August 1964, when she attended the film premiere of London in the Raw, wearing a topless dress.
Jones had been a pop singer in the 1960s, her best results coming from the cackling novelty number "Witches Brew" which peaked at number 46 in the UK Singles Chart.[2] The cabaret singer was imprisoned for seven years in 1973 for her involvement in 'controlling prostitutes', and for her part in the Radio One payola scandal, that was broken by a story in the News of the World.[3]
Whilst in jail, she met and befriended the Moors murderer Myra Hindley and made numerous television appearances insisting that Hindley was a reformed woman and should be considered for release. However Jones developed a deep hatred for Hindley in 1996 when Hindley finally confessed to her crimes.[4] In 1993 she wrote an autobiography titled 'The Devil and Miss Jones: The Twisted Mind of Myra Hindley'.
She is the subject of a song by The Clash called "Janie Jones", which was released in 1977 on the band's eponymous debut album.[5] In 2006, the song was covered by Babyshambles. Jones appeared in the music video for the Babyshambles version, being chauffeured around London together with Mick Jones.
In 1982, Jones, backed by members of The Clash and the Blockheads and credited as Janie Jones & the Lash, recorded a single, "House of the Ju-Ju Queen" b/w "Sex Machine", which was produced by Joe Strummer and released the following year. In December 1983, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Jones was on the 'comeback trail'.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Probertencyclopaedia.com
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 289. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Payola Scandal
- ^ Geraldine Bedell (18 April 1993). "Profile: Beyond forgiveness?: Myra Hindley". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/profile-beyond-forgiveness-myra-hindley--geraldine-bedell-on-the-child-murderer-with-an-enduring-capacity-to-make-friends-in-high-places-1456064.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ a b Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 387. CN 5585.
[edit] External links
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