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The soundtrack to McVicar, released June 1980, is widely considered Roger’s strongest solo album on account of it being a de facto Who album. Pete and John played on it (despite not being credited as The Who), which provides a very Who-like sound. While this is a very strong contender for the title of Roger’s best work on its own merit, it’s very telling that many people regard it so highly because the other guys are on it. These fans (frequently older guys, in my experience) dismiss Roger’s solo albums where he tried a very different style, as though he owed it to them to only ever make music sounding exactly like Who songs. Artists are allowed to try new things!
McVicar, in which Roger plays the title role, is based on the memoir McVicar by Himself, written by armed robber and prison escapee John McVicar (21 March 1940–6 September 2022). Roger was so fascinated by Mr. McVicar’s account of prison life, he bought the film rights to the book with the intention of acting in it. Many people also consider this Roger’s best film work.
John McVicar began shoplifting and breaking into cars as a teen, and escaped a remand home for juvenile offenders in 1956, aged sixteen. He was sentenced to two years of borstal training (youth detention), and became an armed robber after his release. In 1964 he got in trouble with the law again and was sentenced to two years in prison.
He escaped custody while he and a dozen other guys were on their way back HM Prison Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight after a dubious trial. The other escapees were soon discovered during a massive manhunt, but Mr. McVicar remained undetected and got in touch with gang boss Joey Pyle.
Mr. Pyle drove down to Portsmouth and took him as far as Dorking, where he attempted to evade a police roadblock. Mr. McVicar jumped out of the car and made a run for it before the cops could corner them in a cul-de-sac.
John McVicar (far right) at the Cannes Film Festival with Roger and Adam Faith, May 1980; Copyright Daily Mirror (© Mirrorpix)
Mr. McVicar tried to rob an armoured security van while on the run and was busted by cops. More charges were put on him, and he was sentenced to another fifteen years, on top of the eight he was already serving. He was moved to HM Prison Durham, which he once more escaped.
For two years, he was at large in Blackheath, London, with his girlfriend Shirley Wilshire and their son Russell, who was born in 1965. During this time, he was dubbed Public Enemy Number One by Scotland Yard. When he was finally caught, he was forced to continue his 23-year sentence until being paroled in 1978.
He married Shirley in 1972, but they divorced before he was paroled. Russell followed in his footsteps and became an armed robber and prison escapee himself.
His 1980 memoir, which he also wrote the screenplay for, covers a few months of his time in prison instead of of his entire life up to that point. The first half of the film is set in Durham and focuses on the relationships between inmates and prison officials, his plotting to escape, and his successful break.
The second half depicts him on the run in London, during which he plans to start a new crime-free life in Canada with his family. This plan doesn’t come to fruition, however, as he can’t fund it without more crime. He’s busted by the cops after a so-called friend squeals.
Mr. McVicar returns to prison and has more years pasted onto his sentence. While behind bars, he studies for a bachelor’s degree in sociology and is later released.
The film première was at Rialto Cinema in London’s Leicester Square on 27 August 1980. It was produced by Bill Curbishley (The Who’s manager) and Roy Baird, and was nominated for Best Picture in 1981 at the International Mystery Film Festival of Cattolica.
The soundtrack reached #22 in the U.S., #39 in the U.K., #41 in The Netherlands, #44 in New Zealand, and #87 in Australia. Richard Evans designed the sleeve, and David James did the photography.
Track listing:
“Bitter and Twisted” (written by Steve Swindells)
“Just a Dream Away” (Russ Ballard)
“Escape, Part One” (Jeff Wayne) (instrumental)
“White City Lights” (Billy Nicholls and Jon Lind)
“Free Me” (Russ Ballard) (#39 in the U.K.; #53 in the U.S.; #66 in Australia)
“My Time Is Gonna Come” (Russ Ballard)
“Waiting for a Friend” (Billy Nicholls) (#104 in the U.S.)
“Escape, Part Two” (Jeff Wayne) (instrumental)
“Without Your Love” (Billy Nicholls) (#20 in the U.S.; #55 in the U.K.)
“McVicar” (Billy Nicholls)
I love every single song on this album! It’s the perfect place to start with Roger’s solo work, since it sounds so much like a Who album and is such strong material on its own merits. A classic not to be missed.