As a French resident, it is surprising to me that Amanda Lear has certainly turned the page on her music career, with very rare appearances and no special reissues. In fact, she is now better known as a successful theatre actress who fills the seats. Here she is discussing it:
And regarding her sexuality, I am going to give you the link between Amanda Lear and.... JULIO IGLESIAS.
In the 60's, there was a pop duo in Spain called El Dúo Dinámico, composed by Manolo de la Calva and Ramon Arcusa. You could say they were our Everly Brothers, but, after an early phase covering American dance and rock hits, they went all in into pop. Clean image, pop idols (but with working class experience). They are still around and were incredibly huge, even composing a Spanish Eurovision Song Contest winner. They retired in the mid-70s and went into composing and producing. In the 80s they came back and are still around, even getting huge cred points when one of their new songs (not a 60's hit) was used in a Pedro Almodóvar film and has become an anthem (specially during the Covid pandemic) called "Resistiré")
They both composed a huge hit for Julio Iglesias called "Soy un truhán, soy un señor", a song that fits to a T Julio's personality as a smooth operator, a suave and irressitible seducer... Ramon went on to become Julio's producer for about 15-20 years.
I was digressing. In Ramon's autobiography, he explains that, in the early 60's, he once met a group of female artists and he goes out for a party night with one woman called Peki. Everything goes fine (dinner, then a cosy pub, later a disco...) and he takes her to a jazz club called Bourbon Street. The local combo is led by composer and arranger Juan Carlos Calderón (a veryl long list of songs and productions... his biggest hit is "Eres Tu" - "Touch the Wind" in it English adaptation - a 2nd place Eurovision Song Contest for Mocedades). Juan Carlos calls Ramon, and tells him discreetly: "Do you know that you are dancing with a travestite?" Ramón is shocked, and finds out that Peki is a dancer in a strip show, with the full name Peki d'Oslo and that the cosy pub wasthe place to be for gay / lesbian in Madrid. Years later, he sees Salvador Dalí going out with Peki d'Oslo, but now known as Amanda Lear.
Thank you Antonio, for your comment and your story! Really fun and interesting! There are so many truths about Amanda Lear - that is is why she is so iconic and adored! :)
Very good article!
As a French resident, it is surprising to me that Amanda Lear has certainly turned the page on her music career, with very rare appearances and no special reissues. In fact, she is now better known as a successful theatre actress who fills the seats. Here she is discussing it:
https://www.france.tv/france-2/quelle-epoque/5811576-la-reine-amanda-lear-cartonne-au-theatre.html
She was made chevalier des arts et lettres in 2006...
https://www.20minutes.fr/people/133281-20070117-dernier-chevalier-arts-lettres
But using her name as Amanda Tapp
http://www.france-phaleristique.com/oal_promo_14-07-2006.htm
Mme Amanda TAPP, dite Amanda LEAR - Chanteuse, animatrice, artiste-peintre.
And regarding her sexuality, I am going to give you the link between Amanda Lear and.... JULIO IGLESIAS.
In the 60's, there was a pop duo in Spain called El Dúo Dinámico, composed by Manolo de la Calva and Ramon Arcusa. You could say they were our Everly Brothers, but, after an early phase covering American dance and rock hits, they went all in into pop. Clean image, pop idols (but with working class experience). They are still around and were incredibly huge, even composing a Spanish Eurovision Song Contest winner. They retired in the mid-70s and went into composing and producing. In the 80s they came back and are still around, even getting huge cred points when one of their new songs (not a 60's hit) was used in a Pedro Almodóvar film and has become an anthem (specially during the Covid pandemic) called "Resistiré")
They both composed a huge hit for Julio Iglesias called "Soy un truhán, soy un señor", a song that fits to a T Julio's personality as a smooth operator, a suave and irressitible seducer... Ramon went on to become Julio's producer for about 15-20 years.
I was digressing. In Ramon's autobiography, he explains that, in the early 60's, he once met a group of female artists and he goes out for a party night with one woman called Peki. Everything goes fine (dinner, then a cosy pub, later a disco...) and he takes her to a jazz club called Bourbon Street. The local combo is led by composer and arranger Juan Carlos Calderón (a veryl long list of songs and productions... his biggest hit is "Eres Tu" - "Touch the Wind" in it English adaptation - a 2nd place Eurovision Song Contest for Mocedades). Juan Carlos calls Ramon, and tells him discreetly: "Do you know that you are dancing with a travestite?" Ramón is shocked, and finds out that Peki is a dancer in a strip show, with the full name Peki d'Oslo and that the cosy pub wasthe place to be for gay / lesbian in Madrid. Years later, he sees Salvador Dalí going out with Peki d'Oslo, but now known as Amanda Lear.
Thank you Antonio, for your comment and your story! Really fun and interesting! There are so many truths about Amanda Lear - that is is why she is so iconic and adored! :)