Marianne Faithfull, British singer and icon, dies at 78

Marianne Faithfull, the British pop star, muse and libertine who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones' greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied, has died. She was 78.
Faithfull passed away Thursday in London, her music promotion company Republic Media said.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed."
The blonde, voluptuous Faithfull was a celebrity before turning 17, homeless by her mid-20s and an inspiration to peers and younger artists by her early 30s, when her raw, explicit Broken English album brought her the kinds of reviews the Stones had received. Over the following decades, her admirers would include Beck, Billy Corgan, Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, although her history would always be closely tied to the Stones and to the years she dated Mick Jagger.
One of the first songs written by Jagger and Keith Richards, the melancholy As Tears Go By, was her breakthrough hit when released in 1964 and the start of her close and tormented relationship with the band.
Swinging London
She and Jagger began seeing each other in 1966 and became one of the most glamorous and notorious couples of "Swinging London," with Faithfull once declaring that if LSD "wasn't meant to happen, it wouldn't have been invented." Their rejection of conventional values was defined by a widely publicized 1967 drug bust that left Jagger and Richards briefly in jail and Faithfull identified in tabloids as "Naked Girl At Stones Party," a label she would find humiliating and inescapable.
"One of the hazards of reforming your evil ways is that some people won't let go of their mind's eye of you as a wild thing," she wrote in Memories, Dreams and Reflections, a 2007 memoir.
Jagger and Richards often cited bluesmen and early rock 'n' rollers as their prime influences, but Faithfull and her close friend Anita Pallenberg, Richards' longtime partner, also opened the band to new ways of thinking. Both were worldlier than their boyfriends at the time, and helped transform the Stones' songwriting and personas, whether as muses or as collaborators.
Faithfull is known to have inspired numerous Stones songs. Among them, her drug use helped shape such jaded takes on the London rock scene as You Can't Always Get What You Want and Live with Me, while her time with Jagger also coincided with one of his most vulnerable love songs, Wild Horses.
Iconic voice
On her own, the London-born Faithfull specialized at first in genteel ballads, among them Come Stay With Me, Summer Nights and This Little Bird. But even in her teens, Faithfull sang in a fragile alto that suggested knowledge and burdens far beyond her years. Her voice would later crack and coarsen, and her life and work after splitting with Jagger in 1970 was one of looking back and carrying on through emotional and physical pain.
She had become addicted to heroin in the late '60s, suffered a miscarriage while seven months pregnant and nearly died from an overdose of sleeping pills. (Jagger, meanwhile, had an affair with Pallenberg and had a baby with actor Marsha Hunt). By the early '70s, Faithfull was living in the streets of London and had lost custody of the son, Nicholas, she had with her estranged husband, the gallery owner John Dunbar. She would also battle anorexia and hepatitis, was treated for breast cancer, broke her hip in a fall and was hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020.
She shared everything, uncensored, in her memoirs and in her music, notably Broken English, which came out in 1979 and featured her seething Why'd Ya Do It and conflicted Guilt, in which she chants "I feel guilt, I feel guilt, though I know I've done no wrong."
Other albums included Dangerous Acquaintances, Strange Weather, the live Blazing Away and, most recently, She Walks in Beauty. Though Faithfull was defined by the 1960s, her sensibility often reached back to the pre-rock world of German cabaret, and she covered numerous songs by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, including Ballad of the Soldier's Wife and the "sung" ballet The Seven Deadly Sins.
Her interests extended to theatre, film and television. Faithfull began acting in the 1960s, including an appearance in Jean-Luc Godard's Made In U.S.A. and stage roles in Hamlet and Chekhov's Three Sisters. She would later appear in such films as Marie Antoinette and The Girl from Nagasaki, and the TV series Absolutely Fabulous, in which she was cast as — and did not flinch from playing — God.
Faithful was married three times, and in recent years dated her manager, Francois Ravard. Jagger was her most famous lover, but other men in her life included Richards ("so great and memorable," she would say of their one-night stand), David Bowie and the early rock star Gene Pitney. Among the rejected: Bob Dylan, who had been so taken that he was writing a song about her, until Faithfull, pregnant with her son at the time, turned him down.
"Without warning, he turned into Rumpelstiltskin," she wrote in Faithfull, published in 1994. "He went over to the typewriter, took a sheaf of papers and began ripping them up into smaller and smaller pieces, after which he let them fall into the wastepaper basket."
A life of intrigue and connections
Faithfull's heritage was one of intrigue, decadence and fallen empires. Her father was a British intelligence officer during World War Two who helped saved her mother from the Nazis in Vienna. Faithfull's more distant ancestors included various Austro-Hungarian aristocrats and Count Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, a 19th century Austrian whose last name and scandalous novel Venus in Furs helped create the term "masochism."
Faithfull's parents separated when she was six and her childhood would include time in a convent and in what she would call a "nutty" sex-obsessed commune. By her teens, she was reading Simone de Beauvoir, listening to Odetta and Joan Baez and singing in folk clubs. Through the London art scene, she met Dunbar, who introduced her to Paul McCartney and other celebrities. Dunbar also co-founded the Indica Gallery, where John Lennon would say he met Yoko Ono.
"The threads of a dozen little scenes were invisibly twining together," she wrote in her memoir. "All these people — gallery owners, photographers, pop stars, aristocrats and assorted talented layabouts more or less invented the scene in London, so I guess I was present at the creation."
Her future was set in March 1964, when she attended a recording party for one of London's hot young bands, the Rolling Stones. Scorning the idea that she and Jagger immediately fell for each other, she would regard the Stones as "yobby schoolboys" and witnessed Jagger fighting with his then-girlfriend, the model Chrissie Shrimpton, so in tears that her false eyelashes were peeling off.
But she was deeply impressed by one man, Stones manager Andrew "Loog" Oldham, who looked "powerful and dangerous and very sure of himself." A week later, Oldham sent her a telegram, asking her to come to London's Olympic Studios. With Jagger and Richards looking on, Oldham played her a demo of a "very primitive" song, As Tears Go By, which Faithfull needed just two takes to complete.
"It's an absolutely astonishing thing for a boy of 20 to have written," Faithfull wrote in her 1994 memoir. "A song about a woman looking back nostalgically on her life. The uncanny thing is that Mick should have written those words so long before everything happened. It's almost as if our whole relationship was prefigured in that song."

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Winnipeg Free Press

2 days ago

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Turn books into mushrooms — like magic

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The Province

3 days ago

• The Province

Hong Kong food tour is a window to Chinese food in Vancouver

Mia Stainsby goes on a food tour with Humid with Chance of Fishballs with founder Virginia Chan trying uniquely Hong Kong dishes. Kung Wo Beancurd Factory, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, has been making soy products since 1803. Photo by Gavin Wilson Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. In the Vancouver area, cha chaan tengs, or uniquely Hong Kong cafés, are potent nostalgia to former Hong Kongers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Locally, I'm talking the likes of New Town Bakery and Restaurant, Ho Yuen Cafe, The Boss Bakery and Restaurant in Vancouver, and the Lido, Cha Don, Cha Kee, and 852 Kitchen in Richmond. At cha chaan tengs, British colonialism insinuated its way into Hong Kong-meets-west dishes like eggs and toast, macaroni soup with ham, French toast, egg sandwiches, pork chops and rice, along with more Asian dishes like satay beef noodles. And always, always, egg tarts, pineapple buns, milk tea with condensed milk, and yuen yueng (a mix of coffee, tea, milk, sugar). The cuisine has been named a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. 'It's what I think the epitome of Hong Kong food is,' said Virginia Chan, a food tour operator in Hong Kong. 'The Cantonese food we eat, like dim sum and Chinese barbecued meats, is from the Canton, or Guangdong, region in China. But the food you find at a cha chaan teng is iconic and unique to Hong Kong. It was invented here. It's influenced by the British but they wouldn't recognize it to be their own. It's ours. We made it our own. Classics like macaroni in soup, egg tarts and French toast, pineapple buns, milk tea — all invented in Hong Kong.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Virginia Chan, a Vancouver ex-pat and founder of Humid with a Chance of Fishballs food tours. Photo by Virginia Chan I love to go on food tours on my travels. And in Hong Kong, it was with Chan, a Vancouver expat and founder of Humid with a Chance of Fishballs food tours. The quirky name riffs on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs — the multiplatform franchise about a kid and a machine that turns water into food storms. Chan is a machine herself, breathlessly leading us to some iconic foods, elucidating on their whys and wherefores. Cha chaan tengs, Chan says, began as tea houses. 'People loved to have what they called afternoon tea here, usually with a pastry. The British had them at hotels and fancy restaurants, which locals couldn't afford, so they made their own version. 'At dim sum, it's tea with no milk or sweetener but in these cha chan tengs, instead of full leaf tea, they'd use the brokens and the dust.' Tata and Yellow Label Lipton tea are popular go-tos. Brits used fresh milk; Hong Kongers made milk tea with evaporated milk. 'It had a longer shelf life and was cheaper. We call it silk stocking tea because it got strained through a long cloth bag that looked like a stocking.' There's usually a bakery in the restaurant because the British taught them how to bake (whereas at dim sum, most items are steamed). Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The egg tart's origin is debatable, Chan says. 'Some say it's from the Portuguese. I say it's British because it was originally made with short crust. I think puff pastry is more popular these days, though.' The perpetually busy Kam Wah Café in the Mong Kok neighbourhood is one such cha chaan teng, a locals' favourite for pineapple buns and egg tarts. There, we had both, along with French toast with a slab of butter and milk tea. 'They just got inspired by British goods but made Hong Kong versions, due to an unavailability of goods or taste preference. A cool example is chicken pie. Hong Kongers make individual sizes and instead of butter, we use lard for the pastry and the seasoning would be soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. The chicken was tossed in Chinese seasoning and mixed with peas and ham instead of potatoes and mushrooms,' Chan said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A day earlier, I had visited Central's Lan Fong Yuen, the G.O.A.T and longest reigning cha chaan teng when it comes to milk tea. It started as a dai pai dong or streetside stall in 1952. The finest pineapple bun I had, though, was in the entirely different world of the two-Michelin Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel, where it was beautifully crafted into designer patisserie fare. For the very Hong Kong tradition of dim sum, we went to Luk on Kui, one of the few survivors of dim sum by trolley. In this raucous second-floor room, you scramble for a seat, sharing a table with strangers. On the third floor, you can get table service for an extra charge. 'They're moving away from trolley service as people are getting wealthier and want to be served,' Chan says. 'And dim sum chefs are dying off as it takes a lot of skill and no one wants to do it anymore.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Dim sum at Luk On Kui, one of the few survivors of dim sum by trolley in Hong Kong. Photo by Gavin Wilson There's a shelf under the table for newspapers and papers for business meet ups (safe from the messier business of eating). If someone pours you tea, tap with three fingers in a 'thank you', an ancient tradition from when an emperor secretly visited tea houses. When he poured tea, his entourage would tap with three fingers, symbolizing a bowed head and prostrate arms, while concealing the emperor's identity. Chan poured tea from a bowl into smaller tea bowls. 'Green tea is cooling and black tea is warming,' she said, in traditional Chinese medicine parlance. 'Tea was also the commercial driving force in Hong Kong and the reason it came under British rule.' With hours of sampling ahead of us, we settled for just two dumplings. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At Mammy's Pancakes in Central Market, the first Michelin-recommended street food stall, they don't do pancakes, they do egg waffles in umpteen flavours (like pork floss and sesame, white sesame and chocolate, lemon). The egg-rich light waffles, originally inspired by the Dutch dollar waffles or stroopwafels, were hot and crisp and delicate. Then, another egg tart stop. Why not, when they're in the top five of Hong Kong snacks. Tai Cheong Bakery, an egg tart go-to for 71 years, often ranks as the best. Another why not! We joined a lineup at a Michelin Bib Gourmand ice cream shop in Kowloon for a black sesame ice cream cone. Heartwarming is known for stone-ground black sesame (ground by two stone mills by the door) products. As the Michelin Guide points out, the products are prized for their intense flavour and chewy texture. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At Lau Sum Kee, a Bib Gourmand in Sham Shui Po run by a third generation of operators, we had noodles made using a bamboo pole, a dying technique. The pole is hooked to the wall above the noodles and the noodle master bounces, see-saw like, sitting on the other end, flattening dough that is made with Canadian flour and duck eggs. It's then fed into a roller and cut into noodle strands or wonton sheets. The technique gives the noodles a firm, springy texture. I could taste the artisanal love in the prawn and pork wontons, the lo mein with dried shrimp roe, and noodle soup. Noodles at Lau Sum Kee, a Bib Gourmand in Sham Shui Po run by a third generation of operators. Photo by Gavin Wilson Nearby Kung Wo Beancurd Factory, another Bib Gourmand, has been making soy products since 1803. 'It's my favourite place to have tofu pudding and tofu,' Chan said. 'I love the silken texture. No one else does it quite like them. The tofu fragrance is light, subtle and the texture is sooo light, airy and silky.' Although the pudding is often served with red beans or black sesame, this place spotlights the tofu. 'Kung Wo is so confident, they only let you add some sugar. That's it.' The shop offers other dishes like chicken wings, pig's feet, dumplings and noodles, too. But yes, the tofu pudding is like silk and cream. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After wandering through the Nelson Street wet market, with an amazing display of seafood (including frogs, butchered fish still twitching from muscle contractions, fresh fish maw) we managed one more tasting at another Michelin-recommended street food spot. The rice rolls, or cheung fun, at Hop Yik Tai are humble but with a wonderfully silky texture. With peanut, hoisin or hot sauce, it grabs you by your lapel to take notice. Too crowded inside, we happily ate (was it with toothpicks?) in an alley. Side dish Times are tough for so many families and corporate kindness matters more than ever. The Glowbal Restaurant Group has a history of helping to feed families in need and on Canada Day, they'll be holding a fundraising 'Great Canadian Patio Party.' Proceeds will go to Snacks for Kids, a program run by volunteer Vancouver firefighters, providing nutritional support to 10,000 food insecure youths in over 90 Vancouver schools and after school programs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Head to the patio at Glowbal Restaurant at 590 West Georgia Street and from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 1, there'll be music (Gift Shop, a Tragically Hip tribute band), a barbecue with burgers, hot dogs and other grilled items, side dishes, Canada-inspired desserts like poutine bar, cotton candy, snow cones and more. For kids, there's a bouncy castle and face painting. Tickets are $30 ticket ($40 at the door). Glowbal group of restaurants (Glowbal, Coast, Italian Kitchen, Five Sails, Black and Blue, The Roof, Riley's, Trattoria) will be providing 250 meals a week in the next school year to families in need in Vancouver elementary and secondary schools, which will be delivered by volunteer firefighters. miastainsby@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks World BC Lions NHL