John Otway, (born October 2, 1952, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom) is a self-confessed unsuccessful singer songwriter, who built a large cult audience through unrelenting touring, a surreal sense of humour and a winning underdog personality. Although his first single, Gypsy/Misty Mountain was released in 1972, Otway shot to fame on the back of punk rock and a gymnastic performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test. His sixth single, the half-spoken love song Really Free reached number 27 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977.