John Leyton & The Flames - John Leyton & The Flames (2010)

John Dudley Leyton (born 17 February 1936) is an English actor and singer.

Leyton as a singer is best known for his hit song "Johnny Remember Me" (written by Geoff Goddard and produced by Joe Meek), which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 1961 despite being banned by the BBC for its death references.[3] His follow-up single, "Wild Wind", reached number two in the charts.

Alongside singing, Leyton's acting career saw him appearing in television and films throughout the 1960s. His films included The Great Escape, Guns at Batasi, Von Ryan's Express and Krakatoa, East of Java. In 2009 he also had a small role in the film Telstar, a biopic based on Joe Meek's life in which Leyton himself was portrayed by Callum Dixon.

As musicians, the Flames broke the mold in almost every way. Of East Indian extraction, they were the only non-African soul group performing in South Africa; they lived in Durban, not Jo-burg; recorded albums, rather than attempting the singles market; and they covered pre-existing songs rather then writing their own material. In spite, or perhaps because, of this unorthodoxy, they were wildly successful. Two group members subsequently emigrated to the States where they joined the Beach Boys in 1972.