JOHN Otway is dubbed as “rock and roll’s greatest failure” but, 37 years after his first chart hit, he is about to embark on his latest UK tour in a career which has seen the eccentric rocker do just about everything imaginable.

It all started with a performance on The Grey Old Whistle Test in 1977 and his first hit, Really Free, which would be his only hit until 2002.

After that he developed a cult fan base as he was shunned by the mainstream music industry after a series of flops.

Otway said: “The title of my book, I Did it Otway: Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure, came from my publisher. Instead of the standard autobiography I thought it would be fun to do it from the perspective of good management, good record publisher but a self-destructive artist. The publisher liked the idea, so I had to go out and be that failure which I found easier than trying to be a success.”

Otway is often derided by music critics as a man who can’t sing or play an instrument, but for diehard fans who still fill out his concerts after 40 years, it is one of his biggest draws. No two Otway gigs are ever the same.

He added: “I think my guitar playing has improved over the years but I’m not sure the band would agree with me. They say I know one chord – which is the one where my fingers happen to land on the guitar.”

At his peak, Otway was frequently in the news for his pioneering marketing techniques which were often aimed at trying desperately to get a second chart hit, one of which was BOGOF tickets.

It was all part of his attempt to find fame, a dream he is still chasing with the release of the film charting his up and down career, Otway: The Movie. He said: “The intention has always been to become a worldwide superstar, I haven’t given up that dream.

“Even when I made the movie I hoped I could gain worldwide recognition.”

For his latest tour he reunites with Wild Willy Barrett, the guitarist with whom he originally found fame back in the 70s.

Yet he has ruled out letting Barrett conduct the old “headbutts” routine that saw the guitarist smash a SM58 on Otway’s forehead.

He said: “I have done a few tours with Willy over the last decade but it is quite popular and it is nice to do a lot of old stuff.

“But no, I am not letting him hit me, it is too hard when Willy makes me bang my head. We still do the old routine but I hit my head against the microphone, that way I can stop it hurting so much. I am looking forward to coming back to Salisbury because it is always jolly good fun.”

John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett are playing at the City Hall on October 19 with tickets available at cityhallsalisbury.co.uk.