Jane Birkin the Isle of Wight Connection

By a slightly cuffed Paul Armfield,
excellent songwriter,superb double
and electric bassist plus Ottakers
Bookshop gem of information

I've discovered a bit of information that I've been itching to pass your way ever since. A couple of nights ago I was reading a fairly new biography of Serge Gainsbourg (for whom I nurture an ever increasing admiration), which of course divides its attentions equally between his two passions: women and music (maybe that should be three as I'm never sure how he found time between cigarettes to pursue either).

Anyway, as I'm sure you know, our man Serge, after a brief but intense affair with Brigitte Bardot (who incidentally was the first person to record 'Je T'aime', as well as being the songs muse), met a young English actress called Jane Birkin, recently estranged from her soon to be ex husband John Barry. Having recently risen to fame as the pubic hair in 'Blow Up' and several other lesser known films, she was picked to play opposite the middle aged, haggard Serge in one of many films in which he starred as a middle-aged, haggard character.

The rest you know, except, in the book's potted history of Ms Birkin it describes how much of her fairly privilaged childhood was spent at the family's second home on (you know what's coming) our very own sunny isle. Near Freshwater to be vaguely precise. There you have it, another artery in the Isle of Wight Rock bloodline.

A slightly chuffed Paul Armfield.
As emailed to Mike Plumbley with additions to his byeline.