Chesney Lee Hawkes was the son of "Chip" Hawkes, of the lost 60's band The Tremeloes (a fact proudly bandied around at the time) and "singer and hostess" Carol.

In 1991, aged nineteen, Ches was gifted a pop classic in Nik Kershaw's "The One And Only", from rubbish forgotton musical "Buddy's Song" and later used in "Doc Hollywood" (l-l-l-lost!). He also starred in "Buddy's Song" with Roger Daltrey and Michael Elphick (who is now sadly dead). "The One and Only" shot to number 1 and became a student standard, eventually winding up the 20th most successful single of the decade (or something).

A palpable hit. Look, you can see the mole too.

For a while, Ches was the most successful pop star on the planet, gracing the cover of Smash Hits with his band (including his brother) with alarming regularity, and wooing girls the country over, even despite his unfortunate mole.

Alas, he would become the very epitome of "one hit wonder" as he never graced the top 10 again, follow-up "I'm A Man Not A Boy" (later taken higher chartwards by shit nineties lad band North and South) flippity-flip-flop-floodling around the edge of the Top 30.

And that seemed to be that. Hawkes found himself barren and hitless.

An unbid on Ebay item. YESTERDAY.

He just wasn't very interesting, and there was the mole of course. In 1993 Chesney Lee tried to launch a follow-up album, "Get The Picture", but quite frankly if the world wasn't interested in him immediately after "The One And Only", he had buckleys chance two years later. He moved to LA and shared a two bedroom flat with the rest of his band as "money was tight". A two bedroom flat in LA? Sounds like squalor.

He then waited eight years for retro to be invented. Ches' sad looking film discography tells the tale of his nineties:

Buddy's Song (1991) - Buddy
Prince Valiant (1997) - Stable Hand

On December 31st 2001, he released "Stay Away Baby Jane" with Brian McAndrew (l-l-l...), a self-penned ditty. Smell someone trying to crack the lucrative New Year chart when no other records are released. Alas, somehow he still managed to only make #74 with the single. Nevertheless, he appeared on "A Question of Pop" (lost!) and "Top Ten Teen Idols" to support the record.

"The Games" - a sweetshop of candy

Songwriting "success" followed as he wrote for Hepburn (he has a song on Jamie Benson's solo album! Yes he has!), Tricky and (oh dear) Caprice. Pity the Hawkes. There was also an A1 b-side. Sob.

In 2005, he appeared on "The Games". Apparently "Hawkes' reputation for his dedication for the fans was brought into disrepute after his appearance, when he failed to answer a number of e-mails from devoted fans". Give him a break!

He also did "Hit Me Baby One More Time" and released a single "Another Fine Mess" (backed with Robbie's "She's The One") which "cracked" the Top 50. There was also a new version of "The One and Only" in which Ches has the shit vocodered out of him. It's dance-tastic!

A new single. YESTERDAY! It's £1.18p from Amazon.

Bizarrely, he's now writing with comedian Tony Hawks! It's on Myspace. Go! Now!

Smell it for £4.97p new!

REALLY! I'm sure he's lovely, but never has so little been spread so thinly. There are 20 tracks, including the hits "The One And Only", "I'm A Man Not A Boy" and "Fairweather Christian". Amazon recommends I buy "The Best of Let Loose" at the same time, for shame.

Hawkes, ageless and deathless. Nice strap.