Virginia Astley
| Virginia Astley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 September 1959 |
| Origin | Stanmore, Middlesex |
| Genres | Alternative, ambient pop, dreampop |
| Occupation(s) |
Singer Songwriter Musician |
| Instruments | Keyboard/Vocals |
| Labels | Various |
| Associated acts |
|
| Website | www |
Virginia Astley (born 26 September 1959) is an English singer-songwriter most active during the 1980s and 1990s. Her songwriting career started in 1980. Her classical training influenced her as did a desire to be experimental with her music. Although more popular in the Far East, most notably Japan, she remains a cult artist in her native England.
Virginia Astley was born in Garston, Hertfordshire, along side her identical twin, Alison in 1959, the second daughter of composer Edwin Astley, noted for TV themes such as The Saint, and his wife Hazel Balbirnie, who married in 1945. Virginia Astley's family was from the Warrington area and lived in Grappenhall, where her elder sister Karen was born in 1947. The family relocated to Stanmore in Middlesex because of Edwin's work as a film and TV writer. In the early 1960s he was musical director at ITC Entertainment in Borehamwood, the company responsible for TV series such as The Saint and Danger Man.
In 1968 Karen became the wife of Pete Townshend of The Who. In the 1970s Virginia's elder brother, Jon Astley, became a tape operator for Eric Clapton and worked his way up to his current activities as a remasterer and producer.
Virginia began learning piano at the age of six and flute at 14. After leaving school, she studied at the Guildhall School Of Music. Her first professional appearance in public was as a busker outside South Kensington tube station. In 1980 she auditioned for a new band from Clapham, the Victims of Pleasure. Virginia, playing keyboards, worked with them for a short while playing in clubs and pubs around London. The band released three singles between 1980 and 1982 before splitting up.
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