Marianne Faithfull: 60s icon who carved her own path


ll was frequently in the public eye.

But her personal life spiralled out of control.

After splitting up with Jagger, she turned to heroin.

She lost custody of her son, Nicholas, and hit rock bottom – spending two years living rough in Soho’s seedy streets.

Her transformation from doe-eyed pop star to hopeless addict was complete.

She later described the experience as “a lesson in survival and perseverance”.

But survival and perseverance were not enough for her to break free from her addiction.

It was only in 1985, after almost dying as a result of alcoholism, that she finally hit rock bottom again and sought help.

She checked into London’s Hazelden Clinic and gradually worked her way back to sobriety.

From then on, she focused on rebuilding her career.

She recorded a string of critically acclaimed albums, ranging from the baroque pop of 1979’s Broken English to the hauntingly beautiful Strange Weather in 1987.

She also acted in films and TV shows, including Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and the BBC drama, The Singing Detective.

Getty Images Marianne Faithfull receiving the MOJO Maverick Award in 2009Getty Images

Marianne Faithfull received the MOJO Maverick Award in 2009

In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy.

But she never lost her fighting spirit.

Over the years, she became a patron of numerous charities, including the Watford Peace Hospice and the Hepatitis C Trust.

In interviews, she spoke candidly about both her struggles and her successes – battling addiction, rebuilding her career, writing an acclaimed memoir.

One thing remained constant: her refusal to conform.

“I didn’t want to be anybody’s girlfriend,” she once said. “I wanted to be a star.”

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