Nick Kamen, the ridiculously good-looking former model and singer, who has just died, was in the mid 1980s the most famous man in London as his launderette advert stripping off his Levi jeans to Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard it on the Grapevine’ thrust him into the limelight. It boosted Levi’s sales by 800%, made boxer shorts fashionable again and him a global sex symbol. He became the icon of the moment when consumerism became fashionable and youth culture commodified – and he was the epitome of cool. He not surprisingly caught Madonna’s eye and collaborated with her on several albums which were a hit in Europe. Latterly he led a private life.
Born 15 April 1962 in Harlow, Essex, he had his Sun Mercury in Aries, with a confident Jupiter in Pisces opposition Pluto (Moon) in Virgo. His physicality and nonchalant image were indicated by his Venus in Taurus opposition Neptune square Saturn opposition the North Node – giving him an earthy, yet ethereal and suave air and hooking him into the zeitgeist.
His indulgent and sexy Venus in Taurus was conjunct Madonna’s high-octane Mars in Taurus which would produce a spark of attraction though since it also squared her Uranus and his Uranus was conjunct her Leo Sun it wouldn’t last long. But their relationship chart did have an affectionate and easy-going composite Sun Venus opposition Jupiter so it would have its amiable moments.
Sadly when his long struggle against bone marrow cancer was ongoing his Progressed Mars was moving in square to his Fixed Grand Cross starting with the square to his Saturn two years back.
Comments from Boy George and others after his death suggest he was regarded with great fondness.
I loved his 1990 single, ‘I Promised Myself.’ I remember reading way back that he was also an artist for awhile too. I think to be remembered with fondness and affection by so many is one of the best legacies anybody could leave.