Desmond Leslie

Desmond Arthur Peter Leslie (29 June 1921 in London, United Kingdom – 21 February 2001 in Antibes, France) was an Irish pilot, film maker, writer, and musician. He was the younger brother of Sir John Leslie, 4th Baronet, and youngest child, of Shane Leslie (a first cousin of Sir Winston Churchill), and his wife Marjorie (née Ide).

Biography During his lifetime he served as a Spitfire pilot in the RAF during World War II, became one of the first pioneers of electronic music, and co-wrote one of the first books on UFOs, Flying Saucers Have Landed (1953), with writer and UFO contactee George Adamski.

In 1962, Leslie punched theatre critic Bernard Levin during a live broadcast of the TV show That Was The Week That Was. Ostensibly this was to protect the honour of his then-wife, Agnes Bernelle, in response to Levin's critical review of her show, Savagery and Delight. Bernelle stated in her autobiography, The Fun Palace, that Savagery and Delight was poorly received due to Leslie's custom-built loudspeakers being moved below the stage, and that he had failed to check the situation, missing the show for a social appointment. As a consequence, no one behind the front two rows heard a word she sang.

Writer Throughout his life, Desmond Leslie published several books, including the subject of UFOs —the first of which, Flying Saucers Have Landed, was co-written with George Adamski. It can still be seen in his family home Castle Leslie, Monaghan, where it has been an object of reverence for visitors such as Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney.

Electronic music career During the late 1950s, he began nurturing his interest in contemporary music. In his small home studio, he experimented with the sounds of musique concrète. In January 1960, Leslie pressed a single acetate called Music of the Future (also known as Music Concrete [sic], because of the prominent text on the front of the sleeve, with the actual title appearing only on the back along with the track listings). The album includes music composed for Barry Shawzin’s short film The Day the Sky Fell In (1959).

All Leslie recordings were later licensed to Joseph Weinburger, and Leslie's recordings were pressed onto a short series of 78 rpm library discs, occasionally being put to use in science and mystery based programing, such as early Doctor Who episodes. He used a great number of tape sources to create his pieces; some sources he mentions in his liner notes are motor horns, humming tops and bells.

In 2005, Jonny Trunk's British record label, Trunk Records, re-released Desmond's 1960 acetate, never before released commercially. The sounds on this release were mastered from the original acetate. The recordings are believed to have been made between 1955 and 1959, and included are Desmond's original sleevenotes, containing information pertaining to each selection.

Christopher Mark Leslie (7 December 1952 – 24 July 2026)

Antonia Kelvey Oriel Leslie (b. 1 November 1963)

He remarried, to Jennifer Helen Strong, in 1970; they had two daughters: Samantha Helen Leslie (b. 1966) Camilla Patricia Leslie (b. 29 March 1969)

Last years and death During the 1990s he devoted his time to restoring the aging family home of Castle Leslie which eventually opened to the public. He later relocated to Nice, France. He died from emphysema in Antibes in 2001, aged 79.