Paul Young
Following the sad demise of The Q Tips in September 1982, vocalist Paul
Young signed a solo record deal with CBC/Columbia and released Iron
Out The Rough Spots as his debut single.
This was followed closely
by an unsuccessful cover of Nicky Thomas' hit Love Of The Common
People. With his gravel croak, porcupine mullet and fists
clenched to his chest, Young was white boy soul personified.
Assembling a backing band (called The Royal Family) containing ex-Q
Tips and song writing partner Ian Kewley (keyboards), Young recorded a
cover of the Marvin Gaye song Wherever I Lay My Hat
(That's My
Home) which topped the UK charts in 1983, and was declared Single
of the Week by the NME.
His debut solo album No Parlez
also hit Number 1 in the UK, and included soulful covers of Joy
Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart and the aforementioned Love
of the Common People and Wherever I Lay My Hat.
In September 1983 Young began his first headlining solo tour of the
UK with The Royal Family, and backing singers The Fabulous Wealthy
Tarts. The following month, the single Come Back And Stay hit
the charts, peaking at Number 4. Meanwhile, Love of the Common
People was re-released, and this time made it to Number 2.
A US tour followed in 1984 as his singles began charting in the US
Top 100. The touring continued to take in Australia and Japan as No
Parlez headed towards worldwide sales of seven million.
Unfortunately, Young's voice went on him in August, forcing a two month
rest and the cancellation of several dates.
At the same time, The
Fabulous Wealthy Tarts left The Royal Family, as did guitarist Steve
Bolton. A new singing soul trio was added to the backing group,
comprising George Chandler, Tony Jackson and Jimmy Chambers.
Young's next single (I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down)
hit Number 9 and in November, he contributed a lead vocal line to the
historic recording of Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band
Aid.
The hits kept coming in 1985 with Every Time You Go Away
and Tomb Of Memories, while Young released his second album (The
Secret of Association) and sang a duet with Alison Moyet at the
Live Aid benefit concert at Wembley Stadium in London on 13 July.
A swag of BRIT Awards and appearances at the Prince's Trust Rock
Gala rounded out the 80s for Paul Young, while he released the Between
Two Fires album and moved to the island of Jersey for tax purposes.
While his success waned somewhat during the 90's, a series of
interesting collaborations provided some fine work (in performances with
Clannad, Queen and Elton
John).
For all their fretless bass romance, Wherever I Lay My Hat
(That's My Home), Come Back And Stay (1983) and
wedding disco favourite Every Time You Go Away still
prompt gooey feelings inside, while begging the question: whatever
happened to Paul Young?
He last cracked the Top 10 with 1991's
slow dance with guttural Italian Zucchero, Senza Una Donna ("Without
A Woman"). These days, Paul plays in a Tex Mex band in the UK
called Los Pacaminos.
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