Author Archives: Paul

The veteran crooner was huge in 60s and 70s when his interpretation of Bacharach & David songs made him the undisputed lord of lounge. This is probably his most famous recording. However, as the world has moved on, “infamous” might now be more appropriate. Burt Bacharach and Hal David are rightly renowned as one of […]

…..turn out to be fantastic. And so it was about 20 years ago when I went along to Hammersmith to see Billy Joel. I only went because someone had given me a free ticket. Bit naff, I thought, bit AOR. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only was he a gifted singer, songwriter and […]

Because the English Disco Lovers are set to appropriate the letters EDL. Their aim is to replace the racially intolerant protest group as the top search engine result for “EDL”. Isn’t that fabulous? Disco was always the most joyous of genres and I’ve loved the music and the dancefloor ever since I can remember. It […]

Tenuous but true. Ready? Here goes…. Cliff’s backing group, as everyone knows, were The Shadows. They had a huge instrumental hit in 1960 with Apache. In 1973, the Incredible Bongo Band released this exuberant cover version. At around 2.20, it features a bongo drum break. This caught the attention of DJ Kool Herc who was […]

On so many levels. Back to Kilburn to see Once a Catholic at the Tricycle Theatre with my old schoolmate Joe Callanan and four of his brothers. Practically everyone in my class, no matter where they live now, began life in Kilburn, Cricklewood or Paddington. Like many in the audience, we’d returned to the old […]

In the great spectrum of life, I’ve always seen love and sex at one end, and religion right at the other. So how could one of the most sensuous, soulful purveyors of the love song possibly be a clergyman? Then I discovered that it may well be for tax reasons. The IRS allows clergymen all […]

He’s 19. Lovely boy of whom I’m immensely proud. But looking at him, it’s hard to believe that this is the same blond-haired cherub who, a few short years ago, couldn’t wait to open his presents and blow out his candles. He was out with his mates last night in Shoreditch. Bit of a heavy […]

The first famous death of 2014 is one half of The Everly Brothers. Their success and influence in the late 50s and early 60s was phenomenal which is why we’re all so familiar with their sound. They set the template for harmonic vocals, and one of the reasons their voices were so melodiously complementary was […]

But it was only “This year, I will try to like Bob Dylan”. But I’ve failed again. I just don’t get Bob. I find most of his oeuvre dreary, uninspiring and too “influenced” by Woody Guthrie. Yeah, he made a few great records but so did Hot Chocolate. Still, I thought, it’s probably me who’s […]

….the nights are getting shorter, days are getting longer and summer is on its way. Admittedly not quite yet but still, that’s where we’re heading. I trust you had a fantastic Christmas and that 2014 brings you everything you could wish for. Yesterday, as I changed a wheel in vicious wind and rain, I wished […]