Paul Young – “Big in the ‘80s! What lucky bastards we were!’

Paul Young was the bassist in a pub band playing Led Zeppelin and Patto covers ‘til his solo soul and blues slot launched him as a singer. He’s still touring nearly 50 years later, just back from filling Mexican stadiums with Rod Stewart. And next May launching his acoustic ‘Songs & Stories Tour’ in theatres, intercut with film clips and hoary old tales from the battlefield. He looks back here at …   … Smash Hits cover shoots and Rewind package tours: “what a glorious time the ‘80s was”   … the soul phrases he stole from Free and his impression of “the Paul Rodgers moan”   … discovering James Taylor, the Doors, Gregg Allman, Vinegar Joe and Van Morrison   … supporting Bob Marley when the crowd threw a dead duck at Joe Jackson – “and hit him!”   … Mike & Bernie Winters in panto - “I was rolling in the aisles”   … playing Led Zeppelin, Cream and Patto and the Bill Withers and Albert King covers that launched him as a singer   … memories of Live Aid – “I wish I’d thought about it more”   … “What am I, a performing monkey?”   … when Midge Ure told him the opening line of Band Aid had actually been a secret audition – “Simon, Tony Hadley or me”   … the “deafening” Slade at Luton Tech, the night the DJ played Black JuJu by Alice Cooper   … the over-cranked news story that he’d lost his voice   … and the night the Mafia came to Rhode Island.   Tickets for ‘Paul Young – Songs & Stories’ here: https://www.awaywithmedia.com/tours/paul-young-2026 Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.