PAUL YOUNG info



Paul Young (vocals)

Not to be confused with the singer with the same name (the one who had a hit with 'Every time you go away'). "This" Paul Young was a member of Sad Cafe. [I still remember when I bought my first Sad Cafe album. It was a vinyl. The A-side was quite good, but when I listened to the B-side, it was recorded at 45 rpm!! I instantly went to the record store to give it back and get a new copy, but to my disappointment, the whole Spanish release had been pressed this way!! So I had to give up to the album]

Paul Young was born on June 18th, 1947. He started singing in the band Toggery Five (from Manchestetr), also including future members of Jethro Tull, Mick Abrahams and Clive Bunker:

Paul Young (vocals)
Mick Abrahams (guitar)
Dave Cakebread (bass)
Graham Waller (keyboards)
Arthur Hasford (trumpet)
Bernie Hetherington (sax)
Clive Bunker (drums)
They split without recording any track with this lineup.

Several years later, we find Paul Young in a band called Gyro:

Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
+ others unknown to me. Help!
In 1976, Paul and Ian formed Sad Cafe at merging with members from another band from Manchester, called Mandalaband:
Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
Ashley Mumford (guitar)
Vic Emerson (keyboards)
John Stimpson (bass)
Tony Creswell (drums)
They recorded an album for Chrysalis label in 1976, but it was never released. Some of the songs were included in their 1st album, Fanx tara (1977), recorded for RCA.

Mandalaband had been a project conceived by David Rohl. They recorded an album in 1975, but some years later, David Rohl started recording a new album, and he called some of his old bandmates to play on it. This way, Paul Young also came to collaborate with them. The album was called The eye of Wendor: prophecies. It features most of the members of Sad Cafe, plus some other famous guests, from 10CC, Moody Blues, Steeleye Span or Barclay James Harvest. The album was recorded during two years, and it was finally released in 1978.

Sad Cafe released two more albums, Hungry eyes (1977) and Misplaced ideals (1978), before changing their drummer:

Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
Ashley Mumford (guitar)
Vic Emerson (keyboards)
John Stimpson (bass)
Dave Irving (drums)
In 1979, they released the album Facades with this lineup:
Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
Ashley Mumford (guitar)
Vic Emerson (keyboards)
John Stimpson (bass)
Dave Irving (drums)
The album included their biggest hit, 'Every day hurts' (it reached the top 3 - the song was usually covered by Mike + The Mechanics in their tours).

They slightly changed their lineup around 1980, when Stimpson stopped playing to become their manager:

Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
Ashley Mumford (guitar)
Vic Emerson (keyboards)
Des Tong (bass)
Dave Irving (drums)
They released some more albums: Sad Cafe (1980), Live (1981), Olé (1981), before finally splitting around 1981.

When Mike Rutherford formed his own band around 1985, Mike + The Mechanics, Paul was called to be part of it. He shared lead vocals with Paul Carrack:

This was the stable lineup, although they usually get additional musicians for the tours.

In 1986, Paul reforms Sad Cafe, this time as a duo:

Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
They released a new album, Politics of existance, with guest musicians, including Paul's mates Mike Rutherford and Paul Carrack.

In the 1989 tour, Mike + The Mechanics are are joined by Tim Renwick:

 
In 1989, Sad Cafe comes to life again as a duo:
Paul Young (vocals)
Ian Wilson (guitar)
New album released, with lots of guest musicians: Whatever it takes.

In September 1993, Pink Floyd are asked to play in a benefit concert for a hospital. They agree to play there, and they appear with an unusual lineup (half Pink Floyd, half Mike + The Mechanics, I'd say!).

In 1995, Mike + The Mechanics make a new tour, although they had lost two members: Adrian Lee and Peter Van Hooke. The tour lasted until 1996. This was the live lineup: But, as Mike + The Mechanics is only active when Rutherford is not touring with Genesis, Paul also sings with another great outfit, SAS Band. This project is commanded by keyboardist Spike Edney. Their lineup is not stable, as it's Spike plus bunchs of friends. Paul Young usually sings with them. Other people appearing in gigs are: Jamie Moses, Chris Thompson, Steve Stroud,  Neil Murrray, Cozy Powell, John Marter, Roger Taylor, and the "other" Paul Young (what a mess!).

Next tour by Mike + The Mechanics was in 1999. This was the lineup this time:

Sadly, this page needs to be updated as Paul has died on July 15th, 2000, from a heart attack at his home in Altrincham, Manchester. A very sad loss for this great singer.


Albums with Mandalaband: Albums with Sad Cafe: Albums with Mike + The Mechanics:

Related links:

Thanks section

Special thanks to: Mike Barton, for the sad news about Paul's passing.

Thanks to: ...


If you can contribute (with additions, corrections, opinions, etc.), please, send me an e-mail message at mterol@myrealbox.com


Press here to come back to Tim Renwick's biography page
 



Page created by Miguel Terol on: 17/August/1999. Last modified on: 31/May/2002.