Steve Harnell, Editor Follow me on X (Twitter): @steve_harnell
H ow many artists can say that they’ve introduced pop fans to the work of both Marvin Gaye and Joy Division within the space of the same album? Well, Paul Young’s 1983 classic No Parlez manages to do just that – and then some...
It’s a remarkable record – and let’s not forget it was the second biggest-selling album of that year. Only Thriller shifted more copies in the UK.
No Parlez’s producer Laurie Latham and the album’s bass player extraordinaire Pino Palladino both make similar points in our latest cover feature. When discussions turn to the most influential artists of the 80s, why is Paul Young’s name rarely in the mix? Well, we can’t account for those decade overview TV shows that overlook Paul but we’ve always been on Team Young here at Classic Pop. Hopefully, this latest deep dive into his work will put him front and centre in the conversation once again.
You could argue that No Parlez perfectly encapsulates the ‘come one, come all’ open door policy that made 80s pop so diverse, inclusive and exploratory. Young hits all the right spots, of course, with his soulful covers, most notably Come Back And Stay, Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home) and Love Of The Common People, but you’ve also got to admire the ballsiness of taking on the iconic Love Will Tear Us Apart. And let’s not overlook the quality of the album’s originals, including the Bowiesque art-pop of Ku Ku Kurama and slick funk of the title track.
Elsewhere, let me point you in the direction of two brilliant new Mancunian offerings. I’ve been wearing out the advance streams of the latest James album (spoiler alert: they’re still a
