Paul Young’s tail was up in 1986. Now aged 30, engaged, wealthy and established; confidence was telling him to branch out from being mainly a covers artist. He co-wrote all…
One Hit Wonder: The Dazz Band – Let It All Blow
‘Danceable jazz’ was the raison d’être of the group that singer and saxophonist Bobby Harris wanted to form when he left jazz-fusion band Bell Telefunk in 1976 to start afresh…
The Godfathers of Pop: Martin Stephenson interview
David Burke meets Martin Stephenson, who started his pop career with The Dainties before going on to find solo success. As The Dainties reunite, Stephenson looks back on his life…
The Godfathers of Pop: 2-D interview
Ian Peel chats to Gorillaz lead-vocalist 2-D about life in the world’s biggest cartoon band. In a bizarre encounter that takes in drawer slamming, popcorn chicken, virtual pop luminaries the…
The Lowdown: Pet Shop Boys
A former Smash Hits journalist and an architecture student who never graduated, Pet Shop Boys went on to become the most successful UK duo ever, selling more than 50 million records worldwide…
Superfan: Kylie Minogue – Owen Lambourn
Devoted fans show us their collections and pop memorabilia. This time, Owen Lambourn from Melbourne gives us a good look at his Kylie collection…. Q When did you first become a…
Forever Free: Toyah interview
Bringing the punk aesthetic into 80s pop music with her radical sense of style and kinetic personality, Toyah chalked up a succession of memorable hit singles. Four decades on, she’s…
Gears For Fears: The Proclaimers interview
Fresh from celebrating their 30th anniversary, The Proclaimers are back with energetic, politicised new album Angry Cyclist. Classic Pop meets the Reid twins in Edinburgh to hear why it’s important to stay…
The French New Wave: Carpenter Brut interview
At the forefront of the synthwave movement, Carpenter Brut mines 80s influences and concept albums. “I’m not trying to reinvent anything,” he insists. “I just want to make the music…
One Hit Wonder: Pebbles – Girlfriend
Pebbles has had six real surnames in her eventful life, so probably one of the more astute things she ever did was giving herself an easily recognisable pseudonym when launching…