Paper Lace

Music Home >> Music Genres >> Undetermined Music



< < < < < > > > > > More Info on Paper Lace Similar Undetermined Music Search Artistopia

Biography

Paper Lace are a Nottingham, England|Nottingham based pop music|pop band (music)|group , formed in 1969 . They are known to United States|Americans as a one-hit wonder ; however, in the United Kingdom|UK they were a "classic two and a half hit wonder".Sendra, T. (2006). , Yahoo& #33; Music. Retrieved 6 September 2006.

History

The core of the band originally formed in 1967 as Music Box, but changed their name to Paper Lace when Phil Wright joined as drummer and lead singer, choosing their name from lace products created from a special grade of high quality paper manufactured in Nottingham, their hometown. Paper Lace was one of hundreds of pop bands in England looking for the big time while slogging their way through small night club|club concert|gigs and brief television appearances. A season at Tiffany's, a Rochdale club, led to more television appearances, but a passport to the charts did not arrive until a 1974 victory on Opportunity Knocks (UK TV series)|Opportunity Knocks , the ITV talent contest series.Larkin, C.(2005). "Paper Lace Biography". In The Encyclopedia of Popular Music . London: Oxford University Press.

According to drummer and lead singer Phil Wright:

Opportunity Knocks was pretty much the 70s version of The X Factor (UK)|The X-Factor . There was a huge audition week in 1970 at the Bridgford Hotel, which is now the Rushcliffe|Rushcliffe Borough Council building near the City Ground . And there were thousands of people queuing up. We turned up in our best suits, did a few numbers, and were told that they liked us but not to expect to go on straight away. When they finally got back to us in 1973, we thought; do we really need this now? But they were getting viewing figures of 7 million, so we went for it. And we won five weeks on the trot& #33; There were two songwriters ( Mitch Murray and Peter Callender) who got in touch with our management and offered us " Billy Don't Be a Hero ", with the possibility of more songs if it took off. We went down, recorded it, and they said "Hey, this is a great song, it's going to be a Chart-topper|hit ". And the song proved to be stronger than the band, because everyone knows it, they just can't remember who recorded it. Except in Nottingham, of course…Needham, Al. . LeftLion.co.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2006.

Thanks to that show, songwriters/ Record producer|producers , Mitch Murray and Peter Callender quickly signed them. The smash hit " Billy Don't Be a Hero " spent three weeks at Chart-topper|Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in March 1974. It was followed by the story song " The Night Chicago Died " which reached Number 3. Another release, "The Black-Eyed Boys", took Paper Lace to number 11 in late 1974. , 2003. Retrieved 9 September 2006. and number 37 in Canada.

With their subject matter assumed in America to be about the American Civil War , it was logical that "Billy Don't Be a Hero" should become a hit in the United States ; however, Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods were the first to release "Billy" in the United States, and Paper Lace had to be content with a #96 placing. However, the follow-up song "The Night Chicago Died", set in the Prohibition era with reference to Al Capone , was untroubled by any such competition and topped the Billboard Hot 100 . It sold over three million copies, and was awarded a music recording sales certification|gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in August 1974.

According to Phil Wright:

Well, that Chicago song was even more successful. Number 1 in America. I got a platinum disc for that... and I certainly didn't give that away& #33; I remember us being on Top Of The Pops and Elton John shaking my hand backstage and congratulating us on a US No.1, which he hadn't achieved at the time& #33; The really strange thing was we couldn't even perform the song in America, due to some contractual hassles. And the label told us that they could make it a hit without us having to be there. We did a few radio stations, but that's all.

The group released two albums, First Edition (1972) and Paper Lace and Other Bits of Material (1974) however, they quickly faded from the public eye as the band's popularity waned. Philip Wright and Cliff Fish carried on as Paper Lace, with other musicians filling in for the missing band members. In 1978, they surfaced briefly with a sing-along version of " We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands " with their local association football|football team, Nottingham Forest F.C. (Sendra, 2006). The 7" single , with "The Nottingham Forest March" as the A-side and B-side|B-side , reached Number 24 in the UK chart but bizarrely went Top 40|Top 10 in the Netherlands .

In 1997, Wright joined Sons and Lovers, but he has occasional gigs billed as Philip Wright's Paper Lace.

They were the most successful band Nottingham ever produced, and were invited to perform on the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen Mother .

Original band members

Dave Manders (born 4 August 1947, Nottingham , England ) — guitar / lead vocal

Philip Wright (born 9 April 1946, St. Annes, Nottingham, England) — drums / lead voc

Cliff Fish (born 13 August 1949,Ripley) / bass guitar

Roy White (born Ripley)Lead Guitar/arranger

Mike Harper (born Barrow in Furness) Lead singer

Discography

Albums

First Edition (Paper Lace album)|First Edition (March 1972) PHILIPS 6382 101 / reissued on CONTOUR 6870 637

:Side 1
:# "In the Morning"
:# "Stoney End"
:# "Lady"
:# "I've Got You That's Enough For Me"
:# "Threw My Love Away"
:# "Martha (Whatever Happened)"
:Side 2
:# "Games People Play"
:# "Please Be My Friend"
:# "You Can't Touch Me"
:# "Elsie"
:# "Like a Rolling Stone"
:# "Early One Morning"

And Other Bits of Material (June 1974) BUS STOP BUSLP 8001

:Side 1
:#" Billy Don't Be a Hero "
:#"Hitchin' a Ride '74"
:#"I Did What I Did for Maria"
:#"Mary in the Morning"
:#" Sealed with a Kiss "
:#"Bye Bye Blues"
:Side 2
:#"Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"
:#" The Night Chicago Died "
:#"Love Song"
:#"Dreams Are Ten a Penny"
:#"Love You're a Long Time Coming"
:#"Cheek to Cheek"

Paper Lace (album)|Paper Lace (1974, USA) Mercury SRM-1-1008

:Side 1
:#" The Night Chicago Died " – 3:30
:#" Billy Don't Be a Hero " – 3:55
:#"Hitchin' a Ride '74" – 2:45
:#"Sealed with a Kiss" – 3:01
:#"Love Song" – 4:10
:#"Love – You're a Long Time Coming" – 2:50
:Side 2
:#"The Black–Eyed Boys" – 3:45
:#"Dreams Are Ten a Penny" – 2:30
:#"Mary in the Morning" – 3:04
:#"I Did What I Did for Maria" – 3:49
:#"Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" – 3:00
:#"Cheek to Cheek" – 3:23

Singles

"You Can't Touch Me" / "I've Got You That's Enough for Me" (1971) Concord CON 020

"In the Morning (Morning of My Life)" / "Elsie" (1971) Concord CON 021

"Raggamuffin Man" / "Martha (Whatever Happened)" (1973) Concord CON 027

" Billy Don't Be a Hero " / "Celia" (27 April 1974) Bus Stop Bus 1014

" The Night Chicago Died " / "Can You Get It When You Want It" (15 June 1974) Bus Stop Bus 1016

"The Black Eyed Boys" / "Jean" (12 October 1974) Bus Stop Bus 1019

"Hitchin' a Ride '75" / "Love You're a Long Time Coming" (January 1975) Bus Stop Bus 1024

"So What If I Am" / "Himalayan Lullaby" (June 1975) Bus Stop Bus 1026

CD releases

Paper Lace and Other Material / First Edition (Double CD) - Cherry Red / 7t's Label Cat No. Glam Cdd 109; both albums, plus B-sides to all singles released until 1975

Copyright Citations

This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: Paper Lace


1. The Brothers

Undetermined Music Artists