Some clips from the mid 2000s series North Stars in which Paddy McAloon discusses his relationship with America, bigs up Jimmy Nail, and discusses Alan Hull of Lindisfarne.
Swoon is a great album.Sounds as fresh today as the day it was made.I saw Prefab Sprout when they toured the album and they blew me away,so I bought the album.
Wonderfully talented Prefab Sprout the Melancholy mysterious poets of the 80,s and thankfully kind of kept away from mainstream more than most top bands that lose their artistic edge when that happens.Thank you for the amazing songs and lyrics
This guy wrote the sublime 'Steve McQueen' LP, there's nothing bland about it. Weller went all soul with the Style Council and it could be argued that he descended into blandness. It works both way's y'know! Some of the later Prefab stuff may not be brilliant but Paddy wrote timeless songs like 'Pearly Gates' 'One Of The Broken' 'Electric Guitars' 'Cowboy Dreams' the guy is a master of his craft just as much as Weller is.
doesn't matter where your from, the best songs are honest, if you write the truth it shows that it's from the heart. doesn't matter if it's an inner city tower block, or a little village .
However "abrasive" and "acerbic" Paul Weller may be in comparison with Paddy McAloon, only time will tell who's made the greater impression. As a songwriter. I'd bet Paddy will live a lot longer than Paul. On the other hand, Paddy's idiosyncracies (both lyrically and in terms of harmony/melody, that you mistake for "blandness") give him a peculiar "edge" that is distinctive and, OK, maybe not very "rock'n' roll", but so what? He wasn't trying to be.
I have always been genuinely puzzled as to Prefab Sprout's very small, cult following, and have to tried "get it", but it just sounds like elevator musak. I am not "mistaking: anything re its blandness; it is merely an opinion. Weller, a bit of a pompous bore, will always be quite the archetypal English wordsmith. Didn't care too much for solo stuff, but The Jam were a different bag. And McAloon is soooooo boring in this interview. And others also no doubt.
"OUR opinion?" More than one of you is there.......do you hear voices....? Jeffrey Tosser, some people like celery and some people don't. Some people like kayaking and some people don't With me? But even YOU admit that Paddy's tone/cadence in this interview is a cure for insomnia.
"OUR opinion?" More than one of you is there.......do you hear voices....? Like to avoid questions, don't you, my lad. A symptom of schizophrenia? Troll? It was you that posted to me unsolicited, though which 'you' was it?
Paddy is a very nice chap that produced some rather bland music, and even though he wasn't knocking Paul Weller in a nasty way one bit, it's plain which of the two made a greater impression. Generally, you have to have an edge in pop music, something Paddy never had. Even Dylan and Lennon, two "nice peaceful" guys were extremely abrasive and acerbic in their own way.
No. No soul. Made a pact with The Prince of Darkness, and one of the stipulations is I'm not allowed to listen to insipid Geordie elevator/lift muzak. Prince Buster, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Van Morrison, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Lloyd Price and Aretha Franklin are permitted. Oh, and no Mick Hucknall/SImply Red either........
