Some Sunday Soul...

1987 saw the release of a great self titled soul album from Paul Johnson. He started his singing career with gospel band Paradise and then worked with the London Community Gospel Choir before his career took an upward swing in the mid 80's when he met Junior Giscombe and sang backing vocals on the Red Wedge * tour, leading to a recording deal with CBS where he put out two albums neither of which were hugely successful. He also worked alongside artists such as Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Tom Robinson and Cliff Richard(!!) amongst many others before retiring all together from the music industry. I have never heard the second album but the first album was on constant rotation when it was first released and listening to the album this afternoon for the first time in years reminded me of how seemingly easily he could hit those ridiculously high notes and of what a wonderful falsetto he had. The production is very much of its time but his voice is a joy to listen to.

Fear Of Falling

*For any younger viewers - Red Wedge was a collective of musicians who attempted to engage young people with politics in general, and the policies of the Labour Party in particular, during the period leading up to the 1987 General Election, in the hope of ousting the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher. This was at a time in history, far far away, when The Labour Party were still The Labour Party and not virtually indistinguishable from The Conservative Party.