The “Golden Hits Of The 70s” 

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JOHN PAUL YOUNG

“LOVE IS IN THE AIR” 

(Harry Vanda, George Young)

Scotti Brothers 402

No. 7   October 14, 1978

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Paul was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1953, and his family moved to Australia when he

was a tot.  Left to his own devices, he played around with the fam­ily accordion and tinkered

with the piano.  He served a five-year apprenticeship as a sheet­ metal worker, and toward

the end of this workout, John began playing music in local watering holes, with a band

called Elm Tree.

Producer Simon Napier-Bell–who had ventured into recording studios with acts like the

Yardbirds and Marc Bolan (of T. REX fame)–had a sure-shot hit song in his hands called

“Pasadena” and needed a vocalist.  Reportedly, Napier-Bell spotted Young doing one of his

gigs and offered to record him.  John Paul accepted, and though the tune did zip in the

States, it made the British Top 10.  Other disks placed on the Aussie charts, and Young won

a slot in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

A few years prior to his big moment with a composition by Harry Vanda and George Young-

-founding members of the EASY­ BEATS–John Paul had a moderate stateside success with

“Yesterday’s Herd” (#42, 1975); eight Top 20 singles and two Top 20 albums followed in his

homeland.

Paul formed the All Stars, a touring band com­prised of members of the Aztecs, Dingoes,

Sherbert, and the Bee Gees band.  Only one other John Paul Young single made the Hot 100

listings:  “Lost in Your Love” (#55, 1979).  His last known recording, One Foot in Front, was

issued on IC, a German label in 1983.