Paul Hardcastle

Lyrics to '19'

PAUL HARDCASTLE

Interview

Electro-pop wizard Paul Hardcastle chats to us about '19', pioneering dance music and that TOTP theme tune...

This producer, mixer, composer and keyboard wizard was one of the UK dance music scene's first crossover successes. He first worked in a hi-fi shop and developed an interest in electronics in his teens. Paul made his recording debut in 1981 on 'Don't Depend On Me', a single by UK soul act Direct Drive.

Paul's big breakthrough came with the following year's '19', a record about the Vietnam conflict utilising samples of spoken news reports. The single went to number 1 in 13 countries, including his native England, and received the Ivor Novello award for The Bestselling Single Of 1985. He also wrote the Top Of The Pops theme, 'The Wizard', in 1986, before switching to production for young funk band LW5, providing remixes for anyone from Third World to Ian Dury.

TOTP2 tracked down the electro-pop expert and found out if he's been twiddling his thumbs since twiddling his knobs so well back then...

What have you been up to recently?

Paul: After TOTP, '19' and everything I went for the American market and did smooth jazz and R & B and over the last eight years I've done really well. I've sold more than 3 million albums in America, I've had five No.1s on the R & B charts too - so I haven't been quiet! In the middle of last year, my most recent album - 'Hardcastle III' - well, it's the second-biggest selling smooth R & B record in England. I'm not in everyone's face at the moment but I sell more albums now than I did when '19' was out, believe it or not.

Have you got a new album coming out soon?

Paul: At the end of March the best of Paul Hardcastle is coming out 'cos I've been making records for the last 20 years! I think it's going from 1983 - 2002 so it'll be the TOTP theme, '19', 'Don't Waste My Time' plus loads of other stuff from the different eras. And all the stuff I've done under different names, like the Deff Boyz. To be around 20-odd years later is quite difficult!

How did you first get into music?

Paul: I was working in a hi-fi shop in the King's Road in Chelsea and I used to listen to the radio lots and think, wow, I could do that. I had a video camera and I decided to swap it for a synthesiser. What's really funny now is the fact that when dance music first came out it was very hard to get it played on the radio. People would say, 'Oh no, that's too dancey - I don't want to play that', and now it's like, 'Well, we'd prefer a dance mix of that', so it's come full circle. But it was quite frustrating at the time because the first two records I brought out both stopped at No.41!

What do you think of dance music now? Is there anyone you particularly like?

Paul: I do like that song by Kelly Rowland. 'Stole'. But the other one, with Nelly ['Dilemma'] - I couldn't listen to that! 'Stole' is a fantastic song!

You contributed to Spiceworld - The Movie and the S Club 7 TV series. Do you still listen to the charts?

Paul: Up to a point. I don't really play much music at home but I flick through all the stations from Radio 1, Radio 2 to Jazz FM to Heart. I go through the lot. I think that's why I've been so fortunate in selling loads of records because I'm not afraid of change. I've not just stuck in the dance market - I've crossed over to pop before and R&B and rap...

What do you think of Eminem?

Paul: I can take some of it. I think he's really talented. I don't think there's any real reason for him to go as ballistic with his words as he does but the guy is very good. I don't think there's any need for the really horrible side of him to come out. He's good and so were Run DMC. I remember when I was first making records I went over to New York to get the vibe of what was going on there and they were in the same studio as me. I thought, s*** they're mixing rap with rock - it was when they did 'Walk This Way' with Aerosmith. So, there are a lot of good artists out there, but my favourite band is Pink Floyd.

Since you've been around for 20 years you must have met a lot of your heroes? Paul: Yeah. I got to produce the last single of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott. I've also worked with Ian Dury, Barry White, Five Star...I can't have a go at my career. It's been brilliant.

Can you tell us how you got to do the TOTP theme?

Paul: Well, that was a big highlight of my career! There are not many people who have been asked to do that. Phil Lynott did it before me! I was doing TOTP with Carol Kenyon with 'Don't Waste My Time'. We were at No.8 that week and they said: 'You're opening on TOTP this week'. All of a sudden we came off and Michael Hurl, the producer, said: 'Nice to meet you.' He was God then! And he asked if I was interested in doing the theme. Yes please! A few minutes after I phoned up Simon Fuller - he was my manager - and I told him and he said: 'You're joking - I don't believe you!' It was an absolute buzz!

What was the brief?

Paul: I'd just bought this brand new equipment from America called a Synclavier. George Michael had one - Sting and Trevor Horne. It was stupid amounts of money but I though if it's going to help my career... and that was the first thing I did on it. It took me about two days and I sent it over to him and he said: 'Wonderful. It's just what we want! By the way, could you re jig 'The Late, Late Breakfast Show' It's on TV on Saturday' That was on Wednesday, but I just said of course! So we got quite pally after that! I'll let you into a little secret. It was just at the time when everyone was releasing records - like most of the EastEnders cast. Radio 1 all of a sudden said we're not playing anything else to do with TV. We had 'The Wizard' coming out so we knew that no one was going to play it outside the BBC because it's a BBC theme so our only hope was Radio 1. So Michael put it on the show - it was the first time a record was played on TOTP before it had actually been released. He said: If they won't play my record, I'll show them! We had girls in T-shirts with 'Paul Hardcastle - The Wizard' on them and balloons. So in the mid-weeks we were at No.74, because no one had heard it, and after that we jumped up to No. 24. That showed me the power of the show. We jumped 50 places!

So you definitely have fond memories of the show then!
Paul: I've still got the whole thing on video! I've got a big collection for my kids. I've got three.

And finally, what's coming next?

Paul: After the Greatest Hits come out I might go for something different. I've been speaking to Simon Fuller and we might be working on something together because we're still best of friends. he was the best man at my wedding so we're still great mates and we may come up with a project. After releasing 'Hardcastle III' it did give me a bit of inspiration. I enjoyed doing interviews in my own country again. I'd been away from it for quite a long time and after two years of manic stuff it's a breath of fresh air. Obviously, I don't get 17-year-olds banging on my door anymore but I look back on it all with very fond memories.

And do you get fed up with people asking you about '19'?

Paul: Not at all. Nobody wanted me to make the record. Chrysalis Records - none of them saw anything in it. It was so different, wasn't it. Basically, there was one guy called Ken, the marketing manager for Chrysallis and he said it was fantastic. This will be a massive hit. He really stuck his neck out and so did I. Everyone said radio 1 won't touch it. And on its week of release it was the most played record on Radio 1. They played the video on VH1 so I think the fact that I stuck with my guns was great. I'm still really proud of that record.

To read new about Paul Hardcastle at the BBC click here.