King Newcastle City Hall 1985
The Steps in Time tour
Big hair, Big colourful boots (and clothes) and a catchy hit song Love and Pride. That about sums up my memories of the band King. This was a band that quickly appeared from nowhere (it seemed), hit major success, and then they seemed to disappear just as quickly. Singer and front man Paul King developed a look which was described by his local newspaper the Coventry Telegraph as “like the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But, hell, the girls loved him”. Paul King reappeared as a VJ on MTV and was on the TV quite a bit at the time. I recall the gig being good fun, although I also recall feeling a little out of place among loads of teenage girls screaming at Paul. And I was right down the front in the thick of it. The music was a mix of pop, dance and new wave. The ticket says the show also featured Special Guests, but I don’t recall who they were. 
From promo material of the time: “KING’s music makes use of many diverse and disparate influences – and they’re brought together with a heady power that puts “Love & Pride” right up there among the contenders. It’s not easy to describe their music – except to say that it’s a great danceable track that should work well with practically everybody. It’s got a really good and original feel and some excellent hooks that take no time at all in imprinting themselves on the brain – so provided you give it the plays it deserves – and it deserves a lot – KING could well have a massive debut hit. It’s been a long time since there was a band as original as KING with a song as good as “Love & Pride” – well now they’ve arrived and it could well signal the start of something big (and booted).”
Archive for the ‘KIng’ Category
28 Aug
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