Mr Nice GuyJohn Paul Young
April 3rd 2011 09:58
He found fame through the program Countdown with Molly Meldrum and was rediscovered by a new legion of fans all over again more than 20 years after his first hit Passadena.
John Paul Young or JPY is a 70s pop icon.
Having moved from Glasgow, Scotland to Australia, he settled in Sydney and of all the instruments available to a young man at the time elected to learn the piano accordion.
John joined the Sydney based band Elm Tree in 1969 - a group with limited local following and even less success in recording terms.
Auditioning for the Andrew Lloyd-Webber//Tim Rice's rock musical Jesus Christ Superstar in 1972 he won a major supporting role alongside leading pop-rock performers including Easybeat: Stevie Wright, a very young Marcia Hines and Air Supply.
Hooking up with producers/composers Harry Vanda and George Young, JPY found immediate success with the song Pasadena charting at #10 on the Sydney charts, followed by You Drive Me Crazy in February 1973.
Between 1975 and 1980, the diminitive performer was one of the most popular male vocalists in Australia. His records were hugely success overseas. His records topped the charts in Europe, the USA and South Africa.
In March 1975, Yesterday's Hero, a song about the fleeting nature of pop stardom hit Number 1 nationally also selling strongly in the USA where it reached #42 on the Cashbox top one hundred.
John's next single The Love Game, released in August 1975 peaked at #9 before wowing fans again in March 76 with the single I Hate the Music - this time achieving gold status.
I Wanna Do It With You was released in February 1977, it reached #8 nationally with tours to Germany, South Africa and the US planned.
In June 1978 Love Is in the Air once again had Squeak at the top of the charts - a place he found himself once again 20 years later having had the single re-released on the soundtrack of the hit film Strictly Ballroom and by its use in the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony.
John contineud to tour -extensively throughout Europe, United Kingdom and the USA.
A number of semi-successful albums followed and in 1984 John retired from recording and performing.
Encouraged out of retirement - yet still with a hand in the industry and a string of small tours behind him John recorded a new album in 1996, which included a re-recorded version of Love Is in the Air. The single was released in August.
A 70s pop icon, a favourite with TV viewers and the quinnessential knock about Aussie - JPY still resonates with fans today and can still be seen making special guest performances around the country.
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