ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode of Vinyl Vibes Jack interviews Phillip Wright, drummer and lead vocalist of Paper Lace. The band is most known for the two number one hits they had during 1974: "Billy Don't Be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died". The band was formed in 1968, and was known as Music Box until 1970 when they changed their name to Paper Lace. Phillip has been with the band since its formation in 1968, and played with the band until its disbandment in 1980.
The band released their first album "First Edition" in 1972 without any charting success. However, after appearing on a TV show called Opportunity Knocks in 1973, the group were discovered by famous songwriting team Mitch Murray and Peter Callander. "Billy Don't Be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died" were both penned by Callander and Murray, and gave the group two number one hits in a row. Despite a number one hit in the US, the band still to this day have never toured the US. However, after touring Australia in 1975 and in 2017, the band recently returned to play Oz again in 2023. Today Phillip still plays Paper Lace's hits in his band Phillip Wright's Original 70s Paper Lace.
In Jack's interview with Phillip Wright he talks with Phillip about his early musical beginnings, how he came to play drums, how he came to join Music Box, how the band came to be Paper Lace, playing on the TV show Opportunity Knocks, working with Mitch Murray and Peter Callander, the recording and success of "Billy Don't Be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died", and the groups work today.
“You used to have to ring up on a Tuesday, ring the office, the office of INTO records which was the Bus Stop Label owned and run by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander and say 'Look, what are the (charting) positions then?' and they would tell you. And I rang up on this particular day and he said 'You won't believe this' and I said 'come on then, tell me, hit me, where are we?' and he says 'You're at number one!' and it's like stunned!" - Philip Wright talking about hearing that "Billy Don't Be a Hero" had just reached number one in the UK on this episode of Vinyl Vibes
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins
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