Paper Lace
Authentic Rock & Pop Seventies Sound
In 1967 singer / drummer Phil Wright came together with a bass player called Cliff Fish, to play
in a local band by the name of “Music Box”, a year later, they decided on a new name to mark
a fresh start and PAPER LACE was born. They took a residency booking of six months in a
‘Mecca’ club in Rochdale, then launched themselves onto the entertainment scene and started
recording singles in the studio “You Can’t Touch Me”, “I’ve Got You That’s Enough For Me”
and the Bee Gees composition “The Morning Of My Life”, consistent quality releases, but with
no real success.
In 1973, the TV talent show “Opportunity Knocks” became the first real break for this
extraordinary vocal harmony band and the PAPER LACE line-up at this time still included lead
vocalist Phil Wright and bassist Cliff Fish. Whilst winning the public’s postal vote five times and
so appearing on the TV show for total of 6 weeks in succession, they were spotted by hit song
writers Mitch Murray and Peter Callender and their recording career took flight.
In 1974 “Billy Don’t be a Hero”, “The Night Chicago Died”, “The Blackeyed Boys”, “Hitchin’ a
Ride 74”, “So What if I Am” and two albums made up the 30,000,000 plus UK record sales
achieved by this fantastic hit pop and rock band.
Internationally “The Night Chicago Died” reached number one in the American Charts, giving
the band Platinum Disc status for sales in excess of 2,000,000 in the USA, winning the title of
“Largest Selling Single of 1974 Worldwide” A consequence of this achievement was that they
were invited to perform for and meet, HRH The Queen Mother, in the 1974 “Royal Command
Performance” at The London Palladium. Record sales multiplied in Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, Germany and Spain and the albums earned them gold discs.
They toured extensively until the mid eighties, when musical differences dictated a parting of
the ways.
Phil Wright, the original lead vocalist /drummer on all the hits, continued to perform as
PAPER LACE with various live bands and recorded new material in the studio.
Cliff Fish, the original bass guitarist and vocalist has also continued to progress his musical
career, occasionally performing the hits live in venues up and down the country and recording
in the studio.
Following a wave of requests and enquiries from the entertainment business, the fan base and
the general public, into the possibility of the original PAPER LACE returning to the music
scene, then the planned re-release of a double CD of the two albums, these two original
members joined forces with two similar giants of the music world in 2009.
Phil Hendriks, lead vocal frontman/guitarist in his own ‘Powerpop’ band “The Stiffs” mid
Eighties fame, he recorded for EMI plus cult label ‘Stiff Records’, performs with wife
Michelle’s tribute band “Blondied” and tours with Les McKuen’s “Bay City Rollers”
Dave Major, keyboards and vocalist extraordinaire, plays keys with T-REX, the only
true descendant of the original Mark Bolan and Mickey Finn band, a prolific writer, Dave’s
contribution to the band’s material has become invaluable
So there you have it, four huge talents, two originals and two new guys bringing you the
unique, totally live, authentic seventies sound of PAPER LACE.
