Scouser Paul Rutherford is best known as the flamboyant backing vocalist, dancer and keyboardist in the hugely successful and equally controversial Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Now based in New Zealand, he will be returning to Liverpool on Good Friday, 29th March to perform a live P.A. at Garlands as part of The Original State Celebration night.
Following the band’s split in 1987, he became their first member to launch a solo career a year later with the seminal acid house anthem Get Real produced by Sheffield popsters ABC and his debut album Oh World in 1989.
Before finding fame with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Paul studied fine art at college and worked in a San Francisco antiques shop before he became a regular on his hometown’s live circuit, performing in bands the Spitfire Boys, the Opium Eaters and Hambi & the Dance.
In February 1983, Frankie Goes to Hollywood were invited to record a video for Relax by The Tube, the key music show on fledgling network Channel 4. The iconic clip was shot at the State Ballroom in Liverpool. After the broadcast, their John Peel session was repeated on radio and a new session recorded for the B.B.C. These performances, along with a repeat of the Tube video, convinced Trevor Horn to sign the group for his new label, ZTT Records, in May 1983.
After emigrating to New Zealand, Paul released his belated second solo album in 2010, The Cowboy Years, under the guise of Paul Rutherford/Butt Cowboys, while a year later his debut was reissued with several B-sides and remixes.
The State Ballroom was one of the most important nightclubs in Liverpool history, situated on Liverpool’s Dale Street. In 1982 Bernie Start in partnership with John and Sandy Hewson opened The State as Liverpool’s first Laser nightclub. The original music policy was Alternative Dance e.g. Kraftwerk, Heaven 17, New Order, DAF, ABC, Soft Cell, A Certain Ratio and the like. The resident D.J.s were Frank Cookson and Steve Proctor.
On a Thursday evening local celebrities such as Pete Burns, Jayne Casey, Holly Johnson and Pete Wylie could be seen strutting their stuff at the State. Steve Proctor then moved to London and started to work for Polydor Records, setting up the rare groove orientated ‘Urban Dance’ label and later joined the acid house scene early in the embryonic days DJing with Danny Rampling at The Fitness Centre at one of London’s coolest clubs of the day ‘Shoom’.
The State also had live gigs and P.A.’s, many of these were booked and promoted by Steve Proctor and the occasional outside promoter. Particularly note-worthy were appearances by Animal Nightlife, Big Audio Dynamite, New Order, Divine, A Certain Ratio and Zigue Zigue Sputnik. The State Ballroom also featured in the film A Letter to Brezhnev and Frankie Goes to Hollywood also filmed their video for their number one hit record Relax .Later on, Andy Carroll booked various live performances at the club including Mark ‘the 45’ King and A Guy Called Gerald.
October 1984 Mike Knowler and Andy Carroll became the new resident D.J.s. At that time the music played included Blancmange, Talking Heads, Simple Minds, U2, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dead or Alive, King Trigger, Echo & the Bunnymen and New Order, Stray Cats, Gene Vincent, The Waterboys, The Sisters of Mercy and James Brown to name a few from the eclectic selection of groups all mashed together into one great musical soundscape. Ever being influenced by the latest club sound Mike and Andy also introduced an element of Hip Hop into their D.J. sets featuring the likes of The Beastie Boys, Run D.M.C., Eric B and Rakim, L.L. Cool J and Stetsasonic. This would be 1986 to 1988.
The night promises to be a night to remember for all sorts of reasons. A dip into another side of Liverpool’s great night life.
Tickets for The Original State Celebration presents at Garlands are priced at £12 in advance with the price being more on the door. Tickets are available from www.skiddle.com or www.fatsoma.com or at 3B Records on Slater Street in Liverpool.