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The man who never stops singing

John Paul Young is a self-confessed homebody, Vanda & Young tragic, and whisky connoisseur. Here he tells Active Retirees how his voice has stood the test of time, and why he loves nothing more than being in his own backyard with his beloved chooks. 

 

There’s an element of Peter Pan about John Paul Young. Sure, he’s relatively short in stature, but it’s more to do with the twinkle in his eye, his cheeky, broad grin and the way he so naturally plays up to the camera on the day of our photoshoot.

And that’s the thing I notice about the man also known as ‘Squeak’ (a nickname born back in the ’70s due to his high-pitched laugh) – he’s a natural. Whether he’s under the spotlight on stage with cameras pointing directly at him, or sitting opposite me at a cafe in his home of Newcastle sipping on a long black, you meet the same, humble, laidback guy – attributes that have given him the reputation as the nicest man in rock ’n’ roll.

 

Born to sing

As a boy growing up in Scotland, John remembers singing as simply being a way of life.

“It’s just part of my makeup, my whole family sang, so it was nothing out of the ordinary for me,” he said. “Since then I’ve never stopped singing – I sing when I’m happy, I sing when I get nervous, although I can’t ever remember singing when I’m sad.”

 

My mind can’t help but imagine the kind of childhood John must have experienced in his native Scotland – surrounded by his family merrily singing everywhere they went. But I’m drawn back to the here and now with a very real and beautiful tribute to his heritage – his gold Celtic, Claddagh wedding band – that, and the twinkle in his eye I mentioned earlier.

He undoubtedly had a knack for the art of singing in those early days and never received any formal training, even after migrating to Australia with his family at the age of 11. A few lessons from a man called Neil Williams, a tenor from » The Bobby Limb Show, only further proved John’s natural ability.

“He was very kind. He said, ‘Look, I can’t teach you how to sing, you know how to sing. But I can teach you how to breathe.’ So that’s what he did, he taught me the proper way to get some air into my lungs and make it a bit easier for myself when things get tough,” said John.

 

With feedback like that, it’s not surprising his mates recruited him as their band’s lead vocalist years later.

“I never stopped singing, that’s why they reasoned that I should be the man,” he said. “That and the fact I’d just completed a metalwork apprenticeship and was planning on buying a car – so I certainly wasn’t ready to go and make any big investments
in musical equipment.”

 

Love is in the Air

And so his career as one of Australia’s leading pop singers of the 1970s began. Aside from the live music scene, John went on to become co-presenter alongside Molly Meldrum (a long-time friend who John lovingly refers to as “a maniac”) on ABC’s Countdown, and enjoyed time treading the boards in theatre roles including the original Jesus Christ Superstar and Grease, The Musical. A stint in radio at NEWFM Newcastle also saw him top the ratings in breakfast, morning and afternoon timeslots.

But it was his early association with songwriters and producers Vanda & Young (ex-The Easybeats) that really fuelled his success at the start, kicking off with hits such as Standing in the Rain, Yesterday’s Hero, I Hate the Music and, of course, Love is in the Air.

 

After spending most of the ’70s touring, John secured top 10 chart success in countries across the globe, namely Australia, Britain, the United States, Germany, The Netherlands and South Africa. By the time Love is in the Air came round, he was very much on what he himself refers to as “the treadmill”.

“I’d already been touring in Europe and had just come back from South Africa when Love is in the Air was released in 1978 – but we were quietly confident when we recorded that one. We thought, it’s got something,” he said.

He was right. The song exceeded all expectations and experienced a revival with a new generation when Baz Lurhmann selected it as the theme song to his 1992 debut feature film Strictly Ballroom – a decision that led to a makeover for John himself, too.

“The first time I recorded it I had hair down to my back, then all of a sudden I’m in a white suit, surrounded by showgirls with a haircut that suggested I’d just left the army,” he said. “I thought the whole thing was a bit too polished, but it was an incredible time and I was happy to just roll with it.”

And so he continues to do exactly that, roll with it. These days you’ll find him touring with The Allstar band – originally put together for Stevie Wright, but taken over by John when Stevie “went off the rails”.

“I’ve got two original members who have been with me for 42 years, and the new boys have been there for 30 years. It’s a wonderful luxury to have your own band, you don’t have to second guess anything. It’s like putting on a comfortable pair of slippers.”

The nationwide tour, which celebrates Vanda & Young’s greatest hits, has been a huge success with the crowds, rewarding John and the band with standing ovations night after night. And the curtains won’t be drawing to a close anytime soon. John’s voice is undoubtedly standing the test of time, a blessing he attributes to his ability to switch off and “just be me”.

“I just hang around at home. I don’t go out much. I’m near the water so I muck around with boats and spend time in the backyard. I’ve got half a dozen chooks that I love. It’s just a quiet, suburban life.”

John reasons that there’s no need to stop performing anytime soon. His energy is fuelled by the crowds and as far as health and fitness goes, he gets his exercise on stage and just » tries to keep an eye on himself food-wise.

“If I feel like I’m putting on a bit of weight I just try and reduce my food intake… as well as my alcohol intake, although that’s not very successful,” John admitted.

“What I do is one of those wondrous things, it’s a strange combination of work and enjoyment and I’m just so fortunate to do something I love.” When asked if he can pinpoint the most unforgettable moment of his career to date, it’s impossible.

“My life has been full of unforgettable moments.”

And with that, our conversation draws to a contented close. It’s Melbourne Cup Day and John is heading home to watch the race that stops the nation with a plate of fresh prawns for lunch. Afterwards, he’ll undoubtedly tend to his beloved chickens, too.