Interview with Paul Carrack conducted exclusively for The Waiting Room by Peter Morton on Wednesday 1st November 1989.

TWR: I have had a listen to your new LP; Groove Approved, or at least the demo copy version of it. Could you tell me, has the LP been released in the UK yet?

PC: I am not actually sure if it’s out here yet. If it’s not out this week it will be out here next week.

TWR: I understand that the LP has been released in America. How has it been selling out there?

PC: It is going really well. I am waiting to hear a chart position today. The single has gone straight in at number 58.

TWR: Which single is that?

PC: I Live By The Groove.

TWR: One or two questions on The Mechanics if you don’t mind. Whatever happened to the single: Revolution?

PC: Not a lot actually.

TWR: There was a video though, wasn’t there?

PC: Yeah, there was a video. I don’t think that got a lot of showing either. Because it is something they don’t like to show. It was tied up to a film you see, and for some reason which I am not quite sure but it had a lot of footage from the film and for some reason they don’t like using those kind of videos too much.

TWR: It’s a shame because from what I’ve heard it would have been a great single.

PC: Yes. I mean, I quite liked it. I thought it was pretty good. In fact I think it was released as a single but it never did that much. I mean, in America, where the film came out. The film was called Rude Awakening it was something by Cheech and Chong or Cheech Marion anyway. I just can’t remember it at the moment.

TWR: Apparently it was very weird. Anyway, have you any plans with Mike Rutherford again at all?

PC: Yes, he called me the other day in fact. And he wants to get together to try and do a bit of writing in the next few weeks in fact.

TWR: Oh? Both of you? What will that be then? Do you think it will be for another Mike & The Mechanics project?

PC: Yes that’s right, for another album next year. At this point he’s not exactly sure, it’s all very vague at the moment. He just wants us to get together and write a few songs. We’re not exactly sure about producers. He’s talking about writing songs in drips and drabs next year. Doing like two or three songs at a time.

TWR: Oh, I see and hopefully getting something out later on?

PC: yes, that’s right because I’m suite sure he would like to get another album out for this summer probably.

TWR: You mean this summer coming; 1990? Did the last Mike & The Mechanics tour in America last August go down well?

PC: Yes, very good,

TWR: And did you basically play the same set as you played in the UK?

PC: You see we did two tours. Yes we did the same one as we did in the UK we did that same sort of set right up until the end of April doing similar kinds of venue over there as well as smaller theatres. Then there was a break and that was when I did my album and Peter van Hooke did Tanita Tikaram’s album and everybody did all their little bits and pieces. Then we got back together again in July and we went out to do the summer gigs and whatever. There were a lot of outdoor venues so we did a lot of them with a much condensed shorter set, something like an hour and ten minutes. It was much punchier. It was a double bill you see, there was us and a group called The Outfield, who are quite big over there so because it was a double bill we just kept it a bit shorter.

TWR: Did you play Revolution live at all on this second American tour?

PC: Yes, we did as an encore.

TWR: Did it go down well?

PC: Yes it did, it went down really well.

TWR: It’s a shame that they don’t get it released over here on whatever label it would have been released on.

PC: No I don’t think it will be going out unless the film comes out over here of course but I have seen no sign of it.

TWR: What are your immediate plans for the future?

PC: I am working promoting this album. As I mentioned earlier it is going down quite well in the States and I have been to Europe, Germany and all those kind of places doing lots of interviews and all that kind of stuff. I am going to Holland next week. I did three weeks in America just promotion and these launches in eight or nine cities.

TWR: So it has been well received over there?

PC: I will be going over to the States again in December to do a couple of things; Saturday Night Live and that sort of thing; TV shows. So I will be promoting that and I will be getting together with Mike to do a bit of writing.

TWR: Right, I think that’s all for now. It has been great talking to you again and I would like to wish you all the best for the success of the album an look forward to talking to you again soon. Many thanks.