Most Requested: Interview with Carol Decker from T’Pau
On 30th January 2015, ahead of the release of their new album Pleasure And Pain, Gerald interviewed Carol Decker, lead singer of the rock group T'Pau.
The multi-platinum selling T'Pau return with a brand new album and UK tour for 2015. Original song-writers Carol Decker and Ron Rogers team up for the first time in nearly 25 years to re-ignite the spark that brought us massive chart toppers Heart & Soul and the seminal 80's power ballad China In Your Hand, amongst a string of other hits, towards the close of that now celebrated decade. It's a rock 'n' roll tale that's drenched in 'Pleasure & Pain'...
Five weeks on the UK No.1 spot, six months on the US Billboard chart, and a million-plus selling debut album started a journey that initially spawned a further two Top 10 albums and a raft of hit singles that ended abruptly after four years amidst in fighting, dubious management and family stresses. Although remaining friends, Carol and Ron's own personal relationship had run its course and each had to go their own way.
In 1987 T'Pau were officially BIGGER than The Beatles, keeping George Harrison and Paul McCartney at No.2 in the UK singles and album charts respectively.
In 1997 Carol built a new T'Pau around her and released the critically-acclaimed album 'Red', but it wasn't until the band's 25th Anniversary in 2013 that co-writer Ron re-joined the band for a celebratory tour. It was here that the pair began completing the songs they had started to write some quarter of a decade earlier, as well as working up brand new material, and the faint chance of another classic T'Pau album suddenly became a reality.
T'Pau hold the exclusive title of holding three No.1 slots at once. 'China' No.1 in the singles charts, 'Bridge of Spies' No.1 in the album charts and the 'China Remix' at No.1 in the dance charts!
In a bitter twist of fate, during the final stage of recording, Carol's beloved mum, her inspiration and No.1 fan and supporter, was suddenly taken ill and sadly passed away. In her last few conscious days Carol was able to play her 'Demolition Man', a track that had always been a favourite of her mother's but one that they had not recorded until this new album. It was given the thumbs up and in true T'Pau tradition the moments joyous pleasure was mixed with immeasurable pain.
T'Pau were nominated for 5 BPI's (Brit Awards of the time), and Ivor Novello Award for 'China In Your Hand', and an ASCAP Award from the USA for 'Heart & Soul'.
As Carol bravely says, "We're no different to anyone else. Our story and our lives reflect what happens to everyone, everyday. We've reached the stage where there's nothing in the way anymore. We can go out and be ourselves, and that's what these songs and this tour are about. We're immensely proud of what we've achieved both in the past, and particularly with this new album."
You can listen to the full interview below:
