The Greenock Telegraph previewed the gig on Thursday 11 May 1989;

Paul Haig at Eva - coup for local club

EVA DESTRUCTION have pulled off a major coup with pop star Paul Haig taking to the stage on Tuesday night at the local venue in Rico's.

The mega talented singer and songwriter who has been hovering on the brink of worldwide stardom for the past few years, has just released his first album "Chained", since 1985.

The LP contains 10 new songs produced and performed entirely by former Josef K member Paul and his long-time buddy, ex-Associate Alan Rankine.

Haig has just been described by music magazines as the "Face of the Nineties" and his gig at Eva Destruction is part of a Scottish tour. Tickets for the gig from 9.30 p.m.-1 a.m. cost £3.50.

Paul Haig's considerable reputation finds its origins in the early days of the 1980s when, as leader of the group Josef K, he wrote some of the most articulate and demanding songs to emerge from that time.

While Postcard label-mates Orange Juice were falling and laughing in sunny Glasgow, Edinburgh's Josef K were contemplating whether it was "Crazy To Exist", reflecting the cold wind that never ceases in that town.

Josef K's first release was a single on Absolute Records in 1979 entitled "Romance" but it is their association with Alan Horne's Glasgow-based Postcard label which gained them their music press celebrity.

SPLIT

As a direct result of the pressure brought to bear by their own critical reputation, Josef K split up. The press licked their wounds as the band cited them as co-respondents in the divorce.

Josef K guitarist and co-songwriter Malcolm Ross later joined Postcard pop stars Orange Juice, and then moved on to Postcard mega-stars Aztec Camera. Paul Haig sat back and invented the Rhythm of Life Organisation.

The first product of this imaginary corporation was the single "Uncle Sam"/"Portrait Of Heart" in 1981 on Rational Records. Billed as "Rhythm of Life Presents", it featured Paul on keyboards and guitar and his friend Sebastian Horsley on vocals.

SOLO

But strapping himself back into the confines of a group was not the natural way for Paul, and so the Paul Haig solo career began.

Paul's first solo single was a lush, synthesised cover of Sly Stone's "Running Away". It met with open arms and sparked off another round of Great Expectations.

The follow-up, "Blue For You", was a minimal song clearly aimed at the dance floor, which left fans of his songwriting, like Roddy Frame, somewhat bemused.

In 1983 Paul signed to Island Records and found himself in the hands of star producer Alex Sadkin (Grace Jones, Duran Duran). The first single to emerge from this collaboration was "Heaven Sent" a new tune to an old Josef K lyric.

The single entered the top 75, but failed to set the charts alight. A similar fate befell the blatantly poppy "Never Give Up (Party Party)" which was followed by the long overdue release of "Justice".

It was Paul's single "Big Blue World" that marked the beginning of his long-standing partnership with ex-Associate Alan Rankine. Paul's personal favourite track on his new album is the first single "Something Good", a seductively simple song constructed round the line "take something bad and make it into something good".

The one track on the album not written by Paul is "Chained", a song written for him by Billy Mackenzie. Paul has returned the compliment with a song entitled "Reach The Top" which features on The Associates' as yet unreleased "Glamour Chase" LP. Paul and Billy have also worked together on music for a film they might make at some point. Could this mark the return of the Rhythm Of Life world domination enterprise?