| 2008 |
On New Year's Eve 2007 Lyn Paul got Liverpool's year as European City Of Culture off to a great start with a welcome return to the role of Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers...
In February James Kristian, the son of former New Seeker Marty Kristian, was featured in a revealing interview and photo in the magazine Attitude. In March former New Seeker Eve Graham announced her farewell but then indicated that we had not heard the last of her yet. Meanwhile the 2008 line-up of the New Seekers was back on the road, with news of the group's 'In Perfect Harmony' tour appearing in The Beat magazine.
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| Evening News (Edinburgh), 3rd January 2008, page 8. |
City set the stage for fantastic year
by Liam Rudden
Liam Rudden had "a quick trawl through the last 12 months of the local entertainment scene."
"Another reinvented star caught my attention in April. New Seeker Lyn Paul may have topped the charts with the songs such as I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing back in the Seventies, but today she is better known as a musical theatre performer, as Playhouse audiences discovered when she starred in Footloose The Musical."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 3rd January 2008, page 8. |
Classic show back in sparkling form; Audience embraces an old favourite
Theatre Review: Blood Brothers, Liverpool Empire Theatre
by Philip Key
"Lyn Paul is a glorious Mrs. Johnstone, almost ageing before our eyes as troubles take their toll, but always able to deliver in a strong voice numbers like the moving ballad Easy Terms and ultra-catchy Marilyn Monroe."
Read the review in full on the Liverpool Daily Post website.
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| Liverpool Echo, 3rd January 2008. |
Ma's the best for a starry New Year (page 15)
Lyn Paul told the Liverpool Echo that she'd seen in the New Year at Ma Egerton's, the pub by the Stage Door of the Empire Theatre. Describing Liverpool as her "second home - and I mean that with my hand firmly on my heart," Lyn paid tribute to Marie and John, the couple who ran the pub: "We had a huge spread with curry, Chinese food - you name it. They sure know how to throw a party. Magical."
Review: Blood Brothers, Empire Theatre
by Catherine Jones (page 27)
"As the lynchpin of the piece, Lyn Paul has a pleasing, effortless way with her numbers - Easy Terms is beautiful, and the famous Tell Me It's Not True a stand-out."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 4th January 2008, page 3. |
7 days; The week's highlights
Tuesday
"Willy Russell's musical, Blood Brothers, is back in the city with Lyn Paul in magnificent form as Mrs. Johnstone, the cleaning lady who gives away one of her twins in 1960s Liverpool. Musically, certainly one of the strongest versions to be seen."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 9th January 2008, page 17. |
KEY Events; the Arts Editor's Pick of the Day
MUSICAL
"Lyn Paul brilliantly portrays Mrs. Johnstone, the char who gives away one of her twins, in Willy Russell's musical, Blood Brothers, which is both funny and tragic."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 10th January 2008. |
By invitation only
by Carolyn Hughes (page 9)
"The Empire Theatre launched its European Capital of Culture programme with Liverpool's very own Blood Brothers. Written by Willy Russell and directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, Blood Brothers, which was recently voted Most Popular British Musical by the New York Times, is a truly spellbinding production. Lyn Paul plays the lead role of Mrs. Johnstone, while "Blood Brothers" Mickey and Eddie are played by Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson. As someone who has seen the show 24 times, it goes without saying that I think it is a must-see."
KEY Events; the Arts Editor's Pick of the Day (page 12)
MUSICAL
"Lyn Paul shines as Mrs. Johnstone, the char who gives away one of her twins, in Willy Russell's successful musical, now in its 25th year. Musically, one of the best versions so far."
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| Financial Times, 16th January 2008, page 19. |
Handle with great care: bands, fans and brands
by Ben Fenton
Another article on pop music and advertising, another mention of the song that started it all off.
"The association of commercial companies and pop or rock artists is hardly new - the New Seekers' hit I'd like To Teach The World To Sing was originally arranged for use in a Coca-Cola commercial in 1971..."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 17th January 2008, page 17. |
KEY Events; the Arts Editor's Pick of the Day
MUSICAL
"Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers still playing to packed houses. Lyn Paul is a superb Mrs. Johnstone, and there is a fine supporting cast. Good music and a splendidly atmospheric opening. The show also looks good."
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| Liverpool Echo, 17th January 2008, page 32. |
My Last Supper: Lyn Paul
by Janet Tansley
Asked what she'd have for her last supper, Lyn Paul said she'd choose "one of my mum’s cooked meals... My mum’s roast potatoes and my mum’s gravy. Mmm."
Read the interview in full on the Liverpool Echo website.
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 18th January 2008, page 3. |
7 days; The week's highlights
Monday
"The latest production of Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers ends this week, so there is not much time left to catch it. Lyn Paul plays Mrs. Johnstone, the char lady who gives away one of her newborn twins with tragic consequences, and delivers a knockout performance. Musically, one of the best versions of the show so far."
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| Marketing, 23rd January 2008, page 15. |
EMI chief cuts to the chase
by Gareth Jones
Does this sound familiar?
"The idea of record companies linking brands with bands is nothing new. The New Seekers' hit I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing was adapted from a song composed for a Coca-Cola ad in 1971... "
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 25th January 2008, page 3. |
7 days; The week's highlights
Saturday
"The final date for Blood Brothers, Willy Russell's commanding Liverpool-set musical about twin brothers separated at birth and growing up friends without knowing their relationship. Lyn Paul gives a tremendous performance as Mrs. Johnstone, the char lady who gives away a twin with tragic results."
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| Attitude, February 2008. |
Kristian Values
by Simon Button
Marty Kristian's son Jamie was featured in "the hot issue" of the magazine for gay men, Attitude. Asked about the New Seekers, he said: "I've listened to their music but I don't know how you'd classify it - I guess it's quirky, hippie, country pop with a bit of folk in there too."
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| The Beat, March 2008. |
Thirty-four years after Lyn Paul left the New Seekers, a line-up featuring Paul Layton (the last remaining member of the hit-making group) set off on a UK tour. The Beat magazine featured the group on the front cover with news of the tour inside.
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| The Sun, 17th March 2008. |
While the New Seekers set off on a UK tour, former New Seeker Eve Graham announced in The Sun that she would perform "her final gig at a charity do in her hometown Perth in May".
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| The Express, 17th March 2008. |
I'd like to teach the world to sing... one more time
by Jamie Beatson
A brief career retrospective recalling some of Eve Graham's successes with the New Seekers, among them the Eurovision Song Contest of 1972.
"Eve and the band, including fellow lead singer Lyn Paul, came second in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, with the song Beg, Steal Or Borrow."
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| Daily Mail, 22nd March 2008, page 18. |
I've finished teaching the world to sing
by Maureen Culley
Eve Graham talked about her years with the New Seekers. Although she made it clear that life with the group was not all perfect harmony, she added: "I don't remember ever having an argument with Lyn."
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| The Times, 7th May 2008. |
Cliff Richard and Franco: the mystery
by Giles Smith
Following allegations made by a Spanish television documentary that vote rigging by General Franco robbed Cliff Richard of victory in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest, Giles Smith called into question some of the other Eurovision results.
"Years now firmly under suspicion include 1972, when the New Seekers, with the mighty Beg, Steal Or Borrow, came second to Luxembourg's terminally dreary Vicky Leandros..."
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| The Express, 14th May 2008. |
Singer Eve worked as a bra-fitter
The Day & Night column of the Daily Express revealed that after leaving the New Seekers, Eve Graham had worked as a bra-fitter in Debenhams: “As the agents weren’t ringing to give me work what was I supposed to do? Hide behind closed doors because my name is Eve Graham?”
The print version of this article was accompanied by a photo of the New Seekers' line-up featuring Kathy Ann Rae. The online version featured a photo of the line-up with Lyn Paul.
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| The Independent, Thursday, 15th May 2008, page 13. |
She taught the world to sing - but ended up fitting Debenhams bras
by Cahal Milmo
Eve Graham revealed her plans to record an album of traditional Scottish songs. Eve also recalled the time when she had worked as a sales assistant in Debenhams: "the agents weren't ringing and I needed to do something to pay the bills and get out of the house."
Lyn Paul was pictured in the photo of the New Seekers that accompanied the article.
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| Daily Mail, 16th May 2008. |
I want to teach the world their cup size: How New Seeker Eve Graham went from singing with the stars to fitting bras
by Liz Thomas
Eve Graham spoke to Liz Thomas about her two years as a bra-fitter: "I saw an advert for a vacancy at Debenhams in Colchester, which is where we lived, and thought it would be good to give it a go."
The article was accompanied by a photo of the New Seekers, with Eve Graham and Lyn Paul standing either side of Peter Doyle.
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| Independent On Sunday, 18th May 2008, page 46. |
'Rock 'n' roll gets so big it loses what it had'
The Independent On Sunday picked up on the story about Eve Graham featured in other papers:
"As lead vocalist for the New Seekers, Eve Graham was one of the world's most famous singers. Last week, she revealed that after leaving the group she took to fitting bras in Debenhams to make ends meet."
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Colchester, Mersea Island and Wivenhoe Gazette,
Monday, 19th May 2008. |
Seeker Eve... from lingerie, back to music
by Meil Jones
Speaking on the phone from her home in Perthshire, Eve Graham told the Gazette: "A lot has been made of me working in the lingerie department of Debenhams, but I didn't do it because I had to... Before Debenhams I worked in a cancer charity shop in the High Street."
The article was accompanied by a photo of the New Seekers from the 1970s.
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| The Mirror, 26th May 2008, page 8. |
Euro derision
by Mark Jeffries
After Terry Wogan's hint that he may quit as the BBC's Eurovision Song Contest presenter, The Mirror published an article which quoted him as saying that Eurovision was "no longer a music contest". Illustrating how the UK had fared over the years, the article concluded with a list of past entries, including the New Seekers second place with Beg, Steal Or Borrow in 1972.
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| Sunday Times, 1st June 2008. |
Eve Graham on life after the New Seekers
by Allan Brown
Allan Brown interviewed Eve Graham about her days with the New Seekers and re-told the story of the group's origins:
"[Keith] Potger had noticed The Seekers were no longer viable since the departure of lead vocalist Judith Durham. He opted to recruit two female vocalists, Graham and Lyn Paul."
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| Record Collector, No. 350, June 2008, page 49. |
 Lost gems of the Sixties
by Kingsley Abbott
In his feature about the "neglected oddities and could-have-beens" of the 1960s, Kingsley Abbott included the Vernons Girls' single You Know What I Mean, accompanied by a photo, not of the Vernons Girls, but of the Chrys-Do-Lyns (Lyn Paul, Donna Jones and Christine Lowe).
The article gives a taste of the many more "rare and lesser-known goodies" featured in Kingsley Abbott's book 500 Lost Gems of the Sixties, published on 16th May 2008 by Ovolo Publishing Ltd.
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| The Express, 26th December 2008. |
DAY & NIGHT
The end-of-year quiz included this question: 17. What job did singer Eve Graham of the New Seekers end up doing when fame ended?
a) Barmaid
b) Bra fitter at Debenhams
c) Cleaner
If you're in any doubt about the answer, check The Express of 14th May 2008, The Independent of 15th May or the Daily Mail of 16th May.
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