Los Pacaminos

Los Pacaminos are a UK-based group led by Paul Young and formed in 1992. They play Tex-Mex music, drawing on classic Tex-Mex songs, Spanish-language material and original pieces. The band is a seven-piece line-up and all of the members sing, each in a different style.

Style and repertoire

The group specialises in a lively bar-room sound built around Tex-Mex, with an emphasis on danceable songs and a party atmosphere. Their repertoire includes songs such as “Wooly Bully”, “La Bamba” and, at times, “Speedy Gonzales”. Their music sits between Mexican mariachi and norteño traditions and the country and blues sounds of south-western America. The band cites Ry Cooder, Flaco Jiménez, The Texas Tornados, Los Lobos and Sir Douglas Quintet among the acts they identify with musically.

Formation and name

Los Pacaminos begin as a project formed by Paul Young after he wants to play live again while between record labels and working on new material for a solo album. What starts as a casual project for enjoyment develops into a long-running band. The name is a nonsense phrase chosen because it resembles “Pack’em in”, a reference to the audience, and it is also said to resemble an Argentine term for street boys.

Members

The group includes Paul Young, David Levy and Jamie Moses, along with other regular players. The line-up described with the first album includes Drew Barfield on guitar and vocals, Melvyn Duffy on pedal steel, Steve Greetham on bass and vocals, Matt Irving on keyboards, accordion and vocals, Mark Pinder on drums, and Paul Young on guitar and vocals. Jamie Moses is listed on guitar and vocals. The wider line-up also features musicians with backgrounds in work for artists including Go West, Joe Jackson, Level 42, Jimmy Nail, Leo Sayer, Deana Carter, Robbie Williams, Joan Armatrading, Julia Fordham, Chris de Burgh, Lords of the New Church, Squeeze, Chris Rea, Jools Holland, Roger Waters, Manfred Mann, The Pretenders, Mike and the Mechanics, Chaka Khan, Gary Barlow, Mica Paris, Tony Hadley, Pete Townshend, Karl Wallinger, Paul Rodgers, Curtis Stigers and Dave Stewart.

Recordings

The band’s first album is Los Pacaminos, released on What Records and distributed through ID/Universal. It contains twelve tracks: “My My My”, “Manana”, “Perdita”, “La Mesa”, “Shadows on the Rise”, “Raised on Margaritas”, “Poor Boys”, “Handsome Man”, “Tico”, “Do We Want The Same Things”, “Two Margaritas” and “Tierra D’Ensuenos”.

Paul Young

Paul Young is the best-known member of the group. He begins his career with Q-Tips and later has solo hits including “Wherever I Lay My Hat”, “Come Back and Stay” and “Every Time You Go Away”. He also has hit albums and records with the Italian singer Zucchero.