…to be a great northern soul singer in the style of Dean Parrish? So thought a 15 year old Paul Weller when he recorded ‘Left, Right & Centre’ at one of his first recording sessions. Jim didn’t quite fix it for Weller at the time but 35+ years later, ‘Left, Right & Centre’ has seen the light of day, with northern soul legend Dean Parrish doing the vocals.
It’s out on Acid Jazz, under the nom de plume of Lord Large and it sounds just like the Weller demo from all those years ago. In fact, I imagine it sounds like something straight off of the turntable at the Wigan Casino in the 1970’s. Which is no bad thing. Weird thing is, on the demo Paul Weller sings like Dean Parrish. And on the new version, Dean Parrish sings like Paul Weller. Or maybe Paul Weller’s been singing like Dean Parrish all along and no-one’s noticed. I’ve only heard ‘I’m On My Way’, so I can’t claim to be the biggest Dean Parrish fan ever. So what do I know? I don’t even know if Paul Weller plays on the new track. Neither does Mr Google or Mr Wiki. Maybe you do?
Get yer brogues on, talc down your floor and have a northern soul night in front of your computer. Go on! You know you want to! And if you don’t like the track you can blame the bald mod himself, Steve Cradock. Apparently he found the demo in a box of old stuff when he was round at Weller’s one night and got it released. He even gets to play guitar on the Lord Large version too. The wee arse licker.
A self-satisfied Paul Weller yesterday. Just out of frame, Steve Cradock’s tongue.
Plain Or Pan 
‘A self-satisfied Paul Weller yesterday. Just out of frame, Steve Cradock’s tongue’
Nasty…but astutely funny
i have the cd single of this and, if i remember rightly, it was basically backed up by Ocean Colour Scene! imagine my disgust when i found that out?! still…a top, top recording.