Back in the eighties there was a scottish band that i loved and that was in my opinion really close to Prefab Sprout for originality and talent : DANNY WILSON.
It was really a shame that they released only two albums (Meet Danny Wilson and Be Bop Mop Top both excellent). After their split up their lead vocalist and leader, Gary Clarke released a solo album that was also very good (ten short songs about love).
I know that Gary Clarke in the recent years moved away in Los Angeles and works as songwriter for other artists, but i believe that if the band would reunite it would be really fantastic.
First of all i recommend their two albums to all the people in this forum ( I guess, evryone in this forum should appreciate) and then i wondered if there are other fans in this forum and if someone knew something about news about the band itself or their members.

I love Danny Wilson, and their first album is one of my favorite albums ever, and Second Summer of Love is a great song though the rest of the second album leaves a little to be desired.

I need to look up that solo album, I bet it's impossible to get in the states though. I'd love to hear some new stuff from them too, but I won't hold my breath.

I bought the "Ten Short Songs About Love" album back in 1993 mainly on the strength of this song, which was receiving heavy airplay on local radio at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlDI82BZ2mM&feature=fvwrel

Favourite track from the album is the soulful "Freefloating", and I do believe that this video is the only one that Clark has made thus far in his solo career. There's a couple of annoying interruptions towards the end, but I think it's a lovely song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daxSD3QPsd4

Here's an interview with Gary Clark that covers quite a bit of ground and includes a brief mention of PS.

http://popdose.com/hooks-n-you-a-portrait-...cording-artist/

I loved Danny wilson too. What a tragedy they dissolved, maybe they didn´t scale paddys heights at his best but sometimes i think they had a simpler, warmer beauty than prefab. I heard a combination of steely dan and abba at their best in Gary Clarks songs. And he had a beautiful, soulful voice

One or two more albums and they could have come up with some classic stuff. After their split up i think Gary Clark seem to have lost it, i didn´t care much for his soloalbum, too slick and sterile and king l and transister was even worse. I wish he would come back to do a soloalbum but writing for natalie imbruglia perhaps is more comforting money wise.

I was sure to find other fans in the forum. In my opinion their best album is Meet Danny Wilson, but also Be bop Mop Top has its wonderful moments (Imaginary girl, Never Gonna be the same, If you really love me, the ballad of me and shirley maclaine).
After i sent the first message, also i found on the internet, the interview that ronchito mentioned, and it was really interesting especially when Gary Clark speaks about his love and closeness to nature of Prefab Sprout and Blue Nile.
He, in that interview expresses his love for Bacharach (one of Paddy's heroes) and so i can say really that is confirmed that he shares the same musical roots with Paddy.
Danny Wilson were really reminiscent of Steely Dan (another thing in common with paddy) especially cause Clark's voice is similar to Fagen's (five friendly aliens from the first album is one of the most steelydanesque songs all time), but their songwriting was totally original and ingenious.
Hope they will release something new..

I had the good fortune to see Danny Wilson live in 1988. It was a superb gig which showcased all the great tracks from their first album.

I think the album has aged fairly well and I just wish they had produced more work.

PS, I saw Simple Minds play a couple of weeks ago and in the band was one Ged Grimes.

Mary's Prayer really is one of the all-time great pop songs.

'Meet Danny Wilson' is indeed a classic album and relevant to Prefab fans. Most songs are wonderful slices of home grown, well crafted pop. Despite including the song 'Marys Prayer' it also features several songs which surpass that one (which is quite saying something!) I am thinking of the opener 'Davy' and the final track 'I Won't be here when you get home' in particular.
As well as writing for Natalie Imbruglia including the massive hit 'Torn' Gary Clarke also recorded an album under the name King L with Boo Hewardine from The Bilble if I am not mistaken. The second Danny Wilson album 'Be-Bop Moptop' was a bit of a let down in my view though 'Second Summer of Love' is an excellent song.

Clarke wrote this song with and for Lloyd Cole:
http://www.muzu.tv/gb/lloydcole/that-boy-music-video/234712/

Was supposed to be a single for Cole's 1999 Collection, but wasn't officially released in that format (but some copies do circulate).
But the song is on the Collection and on the LC & the Negatives album from 2000.

I really liked Danny Wilson, especially their song Mary's Prayer which is one of my all-time favourite tunes.

In '93 while driving home from a course in Manchester I heard R1 play Gary Clark's Freefloating, which I think was out on an EP at the time. I bought the EP but the other tunes were a bit meh so I didn't bother with his album.

I only bought Bebop Mop Top a few years after its release, but remember listening to it often in my first days as a resident of London in '95. Imaginary Girl, Loneliness ... wonderful songs and quite resonant at the time.

Slightly low quality on YouTube. Wow, that takes me back. I didn't quite want to go there to be frank, but still - what a song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daxSD3QPsd4