Back in the late 1970s beer fights at The Horn in St Albans were a standard part of Paul Young’s fledging musical career.

Well before he became a teen idol, the singer was a regular performer at the Victoria Street venue with Street Band and later the Q-Tips. Now the 59-year-old singer is back in town with his Americana band Los Pacaminos.

“It was mad,“ recalls Paul, who grew up in Luton. “Bob, who used to run the pub, was a nutcase and invariably by the end of the night we would all be having a quiet drink and he’d say: ‘Do you want another one?’ and you would go: ‘Yeah’ and he would throw it over you, then there was a beer fight in his own pub.

“We used to get the mops out afterwards and clear up. It was a wild time. I don’t know what it was about the late ‘70s, early ‘80s but everybody seemed to have a wild streak and it was so much fun. It was a great, great rock ‘n’ roll venue and it’s lovely to be coming back there again.“

Paul’s fame sky-rocketed following his days at The Horn: in 1982 the Q-Tips disbanded and he was signed by Colombia Records as a solo artist, quickly attracting an adoring fan-base who would throw teddy bears and other “rubbish“ on stage at his gigs.

In 1983 his cover of Marvin Gaye’s Wherever I Lay My Hat reached No 1 in the UK singles chart, in 1984 he sang lead vocals on Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? and he completed several world tours.

However in 1992 the former Watford Motors apprentice decided it was time to go back to basics with a bunch of “very good mates“ – the Pacaminos.

The band’s name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to packing in an audience, and were formed when Paul was between recording contracts and eager to play in a band.

“I just thought: ’Right I fancy trying this kind of music, I’ll call up the friends I’ve got that I think will understand what I’d like to do’, and that was it really. It was meant to be two or three years until I got another record deal and went back in the studio, but it was so much fun that it has been 23-years now.“

The line-up includes pedal steel guitarist Melvin Duffy, accordionist, singer and keyboardist Matt Irving, bassist Steve Greetham, bassist David Levy, guitarist Jamie Moses, lead vocalist and guitarist Drew Barfield, and drummers Mark Pinder and Jim Russell.

Barnet resident Paul says: “We love each other’s company, we care a lot for each other. When you play this kind of music it makes you feel happy, it makes you feel good and sometimes that’s all you want.“

Although he may not have been born in the USA, Paul certainly loves spending time across the pond. It was this passion for the south western states of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico which fed his desire to create the Tex Mex sound distinctive to Los Pacaminos.

“I have been on three RV (recreational vehicle) trips with my family, we pick up an RV in Arizona and we drive around New Mexico, South Texas, Arizona, and down to Mexico itself,“ says the father of four, who is married to former model Stacey Smith.

“I’ve only done it a few times, but I think the longing to be there helps me write the material.“

Los Pacaminos, The Horn, Victoria Street, St Albans, Saturday, March 28, 8pm. Details: 01727 844 627, thehorn.co.uk